Argentina encountered a formidable challenge from Cape Verde in their World Cup 2026 fixture on 4 July, with the island nation mounting a serious threat throughout regular time. The competitive nature of the encounter necessitated extra time to determine an outcome, preventing a straightforward advance for the tournament favourites.

The South American side eventually prevailed 3-2, with defender Cristian Romero's deflected header delivering the winning goal in the extended period. Argentina's progression to the knockout stage came after overcoming unexpectedly stern resistance from their opponents.