The Argentina African World Cup rivalry added another remarkable chapter as Cape Verde pushed the defending champions to the brink at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, rekindling memories of Ahmed Musa’s unforgettable heroics for Nigeria in Brazil 12 years earlier, GoalNigeria.com reports.
Cape Verde became only the second African nation to score two or more goals against Argentina at a World Cup after their spirited 3-2 extra-time defeat in the round of 32 in Miami. In doing so, the tournament debutants joined Nigeria’s Super Eagles in an exclusive club, further highlighting Africa’s growing ability to challenge one of international football’s traditional powerhouses.
While Argentina ultimately progressed once again, their latest escape continued a familiar World Cup storyline. From Nigeria’s unforgettable battle in Brazil in 2014 to Cape Verde’s fearless display in the United States, African teams have consistently found ways to unsettle the Albiceleste on football’s biggest stage.
Ahmed Musa’s World Cup heroics against Argentina
Long before Cape Verde’s historic display, Ahmed Musa had set the benchmark for African teams against Argentina. The Super Eagles forward scored twice in Nigeria’s thrilling 3-2 Group F defeat at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, becoming the first African player to score a brace against the South Americans at the tournament.
The pulsating contest at the Estadio Beira-Rio in Porto Alegre remains one of the finest World Cup performances by a Nigerian player. Lionel Messi opened the scoring inside three minutes before Musa responded almost immediately with a brilliant finish from Michael Babatunde’s pass, registering Nigeria’s fastest-ever response to a goal at the World Cup.
Messi restored Argentina’s lead with a superb free-kick just before half-time, but Musa struck again only two minutes after the restart after combining with Emmanuel Emenike to level the scores for a second time. Marcos Rojo eventually settled the contest with a close-range finish from a corner, sealing a 3-2 victory that saw Argentina finish top of the group, while Nigeria advanced to the knockout stage for the first time since 1998.
Musa’s outstanding display earned him the Man of the Match award ahead of Messi, and the Argentine captain later described the Nigerian forward as one of the finest players he had faced, a tribute that has remained one of the defining memories of the encounter.
Cape Verde join Nigeria in exclusive World Cup club
Twelve years later, Cape Verde have matched Nigeria’s achievement after producing one of the standout performances of the 2026 tournament against the reigning world champions.
Making their World Cup debut, the Blue Sharks twice fought back against Lionel Messi’s side before eventually falling in extra time. Messi gave Argentina an early lead before Deroy Duarte equalised in the 59th minute to force the contest into extra time.
Argentina edged ahead again through Lisandro Martinez early in the additional period, only for Sidny Lopes Cabral to restore parity with a superb curling effort in the 103rd minute. Cristian Romero’s header, which deflected off defender Diney Borges in the 111th minute, finally ended Cape Verde’s resistance and secured Argentina’s place in the last 16.
Cape Verde’s display also created another milestone, as they became the first African nation to score more than once against a defending World Cup champion. Their achievement came after an impressive group-stage campaign that featured draws against Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, confirming the tournament debutants as one of the competition’s surprise packages.
Although Argentina once again found a way to advance, Cape Verde’s performance echoed Nigeria’s famous display in Brazil. Separated by 12 years, both matches have reinforced a recurring World Cup theme: Argentina may usually emerge victorious, but African opposition continue to provide some of the sternest tests the South American giants face on the world’s biggest football stage.
