Kathmandu: Argentina had a great start to the World Cup. They won all three of their group games, scored eight goals and let in only one.

Only Mexico and France has won all three of their group games . Because of this strong start, many people now think Argentina could become just the third nation to win back to back World Cups.

Messi Is Still Scoring

A big reason for Argentina’s success is Lionel Messi. He has scored six of Argentina’s eight goals so far. He also scored a freekick goal against Jordan which made him the first player ever to score in seven World Cup matches in a row.

The only big prize Messi has never won is the World Cup Golden Boot, given to the tournament’s top scorer. If he keeps scoring like this, he could finally win it this year.

An Easier Path Ahead

Argentina’s next games look manageable. If they beat Cape Verde, they will play either Australia or Egypt in the next round.

After that, Colombia could be their opponent in the quarter finals. If Argentina keep winning, they could reach the semi finals for the third time in the last four World Cups.

There is more good news for Argentina. Two of the strongest teams, France and Spain, are on the other side of the bracket. This means Argentina will not have to play either of them unless they both reach the final.

Cape Verde’s Amazing Story

Cape Verde is a small island country near the coast of Africa. They have made history by becoming the smallest country ever to reach the knockout stage of the World Cup.

Their goalkeeper, Vozinha, has become very famous during this tournament. After a great performance against Spain, his followers on Instagram jumped from about 31,000 to almost 17 million. That is a bigger jump than even superstars like Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo had during the tournament.

Cape Verde also played very well on defense. They let in only two goals in three group games.

Their coach, known as Bubista, leads a team that has nothing to lose. This can make them a tricky and dangerous opponent. Argentina will need to stay focused and not underestimate them.

Team News

Argentina have no new injuries. Messi did not start the last group game but came on later and scored his sixth goal of the tournament.

Cape Verde will be missing one player, Telmo Arcanjo, because of a hamstring injury. Apart from that, the team has no other injury problems.

What Will Happen?

Argentina have played very well so far beating Algeria, Austria and Jordan with ease. Cape Verde are full of confidence after their surprising run.

Even Cape Verde’s president, José Maria Neves, believes his team can win. He told the BBC, “I think Cape Verde can beat Argentina 1-0.”

Still, most experts expect Argentina to win this game comfortably in Miami. If they do, they will take one more step toward defending their World Cup title.