Lionel Messi fell to the ground near the opposing penalty area, and his head ended up crashing straight into the knee of a Cape Verde player. 🤕 The blow left him with a huge bump on the right side of his forehead, just before extra time began.
The medical staff applied ice to reduce the swelling, but Messi did not come off. He completed all 120 minutes, scored one of the goals, and was key as Argentina won 3-2 and advanced to the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup.
In the mixed zone, with the mark still visible, he explained what happened: “It was on the foul near the area, when I fell I hit one guy’s knee”. Now, with his forehead swollen and qualification secured, the captain is already thinking about Egypt, his next opponent on Tuesday, July 7. 🇦🇷⚽
