MIAMI GARDENS, FLA. (WSVN) - After a thrilling knockout match with Argentina facing off against Cape Verde, Argentina was able to take home the victory.
After a thrilling knockout match with Argentina facing off against Cape Verde, Argentina was able to take home the victory.
Soccer fans celebrated Argentina’s win, 3-2, on Friday night, turning Miami Stadium into a big party as they left.
The defending champions’ win against Cape Verde ended the country’s historic first FIFA World Cup run.
Cape Verde didn’t make the match easy for Argentina. They fought until the end.
“I’m proud of all my guys in the field; they gave up everything. We’re just gonna get better; this is only the beginning,” said a Cape Verde fan.
“I was getting a little worried towards the end, but then we scored that last goal and the whole stadium erupted. It was amazing. The excitement and the shock, we were waiting for that. The anticipation was just too heavy,” said an Argentina fan.
Fans were seen exchanging hugs after the tough match with a deep appreciation for the players who left their hearts on the pitch.
Cape Verde fans beamed with pride despite the loss for making it this far into the tournament.
“Vozinha, he’s our Superman, he’s our Michael Jordan, he’s our Tom Brady,” said a Cape Verde fan.
Fortunately, Cape Verde fans are looking forward to a future FIFA World Cup appearance.
“Messi is great, no taken nothing away from Messi, but in four years he will see us again,” said a Cape Verde fan.
Meanwhile, Argentina fans hope to witness back-to-back titles, but there are plenty of strong opponents ahead. The tournament is only getting more competitive.
“End of the day, they don’t have the charisma, the presence of the champions, you know. Argentina is going forward to the final,” said an Argentina fan.
During the festivities, a South Florida superstar lent his voice.
Soccer fans got to listen to a new song ahead of the match, which will be part of the official FIFA World Cup 2026 album. The song is called “Love Always Wins,” which was written and produced by Emilio Estefan.
Outside of Miami Stadium, fans were turning up the energy less than an hour before the match.
Argentina made their 19th appearance at the FIFA World Cup, while Cape Verde made their first-ever appearance.
Large swaths of fans rallied behind Argentina’s impressive record and the man they call the G.O.A.T., Lionel Messi.
“Hopefully it’s 2026 for the next four years. Yes, I hope so,” said Argentina fan Alexis Guini.
Meantime, Cape Verde was in the midst of a historic debut at the tournament, which featured incredible performances on the pitch against dominant opponents, much to the delight of their dedicated fans.
“You know what? They say 1%, and we’re still here. So Argentina, Spain, Uruguay, we’re still here. You never know,” said Cape Verde fan Aliah Wahnon.
With the fate of both nations’ World Cup dreams on the line, fans on both sides expected a great match between them.
“I hope it’s easy for Argentina, but we have to be respectful because they have done a great job so far in the World Cup, but we should win,” said Guini.
“We’re definitely excited just to be at this stage because it’s our first time in the World Cup. We never thought we would go this far, even though we’re always like, ‘Yeah, we’re gonna win,’ but everyone deep down is like, ‘Are we gonna go far, are we not,’ but here we are,” said Wahnon.
The Argentina and Cape Verde match was the fifth match Miami Stadium has hosted.
In the Round of 16, Argentina will face off against Egypt on Tuesday, with kick-off at 12 p.m.
Soccer fans can also catch the World Cup fun at home on WSVN Channel 7.
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