Can Messi Win Back-to-Back World Cups? Every Team Standing in Argentina’s Road to the FIFA World Cup Finals

The knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 has officially begun, and both Lionel Messi’s Argentina and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal have booked their spots in the last 32.

For Argentina, the road to the FIFA World Cup Finals is about defending the crown they won in Qatar. Lionel Scaloni’s side topped Group J without dropping a single point, and Messi is already the talk of the tournament — six goals in the group stage alone, and 19 goals across his career at the World Cup, making him the tournament’s all-time leading scorer.

Messi’s Last Dance? Every Team Standing Between Argentina and the Road to the FIFA World Cup Finals: Argentina’s Knockout Journey at a Glance

Round	Opponent	Date	Venue
Round of 32	Cape Verde	July 3, 2026	Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
Round of 16	Australia or Egypt	July 7, 2026	Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Quarter-final	Winner of Switzerland/Algeria vs. Colombia/Ghana	July 11, 2026	BC Place, Vancouver
Semi-final	Winner of the relevant quarter-final half-bracket	July 15, 2026	TBD
Final	TBD	July 19, 2026	MetLife Stadium, New Jersey

Now let’s break down every step of this road to the FIFA World Cup Finals in detail.

Round of 32: Argentina vs Cape Verde — David vs Goliath

Argentina’s first knockout match is against Cape Verde, and honestly, it’s one of the most lopsided fixtures on paper in the entire Round of 32.

Cape Verde finished second in Group H without losing a single game — three draws, three points, and a place in football folklore. This is their first-ever FIFA World Cup appearance, and reaching the knockouts is already a fairytale for a nation of just over 500,000 people.

A big reason for that fairytale is their 40-year-old goalkeeper, Vozinha. He was outstanding in their opening 0-0 draw against Spain, and he’s been the backbone of a defence that has kept Cape Verde unbeaten so far.

Here’s what makes this matchup even more interesting:

• Cape Verde have conceded very little and haven’t been blown away by anyone yet
• Argentina, meanwhile, have been ruthless — 3-0 over Algeria, 2-0 over Austria, and 3-1 over Jordan
• Messi scored a hat-trick in the Algeria game, his first-ever World Cup hat-trick
• This is the first time these two nations have ever faced each other

Argentina go into this game as heavy favourites, but knockout football always carries a bit of danger — especially against a side that has nothing to lose and a fairytale to protect.

Round of 16: Australia or Egypt Awaits

If Argentina get past Cape Verde, their next stop on the road to the FIFA World Cup Finals is the winner of Australia vs Egypt.

Egypt’s case:

Egypt finished second in their group with a strong defensive record and didn’t lose a single match. All eyes here will obviously be on their captain, Mohamed Salah, who remains one of the most dangerous forwards left in the tournament.

Australia’s case:

Australia finished second in Group D, picking up four points along the way, with one loss and a goal difference of zero. They’re a well-organised, hard-working side that won’t make life easy for anyone.

Either way, this Round of 16 clash should be very winnable for Argentina — but Egypt, with Salah in this kind of form, could make things interesting if they get through.

Quarter-Final: Four Possible Opponents

This is where Argentina’s road to the FIFA World Cup Finals starts getting genuinely tough. Four teams are competing for a spot in this quarter-final tie:

1. Switzerland

Switzerland topped their group with two wins and a draw, and a strong goal difference. They’re one of the more consistent, disciplined sides left in the draw.

2. Algeria

Algeria qualified as one of the best third-placed teams. If Argentina meet them again, there’s a bit of history already written — Argentina thrashed Algeria 3-0 in the group stage, with Messi scoring a hat-trick in that very match.

3. Colombia

Colombia won their group and are arguably in the best form of any team in this section of the bracket. There’s real history here too — Argentina beat Colombia 1-0 in the 2024 Copa America final to lift that trophy, so this would be a rematch worth watching closely.

4. Ghana

Ghana also came through as a third-placed team. On paper, this is the most favourable draw Argentina could hope for at this stage.

Potential QF Opponent	Group Stage Finish	Argentina’s History vs Them
Switzerland	Group winners	No recent meeting
Algeria	3rd place	Argentina won 3-0 (Messi hat-trick)
Colombia	Group winners	Argentina won 2024 Copa America final 1-0
Ghana	3rd place	No recent meeting

Out of these four, Colombia clearly looks like the toughest test — a genuine top-eight team playing with real momentum.

Semi-Final: Brazil or England Loom Large

This is where things could get really dramatic. Brazil, Mexico, and Norway have already sealed their Round of 16 spots, while England’s fate against DR Congo was still being decided at the time of writing.

Here’s how this side of the bracket is shaping up:

• Brazil vs Norway meet in the Round of 16, and Brazil are expected to come out on top
• Mexico face the winner of England vs DR Congo in the Round of 16

If results go the way most pundits expect, a Brazil vs England quarter-final is very much on the cards — and the winner of that tie would be the team standing between Argentina and a place in the final.

Realistically, out of everyone left in the draw, England looks like the most likely name Argentina could run into in the semi-final if both sides keep winning.

So, How Hard Is Argentina’s Road to the Final?

If you map it all out, Argentina’s road to the FIFA World Cup Finals looks manageable right up until the final four:

• Round of 32 — Cape Verde, a massive underdog on their World Cup debut
• Round of 16 — Australia or Egypt, both beatable on paper
• Quarter-final — Colombia is the one name that could really test them; Switzerland, Algeria, and Ghana all look more manageable
• Semi-final — This is the danger zone, with Brazil or England the most likely roadblock

If Argentina navigate all of that, they’d be walking into a second consecutive FIFA World Cup final — a genuinely historic achievement, and something only Brazil and Italy have managed to do before with back-to-back titles.

Final Thoughts

Argentina’s path to defending their crown isn’t without its dangers, but on paper, it’s about as favourable a draw as a defending champion could hope for.

Cape Verde’s fairytale run deserves respect, Egypt has Salah, and Colombia carries real history and form. But the biggest test of all will likely come in the semi-final, where Brazil or England could be waiting.

One thing’s for certain — with Messi playing some of the best football of his career at 39 years old, Argentina’s road to the FIFA World Cup Finals is going to be must-watch football all the way through.

Also Read: Can Argentina Win Back-to-Back FIFA World Cups? Will Lionel Messi Cement His Legacy as the Ultimate GOAT?

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