Cape Verde ready for ‘match of our lives’ against defending champions Argentina at World Cup
Winner will face either Australia or Egypt, who have fitness concerns about talismanic former Liverpool player Mohamed Salah
A classic David v Goliath encounter will take centre stage at the World Cup on Friday as tiny Cape Verde face Lionel Messi and Argentina with a place in the last 16 at stake.
Cape Verde, the smallest nation ever to reach the knockout rounds, face the defending champions in Miami dreaming of pulling off what would be the greatest upset in World Cup history.
The Atlantic archipelago have become one of the fairytale stories of this year’s expanded 48-team tournament, confounding expectations by earning a draw with Spain before squeezing into the last 32 ahead of Group H rivals Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.
Argentina, who breezed into the knockout rounds with the help of six goals from captain Messi, will be expected to swat aside the African qualifiers to move one step closer to their dream of back-to-back World Cup titles.
But Cape Verde insist they will not be overawed by the occasion and the prospect of sharing a field with the reigning world champions and eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi.
“We are calm because we earned our place here on merit and there is nothing to fear or worry too much about,” Cape Verde coach Bubista said.