After Cristiano Ronaldo finally ticked off one of the few remaining boxes in his extraordinary career, the spotlight now swings to his great rival.Ronaldo, 41, became the oldest player to score in a FIFA World Cup knockout match when he converted a penalty in Portugal’s dramatic 2-1 comeback win over Croatia, a goal that was also his first ever in a World Cup knockout fixture. The Al-Nassr forward was named Player of the Match as Portugal booked an all-Iberian Round of 16 clash with Spain.Also Read: Portugal vs Croatia World Cup 2026: Ramos, Ronaldo score as team beats Croatia 2-1Now the football world is waiting to see whether Lionel Messi can produce a headline act of his own.Defending champions Argentina face Cape Verde in the Round of 32 on Friday night at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, with expectations towering over Messi and a star-studded Argentina side that won all three of its group matches.Argentina arrive with World Cup pedigree, the tournament’s most magnetic player, and a squad packed with elite talent. Cape Verde arrive with something very different: freedom from expectation.“I believe we can do a great thing here,” Cape Verde backup defender Ianique dos Santos Tavares, who goes by the name Stopira, said through a translator on Thursday.“And this is no exception. This match is no exception.”Also Read: FIFA World Cup powers shift to bigger TVs amid cautious consumer spendingA Cape Verde victory would rank among the greatest upsets in football history. The tiny island nation reached the knockout stage without winning a group game, advancing on the strength of three draws, including a scoreless result against Spain.Argentina midfielder Rodrigo de Paul acknowledged that many expected a very different opponent.“The truth is that when the draw was decided, the group that we would (have) to face ... there were two world champions there,” he said, referring to Spain and Uruguay.Instead, Cape Verde emerged from the group and earned a date with Messi. For Cape Verde coach Bubista, the occasion is unprecedented. “The most important match in our history,” he said.“So, we are being responsible and also trying to enjoy the match. We did not reach this stage by chance. It was on our own merits and we want to show the world our qualities, our values and that there's a lot of quality in Cape Verdean football.”Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni insisted his side is taking nothing for granted. “We are not surprised, to be honest,” Scaloni said.“They are a good team. And they are not here by chance. We must respect them. And that's what we will do.”Cape Verde’s blueprint is clear: defend with discipline, compete aggressively on set pieces, and try to limit Argentina’s control of the ball. But the challenge, as so many teams have discovered over the years, is dealing with Messi.“We have our own strategy, not only against Messi, but the whole team,” Bubista said.“We know they are the current world champions, one of the best teams in the tournament. And we will play against the whole team, not just Messi.”Still, the narrative surrounding Friday’s match extends beyond tactics. Ronaldo has already delivered a knockout-stage moment for the ages. The question now is whether Messi, his lifelong contemporary and fellow claimant to football’s greatest throne, can answer with a performance that reminds the world why Argentina remain the team many expect to dazzle deepest into the tournament.With Ronaldo’s record-setting strike fresh in the memory, the stage is set for another chapter in football’s defining rivalry — even from different corners of the bracket.