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Argentina will play Cabo Verde at Miami Stadium for their Round of 32 match of the 2026 World Cup.
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Argentina is the favorite for this matchup because of the quality of players in their squad and for the crowd advantage, as Miami Stadium is expected to be filled with Argentine fans.
Lionel Messi is back in the starting XI after not starting in the previous match against Jordan in the group stage. However, Argentina will not have Julián Álvarez in the starting lineup.
Alvarez started his first match for Argentina against Jordan after starting on the bench for the first two group matches against Algeria and Austria. Alvarez played 82 minutes against Jordan.
Alvarez played around 35 minutes against Algeria and played 30 minutes against Austria.
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Is Julian Alvarez Injured?
Julian Alvarez is not injured and is on the Argentina bench for the Round of 32 match against Cabo Verde.
Lautaro Martínez once again starts for Argentina as the main striker, and it is his fourth straight start for the Argentina national team in the 2026 World Cup.
Alvarez has not scored for Argentina in the 2026 World Cup, while Lautaro Martinez has one goal, after scoring against Jordan in the previous match.
Alvarez could get minutes against Cabo Verde in the second half, but it has surprised some fans that he is not starting the match today.
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This story was originally published July 3, 2026 at 2:49 PM.