Argentina fans fill Miami Beach before Cape Verde World Cup tie
Supporters gathered in Little Buenos Aires as Argentina prepared to face Cape Verde in Lionel Messi’s adopted home city.
By Sofia Marchetti · World Affairs Correspondent
3 min read
Argentina supporters poured into Miami Beach ahead of the team’s World Cup knockout match against Cape Verde, turning the city’s Little Buenos Aires area into a pregame celebration. The scene underscored Lionel Messi’s pull in Miami, where he has played club football since 2023 and where Argentina will make its first appearance of this tournament in Florida.
Al Jazeera reported that close to 1,000 fans gathered on July 2 in North Beach, a Miami Beach area with long-running Argentinian restaurants and cafes. Many wore Argentina’s light blue and white shirts, carried flags and sang as drums set the pace for the crowd.
The defending champions face Cape Verde at Miami Stadium in their first knockout match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, according to Al Jazeera. Argentina entered the tournament among the favourites, while Cape Verde, a small African island nation, has attracted neutral support with its run.
Messi at the centre of the crowd
For Argentina fans interviewed by Al Jazeera, sympathy for Cape Verde did not appear to extend to Friday’s match. Adrian Elizondo told the outlet that Messi “deserves to win another World Cup,” calling this the player’s last World Cup and describing him as the greatest player of all time.
Elizondo also said Argentina’s strength goes beyond Messi, citing the squad, coach and travelling support. Al Jazeera reported that Argentina has one of the tournament’s largest travelling fan bases, while Cape Verde is not expected to have comparable support in the stands.
Local census data cited by Al Jazeera puts Miami’s Argentinian population at at least 30,000. The outlet reported that about 20,000 more Argentina fans have followed the team during its title defence in the United States.
The crowd in North Beach included children and older supporters, with fans continuing to arrive as the evening went on. Groups repeatedly broke into “Muchachos,” the Argentina anthem that became closely associated with the team’s 2022 World Cup victory in Qatar.
Maradona, Messi and Rosario
Al Jazeera reported that images and memories of Diego Maradona were also prominent in the Miami gathering. Many Argentina fans see Maradona and Messi as linked figures in the country’s football history, especially after Messi led the national team to its first World Cup title in 36 years in Qatar.
One group wore shirts from Newell’s Old Boys, the Rosario club connected to both players. Jorge Martinelli, who travelled from Rosario with friends, told Al Jazeera that Messi was born in the city and played in Newell’s youth system before moving to Barcelona, while Maradona joined the club in 1993.
Martinelli described the bond between the two captains as “a cosmic connection” and said many fans believe Maradona is watching over the team. He also told Al Jazeera he did not want to think about Argentina after Messi’s international career ends, saying his departure would leave a gap similar to the one felt after Maradona.
For now, the focus in Miami remains on Argentina’s title defence and Messi’s return to his adopted home city. Martinelli told Al Jazeera he believes Messi can do what Maradona did not: defend a World Cup crown successfully.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.