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Cape Verde's World Cup Dream Ends in Extra-Time Loss to Messi's Argentina

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth From a news agency Outcome reported
  • Cape Verde, with a population of 520,000, was eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers after a 3-2 loss to Argentina in extra time.
  • Lionel Messi scored his 20th World Cup goal, becoming the tournament's all-time leading scorer, but Cape Verde equalized twice to force extra time.
  • Argentina advances to the Round of 16 to face Egypt, while Cape Verde's historic World Cup debut ends after pushing the defending champions to the limit.

Cape Verde's fairytale run in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers ended in a heartbreaking 3-2 extra-time defeat to defending champions Argentina. The small island nation, with a population of just 520,000, pushed Lionel Messi's team to the brink of elimination in a dramatic Round of 32 match.

Not even in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that I would one day become a graduate or be where I am today.

— Ahmed OyewaleAhmed Oyewale, a former street tout, reflects on his journey from hardship to stability.

Lionel Messi opened the scoring in the 29th minute with his 20th World Cup goal, extending his lead in the tournament's scoring chart. However, Cape Verde, who had already defied expectations by reaching the knockout stage, refused to back down. Deroy Duarte netted a crucial equalizer in the 69th minute, leveling the score at 1-1 and forcing the match into extra time.

My mother died in 2008. She went to bed and didn’t wake up. There were speculations about what could have caused it. Some said it was a spiritual attack, while others said she had hypertension. That was how my world came crashing down.

— Ahmed OyewaleOyewale describes the profound loss of his mother, which triggered a downward spiral in his life.

The tension remained high as both teams traded goals in extra time. The decisive moment came in the 106th minute when a corner from Messi led to an own goal by Cape Verde's Diney Borges, giving Argentina a 3-2 lead. Despite a valiant effort and continued pressure until the final whistle, Cape Verde could not find another equalizer, concluding their historic World Cup debut.

When the abandonment and suffering became too much for me, I self-harmed, and the facility took me to a hospital. It was from that hospital that I escaped.

— Ahmed OyewaleOyewale recounts a period of extreme distress that led to self-harm and his subsequent escape from a care facility.

Argentina, the 2022 Qatar World Cup champions, now advance to the Round of 16, where they will face Egypt. For Cape Verde, their remarkable journey, which saw them draw with Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia in the group stage, ends with immense pride for their performance against one of football's giants.

When I arrived and appealed to the pastors, some of whom were my mother’s friends, they didn’t seem willing to help. They kept referring me from one office to another until I realised they didn’t care about my situation, despite how much my mother had laboured.

— Ahmed OyewaleOyewale details his unsuccessful attempt to seek help from a church where his late mother had served.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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