Argentina scraped past minnows Cape Verde by the skin of their teeth in the World Cup round of 32 to set up a last-16 clash with Egypt in Atlanta on Tuesday.

Lionel Messi opened the scoring for the South American side with a stunningly taken goal inside the opening 30 minutes, before Cape Verde forced extra-time following Deroy Duarte’s second-half equaliser. The back-and-forth continued in the ensuing 30-minute period, as Lisandro Martinez’s goal was cancelled out by a sumptuous finish from left-back Sidny Lopes Cabral.

The African team’s fairy-tale story was then brought to an end when Diney Borges diverted a Messi corner into his own net nine minutes from time.

Despite crashing out, Cape Verde produced one of the iconic matches of this World Cup to date, and shared a wholesome moment with Argentina’s talisman in the mixed zone after the game.

Lionel Messi Reacts to Argentina’s Narrow Win Over Cape Verde

Peter Hansson/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect

Argentina were handed a relatively favourable route to the semi-final with the knockout bracket, and went into this game knowing Mohamed Salah’s Egypt awaited in the next round.

The pressure of this may have got to them, as they almost squandered this opportunity to coast towards the last four. Cape Verde pushed Lionel Scaloni’s team to the death, and Messi has subsequently spoken out about his team’s struggles in Miami.

“Honestly, we already knew this was going to be a very difficult match,” he said (via the Sun).

“We lost possession at times, dropped a little too deep, and couldn’t press them the way we wanted. They took advantage of their strengths and found the equaliser. We knew this was always going to be a complicated game.

“These are knockout matches, nobody gives you anything for free. Some people might underestimate certain teams because of their names, but we knew this was never going to be an easy match.

“That’s what makes this World Cup so special. Everything is incredibly close, and every single game is extremely difficult.”

Despite some criticism levelled at his team due to the nature of Argentina’s performance, Messi revealed that he was proud of his team’s efforts.

“As always, we gave everything we had, regardless of whether we played well or didn’t produce our best football. Now the most important thing is to recover, focus on the next match, and take the positives from today’s game.”

Fans took to Reddit to salute Messi for his heroic performance and stoic post-match comments.

“Messi having so many haters always surprises me considering how he never talks badly or is arrogant and is known as a really fair player. Genuinely think the Sport couldn’t ask for a better representation,” one supporter wrote.

“Humble sportsmanship from the GOAT as usual,” another added.

Others praised Messi’s respect for Cape Verde and expressed how they couldn’t believe people dislike the Inter Miami star.

Lionel Messi and Cape Verde Players Mixed Zone Interaction

Paul Childs via Reuters

It seems as though Messi’s respect for Cape Verde was reciprocated by the Island nation’s players.

In the mixed zone after the game, following the 39-year-old’s interview, a handful of Cape Verde players stopped the footballing great and asked for a photo.

The playmaker respectfully obliged, posing for pictures with several members of Bubista’s squad.

This wholesome footage has gone viral on social media, adding to the general outpouring of love for the tournament’s surprise package.

Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha made headlines with his performance against Spain, but the dark horse’s biggest contribution at this World Cup will no doubt be their efforts against the reigning champions, producing a tie that will live long in the memories.

Arsenal are ready to enter the race to beat Tottenham to one of Spurs’ top targets for the summer transfer window.

The Gunners might not have been expecting to be in a similar market to Tottenham in the summer transfer window after the difference between their two seasons.

Arsenal lifted the Premier League title and reached the Champions League final, while Spurs finished in 17th position in the top flight.

Despite that, Tottenham have been incredibly ambitious with their recruitment, already confirming five signings in the Summer Transfer window.

The North London club don’t appear to be finished there either, competing with the likes of Arsenal for some key additions over the next few weeks.

Players seem willing to sacrifice playing European football to join Tottenham, but it’ll be interesting to see if Spurs can beat Arsenal in a head-to-head race.

Arsenal in Race for Tottenham Target

According to a report from Football London, Tottenham are targeting a move to sign Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi in the summer transfer window.

It’s claimed that the 20-year-old could cost in the region of £80m after scoring 13 goals in the Premier League last season.

Kroupi is at the top of Tottenham’s shortlist, but they do face competition for his signature.

Tottenham will now have to face competition from the North London rivals Arsenal, alongside French outfit Paris Saint-Germain.

Bournemouth are reluctant to lose Kroupi this summer, hence why they’ve slapped an £80m asking price on his head.

Whether Spurs or Arsenal will be willing to pay that remains to be seen, but the former have certainly not been afraid to splash the cash this summer.

Kroupi Would be Smart Signing for Either Club

via Reuters

To score 13 Premier League goals and be Bournemouth’s top goal scorer when starting the season at the age of 19 is a phenomenal achievement for the Frenchman.

Kroupi averaged 0.7 goals per 90 minutes in the Premier League last season, which can’t be understated in his first campaign in England.

The now 20-year-old also scored 22 goals in 23 starts for Lorient at the age of 18, so he’s clearly a super talent.

Kroupi, described as world-class, would be a phenomenal signing for either Arsenal or Tottenham, as there’s no doubt he’s destined to reach lofty heights.

Who is more likely to sign him remains to be seen, but Arsenal do have Champions League football on their side.

Of the 26 England players called up for the World Cup there are 20 who were eligible to represent other countries. The Three Lions boast a diverse squad that features a multiracial and multicultural set of stars.

It’s a dream for any footballer to play for the country they were born in, but some who aren’t given that opportunity opt to wear another nation’s shirt. That eligibility is often due to their parents, who gave birth to many of Thomas Tuchel‘s men after moving to England.

The Republic of Ireland are often beaten to top talent by the English, and that’s the case for many playing at this year’s World Cup. Here, we look at the Englishmen who could have been participating at the tournament for another country.

Defenders

Andrew Boyers Via Reuters

There are six defenders who were eligible for other countries before choosing to play for England. Ezri Konsa had the choice of four nations, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, which Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Axel Tuanzebe opted to represent.

The Aston Villa man could have played for the Congolese through his father. He also had the chance to star for Angola through his mother and could even have pulled on a Portugal shirt if he had claimed Portuguese citizenship through his Angolan roots.

Tuchel surprised many when he selected Jarrell Quansah in his World Cup squad. The former Liverpool man, now at Bayer Leverkusen, had been eligible to play for Scotland, Ghana and Barbados through his grandparents but opted to be a Three Lion.

Another surprise call-up, Djed Spence, is somewhat of a Tuchel favourite. The versatile Tottenham Hotspur full-back has a Jamaican mother and a Kenyan father, but he instead became the first Muslim player to represent England.

Nico O’Reilly is Tuchel’s undisputed starting left-back, and Jamaica had little chance of persuading him to snub his country of birth. The Manchester City youngster’s Jamaican heritage comes through his father.

Grenada and Dominica are minnows in the football world, and they’d have relished calling upon Reece James. The Chelsea captain’s Grenadian roots come through his father, while his mother is of Dominican descent.

Born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, Trevoh Chalobah could have represented the West African country. He’s only earned one cap for England, where he was raised, but a late call-up after Tino Livramento’s injury means he’s set to confirm his English allegiance.

Midfielders

Peter Cziborra via Reuters

Jude Bellingham is one of many Englishmen who could have turned out for the Republic of Ireland. The Real Madrid star’s grandparents were Irish, but he has already become a talisman for the Three Lions.

There is still a chance to see his younger brother, Jobe Bellingham, play for The Boys in Green. The brothers were also eligible to represent Kenya through their mother.

The Ghanaian FA approached Kobbie Mainoo in an attempt to get him to don the shirt of his parents’ birthplace. They failed to persuade the Manchester United midfielder, who was born and raised in Stockport and starred for England at Euro 2024.

Scotland similarly eyed Elliot Anderson during the soon-to-be Manchester City star’s rise. Steve Clarke even revealed in August 2023 that the Tartan Army had “an eye on” the Whitley Bay-born midfielder.

Anderson even represented the Scots from U16 to U21 but switched to England in 2024. He’s been a mainstay in Tuchel’s midfield since the German replaced Gareth Southgate.

Matthew Childs via Reuters

Most English fans know all about Declan Rice’s Irish roots because he even made three appearances for Ireland in friendlies. His decision to switch allegiance to England ignited a huge debate, but FIFA allowed the change because his senior outings hadn’t been competitive.

After making the call in February 2019, he wrote on X: “I consider myself to be of mixed nationality. I have equal respect for both England and Ireland, and therefore the national team I choose to represent is not a clear-cut, simple selection. Ultimately, it is a personal decision I have made with my heart and my head, based on what I believe is best for my future.”

Eberechi Eze had been eligible to play for Nigeria, and the African country had been hopeful during his youth. The Arsenal attacker, born in London, eventually opted to represent England and said, “It is a big opportunity for me; it is the highest level of football. I look at it with no regret at all.”

Attackers

Marty Jean-Louis/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect

Every single member of Tuchel’s attack holds dual nationality, including Aston Villa pair Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins, who could both have played for Jamaica. That was also the case for Marcus Rashford, whose family heritage also includes Saint Kitts and Nevis.

Rashford has been part of the England setup since debuting aged 18 back in 2016. Another Three Lion with Jamaican roots is Ivan Toney, who even turned the country down in 2022 to focus on firing Brentford to promotion.

Nigeria made a play to try and convince Noni Madueke to play for the Super Eagles during his time at PSV Eindhoven. The Arsenal winger committed to his country of birth and is starting at the ongoing World Cup.

Bukayo Saka also had the option to represent the African nation, but his heart was set on England. He’s become one of the best attacking talents this country has ever produced.

Both Scotland and the Republic of Ireland were snubbed by Anthony Gordon, who declared for the Three Lions ahead of Euro 2024. The Barcelona new boy dreamed of playing for his country where he grew up in Merseyside.

Hannah Mckay via Reuters

If Harry Kane’s grandparents had their way, England’s all-time top goalscorer may well be playing for the Irish. His father’s parents were born and bred in Ireland before emigrating to London, where the Bayern Munich superstar developed into one of the greatest players in the country’s history.