Messi after Argentina's hard-fought win: 'We will compete until the end'

Lionel Messi praised Argentina's gritty advancement to the next round of the 2026 World Cup, admitting the match against Cape Verde in the Round of 16 was tougher than anticipated. The captain highlighted the team's persistent character, stating, "This team has been showing it for a long time, it competes and will compete until the end."

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This team has been showing it for a long time, it competes and will compete until the end.

Messi also pointed out the significance of set pieces in a game where Argentine defenders played a crucial role in scoring. He acknowledged that after taking the lead, the team struggled to find comfort on the field. He credited Cape Verde's strengths, noting their previous strong performances against formidable opponents like Spain and Uruguay. "We knew it was going to be a very tough match, not for nothing this team had not lost to Spain, to Uruguay. We did the hardest part, which was to find the first goal, and it was the opposite," Messi explained.

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We knew it was going to be a very tough match, not for nothing this team had not lost to Spain, to Uruguay.

The star player stressed that the "mata mata" (knockout) stage of the tournament leaves no room for error. "Nobody gives you anything," he stated. Messi believes the match provided valuable lessons for the upcoming rounds. "The important thing now is to rest, think about what's coming, try to take positive things from today's match and correct the negatives, which I think there were many today too," he concluded.

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We did the hardest part, which was to find the first goal, and it was the opposite.