Just as Cape Verde was lining up against the defending champions, Argentina, their head coach Bubista was continuing his tradition of handing gifts to opposition coaches. Bubista’s team has gone from an unknown island to one of the most loved underdogs at the World Cup thanks to excellent performances on the field and even more heartwarming stories off the field.

By Gabriel Araujo KANSAS CITY, Missouri, July 4 (Reuters) - Argentina advanced to the World Cup last 16 with a 3-2 extra-time victory over Cape Verde, but the reigning champions left the match with new doubts after being pushed to the brink by the tournament debutants.

Reigning champions Argentina narrowly avoided one of the all-time great upsets as they beat Cape Verde 3-2 in one of the best matches in recent World Cup history. Sidny Lopes Cabral scored a remarkable goal-of-the-tournament contender when he curled a shot past Emiliano Martinez to draw Cape Verde level after Lisandro Martinez’s strike in extra time.

The Cinderella story for Cape Verde at the 2026 FIFA World Cup came to an end on Friday, but not before they provided one of the great moments of the tournament with Sidny Lopes Cabral's game-tying goal in extra time against Argentina.

Argentina may have survived a huge scare on the pitch, but the drama did not end with the final whistle. The reigning FIFA World Cup champions edged Cape Verde 3-2 after extra time in a thrilling Round of 32 clash that instantly earned “World Cup classic” status.

Cape Verde may have exited the World Cup following a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat to Argentina, but the tiny African nation has left a permanent mark on the global stage. Despite the loss, their performance against the reigning world champions in Miami drew unprecedented praise from some of football's biggest legends like Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.