Friday marked the final match day at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with at least three matches. It got a proper sendoff with one of the matches of the tournament so far between Argentina and Cape Verde, and a historic result for Mohamed Salah and Egypt.
Here is everything you might have missed on Day 23 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup:
BEST OF THE DAY
Moment Of The Day
Argentina and Cape Verde’s World Cup resumes could not have been more different entering Friday’s match.
Argentina is hoping to win its second consecutive World Cup and fourth all-time, while Cape Verde is competing in the tournament for the first time ever. Argentina is ranked second in the world by FIFA; Cape Verde is ranked 64th. Argentina’s face is Lionel Messi, arguably the greatest player of all time; Cape Verde’s face is Vozinha, a 40-year-old goalkeeper who played for Portuguese second division side GD Chaves last season.
When the whistle blew and the ball kicked off, none of that mattered, resulting in the game of the tournament so far.
Lionel Messi vs Vozinha ⭐️ EPIC FIFA WORLD CUP™ Classic Showdown
Goal Of The Day
Cape Verde needed a miracle to upset mighty Argentina. While it didn’t get the win, it got its miracle in Sidney Lopes Cabral’s extra-time equalizer. Cabral, from an impossible angle on the left edge of the penalty box, struck the ball with his right foot and curled it into the top right corner of Argentina’s goal.
If the World Cup ended today, it would be the goal of the tournament.
Assist Of The Day
Center back
Argentina
Lisandro Martínez earned his wages in Argentina’s hard-fought win vs. Cape Verde. Not only did Martínez score the goal that gave Argentina the lead to start extra time, but he created the opportunity for Messi’s goal with a brilliant ball from the back line. Messi did the rest, as he’s known to do.
Save Of The Day
Three goalkeepers in World Cup history have recorded two clean sheets at the age of 40 or older: England legend Peter Shilton, Italy legend Dino Zoff and now Cape Verde legend Vozinha. The keeper didn’t manage to keep a clean sheet against Argentina, but he did record eight saves, including this one to deny Messi from point-blank range. He leaves the tournament with 25 saves to his name, which leads all goalkeepers.
Argentina vs. Cape Verde
- Argentina advanced to the round of 16 with a 3-2 win over Cape Verde in the round of 32 on Friday at Miami Stadium. Argentina remains unbeaten in its last 14 meetings against nations playing in its first World Cup and will play Egypt on Tuesday, July 7 at Atlanta Stadium.
- Messi scored Argentina’s first goal, bringing his record-breaking tally up to 20 career World Cup goals. He has scored in eight consecutive World Cup matches, extending his own record for the longest streak ever.
- Messi has scored seven of Argentina’s 11 goals this tournament. He is now the first player to score seven or more goals in multiple World Cups, as he also scored seven goals at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
- Cape Verde is the 14th opponent Messi has scored against, extending his record for the most opponents scored against by a single player in World Cup history.
- With an average age of 31 years and 197 days, Cape Verde had the oldest starting lineup by any team in a World Cup knockout game on record.
Argentina vs Cape Verde Prolonged Highlights 🌎🏆 2026 FIFA World Cup™ | Spherical of 32
Australia vs. Egypt
- Egypt advanced in its first-ever knockout stage game at the World Cup, and will play Argentina in the round of 16 on July 7 at Atlanta Stadium. This will be Egypt’s second appearance in the round of 16 at the World Cup, participating in 1934, when only 16 teams competed and there was no group stage.
- Egypt has scored three headers at this World Cup, equaling England for the tournament-high. In total, Egypt has scored six goals at this World Cup, extending its team record for most goals in a single edition of the tournament.
- Egypt right back Mohamed Hany’s own goal was the 13th of the 2026 World Cup, the most own goals ever in a single edition. He is only the second player ever to score two own goals at a single World Cup, after Ivan Vutsov in 1966.
- Australia has never advanced during the knockout stage of the World Cup, exiting in the Round of 16 in 2006 and 2022 before today.
- Australia’s Patrick Beach prevented 2.65 goals this World Cup, more than any other goalkeeper this tournament, per OPTA.
Australia vs Egypt Prolonged Highlights 🌎🏆 2026 FIFA World Cup™ | Spherical of 32
Colombia vs. Ghana
- Colombia beat Ghana 1-0 at Kansas City Stadium to advance to the round of 32. It records its second knockout stage win ever at the World Cup and its first since 2014. Colombia will face Switzerland in Vancouver in the round of 16 on July 7.
- Colombia is now unbeaten in seven straight World Cup games at 5-2-0 (W-D-L), the longest unbeaten run in team history. Colombia last lost a competitive game in March 2025, 2-1 to Brazil.
- Colombia has kept three consecutive clean sheets at the FIFA World Cup for the first time ever.
- Jhon Arias scored the second-earliest goal for Colombia in WC history, with only Pablo Armero’s strike in the fifth minute against Greece in 2014 coming earlier. Arias scored with Colombia’s first attempt on target.
- Ghana failed to have an attempt on target in this match. It’s just the second team in the round of 32 to not have an attempt on target, along with Austria vs. Spain.
Colombia vs Ghana Prolonged Highlights 🌎🏆 2026 FIFA World Cup™ | Spherical of 32
