Messi's amazing performance leads Inter Miami's World Cup contingent | OneFootball

MESSI (Argentina) -- The defending World Cup champions survived their sternest test of this tournament Friday against a most unlikely opponent. Cabo Verde, in its first-ever World Cup, took La Albiceleste to extra time before eventually losing the Round of 32 match 2-3.

The game featured the largest FIFA ratings gap between knockout stage opponents in World Cup history, but the 67th-ranked Blue Sharks played with character, courage and discipline against top-ranked Argentina. Their effort fell short in the contest but won the admiration of soccer fans worldwide.

“Some people may underestimate certain teams, but we knew this was never going to be an easy match,” Messi said. “That’s what makes the World Cup so unique and special. Everything is incredibly close, teams are even, and every single game is extremely difficult. We didn’t expect to suffer that much, but we knew it would be a hard match because they did not lose to Spain or Uruguay and they advanced from their group.

“But our team never gives up, whether we are playing well or not.”

The 39-year-old master continues to produce for Argentina, scoring the match's first goal in the 29th minute. It was his competition-best 7th goal of this cup, breaking his own record for scoring in consecutive World Cup matches (8) and most World Cup goals scored (20).

Just Leo doing Leo things. Argentina will continue its quest to be the first repeat winner since Brazil in 1962 when it plays Egypt at 11 a.m. CDT on Tuesday.

DE PAUL (Argentina) -- Rodrigo De Paul also has been a key to Argentina's success, playing primarily as a defensive midfielder, snuffing out counterattacks and helping shepherd the ball into the attack. El Motorcito has started the three matches in which he's played -- coach Lionel Scaloni rested De Paul and other key players against Jordan in the final group stage match -- and logged 256 total minutes, managing a single assist (to Messi) and completing 92 percent of his passes (161). He's made four successful tackles.

ST. CLAIR (Canada) -- Canada's -- and Dayne St. Clair's -- World Cup dreams ended Saturday with a 3-0 loss to Morocco in the Round of 32. The Herons' starting goalkeeper didn't allow a single World Cup goal because he didn't play a World Cup minute. Maxime Crépeau -- who plays club ball for Las Garzas' arch-rival Orlando City SC -- earned Canada coach Jesse Marsch's trust during the Reds' pre-World Cup friendlies and manned the net every minute for Les Rouges. But that's not a condemnation of St. Clair's quality; managers rarely substitute keepers after they've claimed a job. Being named to the roster as GK2 is a better reflection of what the 2025 Major League Soccer Goalkeeper of the Year can bring to Inter Miami. Still, St. Clair hasn't lived up to expectations for Miami in the first part of the MLS season; a good World Cup showing could have strengthened his claim to the Herons' job. His future at Nu Stadium is definitely suspect.

CASEMIRO (Brazil) -- The Brazilian icon is not a Heron but heavily reported to be a Heron-in-waiting. At 34, the former Real Madrid and Manchester United star isn't as dynamic as once he was, but he's still Brazil's defensive captain and has started its four World Cup 2026 matches. His first -- and only -- goal of the tournament, a 56th-minute header, tied the Round of 32 match Monday against Japan (a match the Seleção would win 2-1 on Gabriel Martinelli's stoppage time winner). Coach Carlo Ancelotti has used Casemiro much as Scaloni has used De Paul, to help stabilize the defense and connect the back line to the attackers. Casemiro has played 291 minutes, completed 86 percent of his passes (160), successfully won 8 of 10 tackles and cleared the ball from Brazil's goal box 13 times.

Casemiro celebrates after scoring on Monday in Brazil's 2-1 World Cup Round of 32 win against Japan. | Michael Regan - FIFA/GettyImages

The Japan win marked Casemiro's 12th consecutive World Cup appearance without suffering a loss, an obscure record he shares with four others. Casemiro and the Seleção play Norway at 3 p.m. CDT tomorrow in the Round of 16.

GÓMEZ (Paraguay) -- Diego Gómez, a former Heron, received two yellow cards in Paraguay's group stage matches and was suspended for Paraguay's dramatic upset of Germany in the Round of 16, but played a key role in La Albirroja's advance to the knockout rounds. An energetic box-to-box central midfielder, Gómez started Paraguay's three group stage matches and played 236 total minutes, completing 79 percent of his passes (58 percent) with 5 tackles, 3 interceptions and 8 clearances. He was expected to start Paraguay's Round of 16 match today.

Gómez signed with Inter Miami in July 2023 from Paraguayan side Libertad and helped Las Garzas capture the Leagues Cup championship. He was a mainstay of Tata Martino's Pink & Black side that won Major League Soccer's Supporters' Shield in 2024 with a league-record 74 points. In 40 appearances across all competitions, Gómez scored 7 goals and added 7 assists for the Herons. He signed a five-year deal with Brighton in December 2024.