MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Argentina and Cape Verde are set to face off Friday in a Round of 32 match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with fans already gathering in South Florida hoping to catch a glimpse of one of soccer’s biggest stars.
The match will be played at Miami Stadium also known as Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, where defending champion Argentina will take on Cape Verde, the tiny African archipelago making its first appearance in the World Cup knockout stage.
On Thursday afternoon, a small crowd of devoted Argentina supporters gathered outside the team’s hotel before players departed for practice.
“I want to see Messi. I can’t wait to see Messi,” Argentina fan Katya Major said.
Police established a perimeter to keep fans at a distance as they waited for the team to emerge. Major said she hoped the players would acknowledge the crowd.
“I hope that they’re going to wave at everybody and maybe let us take some pictures,” Major added.
Like many in attendance, Major was especially hoping to see Lionel Messi, who has scored six goals to help Argentina cruise into the knockout rounds.
“It looks like he doesn’t have anything to prove anymore, so he’s enjoying playing this time,” Major said. “He has no pressure.”
Argentina fan Bruno Martinez said the defending World Cup champs enter the match with confidence but understands the challenges of the tournament.
“We know we have a strong team, but there are too many strong teams in the World Cup,” he said.
Martinez said seeing the players in person was nearly as meaningful as attending the match itself.
“If you want to beat Argentina, you have to fight a lot,” he added.
Messi superfan Jefferey Wan told Local 10’s Gabrielle Arzola that he came all the way from China to see his hero.
“Messi is my idol, my legend,” he said. “I’ve watched Messi since 2010.”
Meanwhile, Cape Verde, which celebrated qualifying for the World Cup, now has an opportunity to make history.
A victory Friday would make it one of only a handful of African teams to reach the tournament’s round of 16 and the smallest nation ever to do so. It also would rank among the biggest upsets in World Cup history by eliminating the defending champions.
Kickoff from Miami Gardens is set for 6 p.m.
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