Reigning World Cup champions Argentina are back in action on Friday as Lionel Messi leads the line against Cape Verde, the biggest surprise of the tournament. The tiny African island nation shocked the world when they held Spain to 0-0 draw in their opening match and then earned two more draws to reach the knockout rounds. Now faced with their biggest test, can the Blue Sharks knock off Messi? Kickoff in Miami Gardens, Fla. is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET.
The latest Argentina vs. Cape Verde odds from FanDuel list Argentina as -1800 favorites to advance to the next round, while Cape Verde are +1060 underdogs. Meanwhile, the Over/Under for total goals scored in regulation time is 2.5. There's no shortage of other soccer betting options at FanDuel, where you can use the latest FanDuel promo code to get $1,000 in bet reset tokens.
You can get even more Argentina vs. Cape Verde picks and more World Cup bets from SportsLine's experts like Brad Thomas, Jon Eimer, Martin Green and Brandt Sutton. Anyone following their World Cup betting advice at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
Argentina vs. Cape Verde odds
| Argentina vs. Cape Verde 90-minute money line: | Argentina -700, Tie +650, Cape Verde +1900 |
| Argentina vs. Cape Verde 90-minute over/under: | 2.5 (Over -160, Under +130) |
| Bet Argentina vs. Cape Verde on FanDuel: | Check out the latest FanDuel promo code here |
Argentina vs. Cape Verde betting preview
What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object? Messi's Argentina are undefeated at this World Cup and haven't dropped a World Cup match since 2022's shocking group stage loss to Saudi Arabia. Messi, now 39, is still as deadly as ever. He spends less of the game running (or even jogging) than ever, but the veteran has learned to time his sprints with surgical precision. He is also, somehow, still one of the best shooters in the world. With a roster configured almost entirely to maxmize Messi's strengths and cover for his shortcomings, it's hard to see anything but an Argentine victory against this nearly anonymous Cape Verde team.
Right?
There's no way Cape Verde pulls off another miracle, right? The odds are quite literally stacked against them, as you can see above, but the same was true when they took on Spain. The Spaniards entered the match with nearly the entire world viewing the game as a formality, and 90 minutes later everyone knew Vozinha's name. It would be foolish to totally discount the possibility of lightning striking twice.
But we should also consider the circumstances of Spain's embarrassment -- both Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams started on the bench, Ferran Torres played out of position and looked awful, Pedri was forced to take on more offensive responsibilities than usual, and most of La Roja's players had stinkers. We should also remember that the only two goals Cape Verde have scored came against Uruguay, a team that should pop up when you Google the word "dysfunction" -- and they also conceded two goals to Marcelo Bielsa's mess of a team. Saudi Arabia was nothing to write home about and Cape Verde couldn't score on them.
So really, what's the pathway to victory here for the Blue Sharks? It's almost certainly playing their incredibly disciplined brand of defense through all of extra time to earn a penalty kick shootout, and then praying Vozinha can beat Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez at his own game.
Possible? Sure. Likely? Absolutely not. Messi is a brain surgeon with the ball at his feet. If anyone can slice through Cape Verde and actually beat them, it's him.
Argentina vs. Cape Verde picks, prediction
Lionel Messi first goalscorer (+195)
We've found a way to get value by betting on Messi to score. The Argentine magician scored all of the team's goals in the first two games. It took him starting on the bench against Jordan for someone else to get a goal, and Messi still managed to score a beauty of a free kick after coming on as a substitute. It will be Messi's job to navigate the formidable Cape Verde defense, and it would be a shock if someone else found the back of the net before him.
Cape Verde double chance (+490)
Argentina can and should win this match. They should do so in regular time, and if not they should do so in extra time. But Spain can tell you just how disciplined and impressive this defense is. Taking this bet gives us a payout if Cape Verde do indeed force extra time, or win in regulation. To be clear, this isn't a likely outcome, and you almost certainly shouldn't put as much on this as you would on a goalscorer prop. But a little sprinkle here could provide a big payout if Cape Verde is indeed as impressive as they look at times.
