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Lionel Messi found himself at the centre of another World Cup talking point during Argentina's 3-2 extra-time victory over Cape Verde in Miami, after a quick free-kick routine prompted accusations of unsporting behaviour on social media. The Argentina captain scored in the first half, but the moment that generated the most discussion came when he attempted to take a free-kick before Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha had finished organising his wall.

Argentina had been expected to ease past the tournament debutants, but instead found themselves in a far more testing contest than anticipated. Messi gave Argentina the lead with a first-half finish, but Cape Verde refused to fold, with Deroy Duarte equalising in the 59th minute. The match became increasingly tense and ragged as Cape Verde continued to push for a famous result, forcing the contest into extra time.

Argentina eventually secured their place in the next round through Lisandro Martinez's goal and an own goal credited to Diney Borges, but not before Cape Verde had briefly drawn level again through Sidny Lopes Cabral. The disputed moment arrived while the scores were still level in the 73rd minute. Messi stood over the ball in his familiar free-kick stance while Vozinha was still positioning his defensive wall.

The Argentine then took the shot early, forcing the Cape Verde goalkeeper into a sharp save near his line—a piece of quick thinking that divided opinion. Some fans praised Messi's alertness, while others branded the move as unsporting or even cheating. Clips of the incident spread rapidly across social media, with one fan accusing Messi of trying to steal a cheap goal and another criticising what they described as dishonest sportsmanship.

Not everyone agreed with the criticism. Some viewers pointed out that the referee had already blown the whistle, meaning Messi was well within his rights to take the free-kick when he did. The distinction between a clever restart and gamesmanship often comes down to procedural detail, and online debate quickly reflected that division.

Vozinha's save also drew its own share of praise. The Cape Verde goalkeeper had already become one of the more unexpected cult figures of the tournament, and his quick reaction prevented what would have been another memorable Messi moment. His alertness spared Argentina a more awkward post-match discussion about the legitimacy of the goal.

Cape Verde's performance throughout the tie earned widespread respect. The debutants had already shown against Spain that they would not be overawed, and they carried that same defiance into the knockout stage, briefly threatening one of the biggest shocks of the tournament.

After the match, Messi spoke warmly about the opposition, telling reporters that Cape Verde's resilience came as no surprise. "It wasn't a coincidence that this team didn't lose to Spain or Uruguay," he said. "Scoring the first goal was the hardest part, and we thought it would help us control the game and play with more calm, but the exact opposite happened. That's what makes this World Cup so special. Everything is incredibly close, and every single game is extremely difficult."

Argentina now move on to face Egypt in the round of 16, carrying both the relief of survival and a reminder that every moment at this World Cup is being scrutinised. Messi, as ever, remains the focus of attention—brilliant, closely watched, and impossible to ignore, even when the debate centres on a free-kick that lasted only a heartbeat.