Cape Verde vs. Argentina Odds, Picks & Predictions 1/32, July 3
After all the hoopla and the run up, the sixth and final day of the knockout stages of the 2026 World Cup continues with a matchup as Cape Verde takes on Argentina Friday evening and we have you covered with our Cape Verde vs. Argentina prediction. Cape Verde closed group play with a 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia Friday in their previous contest. Argentina downed Jordan 3-1 in their group play finale their last time out Saturday. This marks the first time that the two sides have met in World Cup play. Let’s break down this Cape Verde vs. Argentina matchup.
Don’t forget to check out all the World Cup odds as the tournament progresses!
Cape Verde Seeking Massive Upset
Cape Verde in the World Cup
In 2026, Cape Verde now makes their first appearance in the World Cup here. They represent as the second-smallest country by both population and land mass, larger than just Curaçao. The Tubarões Azuis enter the World Cup ranked 67th in the FIFA rankings. Cape Verde finished group play with a record of no wins, three draws and no losses. They finished second in Group H with three points, leaving them four points behind Spain. That was enough to put them in the knockout stages in their first trip to the World Cup.
Cape Verde Last Match
Against Saudi Arabia in their final group match, Cape Verde played their standard defensive style and earned a third consecutive draw. The Tubarões Azuis held the slimmest of margins in terms of possession, owning a 51% to 49% advantage in the match. In addition, Cape Verde owned a 1.39 to 0.39 advantage in terms of expected goals despite losing shots on goal by a 3-2 margin. The first half saw both sides not really push things offensively much. Saudi Arabia had the best chance in second minute of extra time in the first half but came up empty. As a result, the sides went to the half with the match scoreless.
In the second half, chances again proved few and far between in the match. Cape Verde had a chance in the 75th minute but Laros Duarte was stopped from inside the box. The Tubarões Azuis kept the pressure up late with Nuno da Costa fired wide on an open net in the 95th minute of play. Almost immediately after that, the match ended, leaving it a scoreless draw. Vozinha, who turned 40 last month, projects as the starting goalkeeper for Cape Verde. This marks his fourth World Cup match. He has a record of no wins, three draws and no losses in World Cup play. Vozinha has two clean sheets on the ledger as well.
Argentina Looking to Continue Title Defense
Argentina in the World Cup
In 2026, Argentina makes their 19th World Cup appearance here and their 14th consecutive, dating back to 1974. La Albiceleste seeks to defend their championship after winning in 2022. Argentina owns a record of 50 wins, 17 draws and 24 losses in World Cup play. La Albiceleste is the top-ranked team in the FIFA rankings entering the World Cup. Argentina finished group play with a perfect record of three wins, no draws and no losses. They easily won Group J with nine points, finishing five points ahead of both Austria and Algeria.
Argentina Last Match
Argentina took care of business against Jordan to remain unbeaten in group play and rolled into the knockout stages on a positive note. La Albiceleste dominated possession by a 73% to 27% margin in the match. In addition, Argentina held a 2.13 to 0.76 margin in terms of expected goals while owning a 4-1 advantage in terms of shots on goal in the match. Argentina nearly opened the scoring in the seventh minute but had it taken off the board due to an offside call. Giovani Lo Celso, who had that near goal in the seventh minute, got on the board in the 19th minute as he scored off a free kick. That goal gave Argentina a 1-0 advantage. Later in the half. Lautaro Martínez scored on a penalty kick in the 31st minute to give Argentina the 2-0 advantage they enjoyed at the half.
In the second half, Lo Celso scored his third goal of the match (and second that didn’t count) due to an offside call in the 48th minute. Martinez hit the crossbar in the 53rd minute and almost immediately after, Jordan went down and scored, making it a 2-1 match in the 55th minute. Lionel Messi gave Argentina breathing room in the 80th minute as he scored off a free kick. That marked his record seventh straight World Cup match with a goal. That proved to close the scoring and sent La Albiceleste to victory. Emiliano Martinez makes his 11th career World Cup start between the sticks in this contest. He has a record of seven wins, two draws and one loss with five clean sheets on his ledger. Make sure you keep track of the Argentina World Cup odds as they progress through the tournament.
Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win Cape Verde vs. Argentina Prediction
First things first, give Cape Verde a ton of credit for getting to the knockout stages in their first World Cup appearance. They held Spain to a scoreless draw in their opening match of group play and followed up with draws against Uruguay and Saudi Arabia. While what they did is admirable, the fact is that they now face the defending champions in this contest. Argentina is dangerous, even if Messi is held in check, and they have a ton of offensive weapons. La Albiceleste is content to wait for cracks in Cape Verde’s system and when they happen, they have the talent to capitalize. Argentina wins this one, likely with a clean sheet.
Our Prediction: Argentina to Win to Nil (FanDuel, -186)
When it comes to taking someone to score, you’re obviously looking at Argentina’s side here as Cape Verde had just two goals in group play. While the easy play is Messi, getting -200 odds is juiced to the gills and something that isn’t the most enticing play. That becomes more prevalent as you know that he’ll be the focal point for Cape Verde defensively. Lautaro Martinez scored in the win over Jordan and he is a proven scoring option. He has 37 goals in 78 career appearances with the national team. His goal against Jordan was his first World Cup goal. Expect him to have opportunities and, at a better price than Messi, he’s worth a play here.
Our Prediction: Lautaro Martinez Anytime Goalscorer (FanDuel, -120)
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