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Argentina survive huge scare against Cape Verde as Messi makes it 8 in a row
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Own Goal Controversy, Maradona's Record and Argentina's Weaknesses
At 16:19 · chapter starts 14:20
Lineker raises a pointed question: why was the winning goal attributed to Borges as an own goal rather than Romero, who headed the ball? The ball flicked off Borges' hand on the way in, but Lineker argues there was no need for such a ruling — it robbed Romero of his moment [1] — Gary Lineker "Messi's corner led to a header that deflected off Borges' hand and into the net — credited as an own goal rather than a Romero goal. Gary L…" 14:00 . More significantly, had Messi's corner been credited as an assist, it would have been his 9th in World Cup history, surpassing Maradona's all-time record of 8. The VAR era's data rigidity, Lineker implies, has created unnecessary controversy. The conversation then shifts to Cape Verde's place in history: Gary Lineker notes they were the smallest nation ever to reach the World Cup knockouts. Joe Cole delivers the line of the segment: 'They're champions as far as I'm concerned, because you can't compete with France.' Eccleston, though, adds an important counterpoint — celebrating 'moral victories' can feel patronising to players who are simply gutted to go home. The panel close the segment with a realistic appraisal of Argentina's chances: their lack of pace could be exposed by quicker sides in the knockout rounds, though Messi and tournament experience remain formidable trump cards.
Argentina's lack of pace is a genuine problem as the tournament opens up in the knockout rounds. Micah Richards and Joe Cole agree: while Messi and tournament experience give them a chance, they could be exposed against teams with pace like France. Alvarez coming off the bench buys them time, but it won't be enough forever.
Vosinha was 40 years old and playing in his first ever World Cup. By the end of the Argentina match, he had 19 million Instagram followers — gaining over a million during the game alone. He goes home a changed man.
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vosinha was 40 years old and competing in his first-ever World Cup at the 2026 tournament.
After the match, Cape Verde goalkeeper Vosinha had approximately 19 million Instagram followers.
Cape Verde were the smallest nation ever to reach the World Cup knockout stage, and the third smallest nation to even qualify for the tournament.
Goalkeeper Vosinha gained over one million Instagram followers during the Argentina vs. Cape Verde match alone.
