Messi: We'll Fight Until the End, Explains Match Difficulties

Lionel Messi, captain of the Argentina national team, stated that his side has once again proven its ability to compete in tough times, following their thrilling 3-2 victory over Cape Verde after extra time, securing a spot in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup.

In comments after the match, Messi said: "This team always competes and will continue to fight until the end, no matter the circumstances."

He added: "We benefited today from set pieces, which we hadn't succeeded in during previous matches, but it made a difference for us."

The Argentina captain continued: "We have exceptional players in aerial duels, and we managed to exploit this advantage effectively today."

Regarding the match's difficulties, he said: "We couldn't press them as we wanted, and there were large gaps between our lines at times."

He concluded his remarks by stating: "The opponent had possession at many times and forced us to run a lot because we didn't manage to implement the press as required."