Round of 32 · Match 14

ArgentinavsCape Verde

2026-07-03·18:00 local·Hard Rock Stadium · MiamiPredictions finalised

Snapshot · 2026-07-14Model 1.0.0Final prediction · locked 3 Jul, 19:59 UTCArgentina·Cape Verde·
Full time · forecast gradedArgentina 3 2 Cape VerdeThe locked pre-match forecast has been graded against this result.See the calibration recap →

Match signals

Factors that favour each side, from statistical models to group stage form and match conditions. Longer bars = stronger advantage.

ArgentinaSignal balanceCape Verde
89%11%

Argentina are dominant at 81% vs Cape Verde's 2%. Quality, form, and model estimates all point the same way. An upset here would be a major story.

📊What the Models Say

5 Argentina
85%Elo Rating Model0%
StrongStrong

Rates teams by a single strength number updated after every match. Simpler but fast to react. It rates Argentina at 85% to win vs Cape Verde at 0%.

81%Dixon-Coles Model4%
StrongStrong

Simulates the goal-scoring process using attack and defence strength. The heaviest-weighted model. It rates Argentina at 81% to win vs Cape Verde at 4%.

79%Hierarchical Poisson5%
StrongStrong

Groups teams by confederation to share information. Helps for teams with fewer matches. It rates Argentina at 79% to win vs Cape Verde at 5%.

81%Final Ensemble2%
StrongStrong

The published probability after calibration and adjustments. This is what the model says. It rates Argentina at 81% to win vs Cape Verde at 2%.

3/3Model Agreement0/3
StrongStrong

All 3 models agree: Argentina is favoured. When models agree, the signal is stronger.

Tournament Form

3 Argentina
18pts (6W 0D 0L)Tournament Record3pts (0W 3D 1L)
StrongStrong

Argentina collected 18 points (6W 0D 0L) vs Cape Verde's 3 (0W 3D 1L). A stronger tournament record.

2.83/matchGoals Scored1.0/match
StrongStrong

Argentina averaged 2.83 goals per match vs Cape Verde's 1.0. More firepower coming in.

1.0 conceded/matchDefence1.25 conceded/match
Even

Similar defensive records: Argentina 1.0, Cape Verde 1.25 goals conceded per match.

+11Goal Difference-1
StrongStrong

Argentina's goal difference of +11 is better than Cape Verde's -1. They outperformed opponents by more.

📈Momentum

1 Cape Verde
+26.7Tournament Rating Change+31.5
Even

Both teams' ratings moved similarly during the tournament (Argentina +26.7, Cape Verde +31.5).

+0.0017Player Form Trend+0.0125
StrongStrong

Cape Verde's players improved their form ratings during the tournament (+0.0125) vs Argentina (+0.0017). Players trending upward.

🏆Team Quality

3 Argentina
2113Overall Strength (Elo)1549
StrongStrong

Argentina is rated 2113 vs Cape Verde's 1549 (gap: 564). That's a very large gap in historical team strength.

2.16 xGExpected Chance Creation0.32 xG
StrongStrong

The model expects Argentina to create 2.16 expected goals vs Cape Verde's 0.32. More and better chances projected.

0.29Star Power0.30
Even

Similar star-player quality in both squads.

0.043Squad Familiarity0.000
ModerateModerate

Argentina's starters play together at club level more often (0.043 cohesion) than Cape Verde's (0.000). More shared understanding on the pitch.

🌍Match Conditions

1 Argentina1 Cape Verde
7,364kmTravel Distance5,975km
SlightSlight

Cape Verde traveled 5,975km vs Argentina's 7,364km. A shorter journey means less fatigue.

1h shiftTimezone Shift3h shift
SlightSlight

Argentina face a 1h timezone shift vs Cape Verde's 3h. Less jet lag disruption.

17 signals across 5 categories. Signal strength reflects how large the gap is between the two teams on each factor. Signals are descriptive, not prescriptive.

예측

Match-outcome probability

  • Argentina win
    70.7%
  • Draw
    23.9%
  • Cape Verde win
    5.4%

A clash of identities: Argentina's possession-dominant approach meets Cape Verde's high-press style in a fixture the model gives to Argentina at 81%.

Rank checkFIFA ranks Cape Verde #68 in the world; the model ranks them #36 in this tournament field, 32 places higher than the FIFA list suggests. All 48 compared →
Likeliest score2–019.5%
First goal0-15'33.9%
Both teams score24.6%
Over 2.5 goals45.1%
Top scorerMessi12.2%
Expected goals2.2 - 0.3
Loading pitch visualisation...

골 및 스코어라인

Likeliest score 2–0 (19.5%) · xG 2.2 - 0.3

Expected goals

Argentina
2.16
Cape Verde
0.32

Mean of the Dixon-Coles joint goal distribution. Same fit that produces the most-likely-scoreline list below.

Most likely scorelines

  • 2–0
    19.5%
  • 1–0
    17.7%
  • 3–0
    14.1%
  • 0–0
    8.7%
  • 4–0
    7.6%

From the Dixon-Coles joint Poisson with the low-score correction. Scorelines are listed in probability order; this is a description of the model's distribution, not a recommendation.

Most likely half-time scorelines

  • 1–0
    30.9%
  • 0–0
    29.3%
  • 2–0
    16.9%
  • 3–0
    6.1%
  • 1–1
    5.3%

Same Dixon-Coles fit as the full-time list above, with rates halved to a 45-minute window and the low-score correction applied to that 1st-half block. The 0-0 row sits higher here than at full-time because fewer minutes have elapsed.

Goal totals

  • More than 0.5 goals
    91.3%
  • More than 1.5 goals
    71.2%
  • More than 2.5 goals
    45.1%
  • More than 3.5 goals
    23.8%
  • More than 4.5 goals
    10.6%
  • More than 5.5 goals
    4.1%
  • Both teams score
    24.6%

Each row is the probability the match finishes with more than the listed number of goals. Both-teams-to-score is the probability each side scores at least once. All values are marginals of the Dixon-Coles joint goal grid that produces the scoreline list above — not market lines or any other operator construct.

Event-typed probabilities

  • Argentina clean sheetOpposing team scores zero72.6%
  • Cape Verde clean sheetOpposing team scores zero11.5%

Derived from the same Dixon-Coles joint distribution as the scoreline list. These are descriptive event probabilities — see CLAUDE.md §3/§4 (formerly COMPLIANCE.md §4.2.7) for the framing the project uses.

Win-margin probability

  • Argentina by 4+
    14.2%
  • Argentina by 3+
    30.9%
  • Argentina by 2+
    55.3%
  • Argentina by 1+
    80.1%
  • Draw
    16.0%
  • Cape Verde by 1+
    4.0%
  • Cape Verde by 2+
    0.6%
  • Cape Verde by 3+
    0.1%
  • Cape Verde by 4+
    0.0%

Each row is the probability the match ends with the listed margin or larger in that direction. Marginal of the Dixon-Coles joint goal grid; the “by 1+” rows plus the draw row sum to 1.

경기 전개 양상

Over 2.5 goals 45.1% · BTTS 24.6%

Game state through the match

0%25%50%75%100%0'15'30'45'60'75'90'
  • Argentina ahead80.4%
  • Level15.3%
  • Cape Verde ahead4.3%

Probability of each game state at minutes 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90 — derived from two independent thinned-Poisson processes with the Dixon-Coles per-team rates. The three lines always sum to 1 at each minute. The right column shows the state at the match's closing minute.

When the first goal arrives

  • 0–15
    33.9%
  • 15–30
    22.4%
  • 30–45
    14.8%
  • 45–60
    9.8%
  • 60–75
    6.5%
  • 75–90
    4.3%
  • No goal
    8.4%

Probability the match's first goal arrives in each 15-minute window. Homogeneous Poisson with combined rate λ = λh + λa from the Dixon-Coles fit; the seven rows (six windows + no-goal tail) sum to 1.

Half-time / full-time grid

Joint probability of half-time and full-time results
HT ↓ / FT →HArgentina winDDrawACape Verde win
HArgentina ahead58.2%1.8%0.1%
DLevel21.0%11.9%1.9%
ACape Verde ahead1.3%1.7%2.2%

Each cell is P(half-time result, full-time result). All nine cells sum to 1. Derived from a halved-λ Dixon-Coles fit for the first half plus an independent-Poisson second-half convolution.

Comeback probability

  • Argentina trail at HT, avoid defeat at FT
    3.0%
  • Cape Verde trail at HT, avoid defeat at FT
    1.9%

Joint probability — P(side trailing at half-time AND avoiding defeat at full-time). NOT conditional on trailing at HT. Derived from the same half-time / full-time decomposition that produces the HT/FT grid above; a tied first half is neither a home nor an away comeback opportunity.

PK shootout simulator

If the match ends level after extra time, the model estimates the shootout outcome from each team's Bayesian-smoothed conversion / save rate (Model #15). The bracket simulator uses the symmetric (averaged) ordering; the two what-if scenarios below show how the win probabilities shift when conditioning on which team kicks first.

Symmetric (averaged over both orderings — used by the bracket simulator)
  • Argentina
    67.7%
  • Cape Verde
    32.3%
If Argentina kicks first
  • Argentina
    79.5%
  • Cape Verde
    20.4%
If Cape Verde kicks first
  • Argentina
    56.3%
  • Cape Verde
    43.7%
Expected paired rounds
4.8
Decided in regulation 5 kicks
74.8%

First-kicker advantage

The first kicker's per-kick conversion rate is scaled by ×1.050 (about +5.0%), stacked on the Markov chain's structural asymmetry. Real World Cup shootouts use a coin toss for kicker order, so on average the order is 50/50 — the symmetric path above is the relevant number for a single fixture. The ordering-conditioned probabilities are a descriptive what-if scenario.

Literature: first kickers win ≈ 60% historically (Apesteguia & Palacios-Huerta, American Economic Review 2010; Vandebroek et al. 2016).

Per-team posteriors: Argentina conv 77.0%, save 27.9%Cape Verde conv 72.0%, save 20.0%. Smoothed against the global prior with prior strength 20 — see /docs/methodology/.

팀 및 선수

Top scorer: Messi (12.2%)

Match detail

Argentina

Model-rated key players: Lionel Messi (FW) — P(scores) 12.2%; Lautaro Martínez (FW) — P(scores) 8.1%; Nicolás González (FW) — P(scores) 6.3%.

How they play

Argentina under Lionel Scaloni play a possession dominant game, holding 59% of the ball — among the highest in the tournament field. Their likely shape is a 4-3-3, though they have also used 3-5-2 and 4-4-2. They apply moderate pressing intensity (PPDA 19.1) and build patiently through midfield with 7.8 passes per attacking sequence. They favour high-quality chances (xG/shot 0.163, among the best in the field).

What they must execute

To succeed, Argentina must control tempo and territory in midfield — their possession-dominant approach depends on dictating the rhythm of each match. Managing minutes for Lionel Messi across what could be seven matches will test the coaching staff's rotation planning.

Storylines
Touchline: Lionel ScaloniDefending champion — Winner 2022.
Last dance: Lionel Messi38 at kickoff with 198 caps — probably his final World Cup.
Defensive form: Conceded only 0.36 xG per match across 6 recent internationals — #1 of 35 in the field for defensive solidity.

Cape Verde

Model-rated key players: Nuno da Costa (FW) — P(scores) 5.1%; Dailon Livramento (FW) — P(scores) 2.1%; Ryan Mendes (FW) — P(scores) 2.1%.

How they play

Cape Verde under Bubista play a high press game with 53% possession. They apply moderate pressing intensity (PPDA 17.2) and move the ball forward quickly at 5.7 passes per attack. They generate a high volume of shots (13.2 per 90).

What they must execute

Cape Verde need their high press to force turnovers in dangerous areas — if opponents can play through the press, the space left behind is vulnerable. Physical conditioning and squad rotation will be critical to sustain pressing intensity across a long tournament.

Storylines
Model bold: Model rates them #47 by tournament-winner probability — 21 places higher than FIFA #68.
Veteran #1: Vozinha40 at kickoff with 85 caps — last World Cup for the #1.
Local-league core: Only 3 of 25 predicted-squad players played in a top-5 European league last season — the rest play home or in non-top-5 leagues.
Workload going in

Argentina's predicted XI averages 1,997 club minutes over the 2024-25 season (moderate load).

Argentina coverage: 85.0% (11/11 XI matched against the FBref Big-5) · Cape Verde: 24.0% (3/11).

Set-piece outlook

Argentina historically converts 17.1% of xG from set-pieces, contributing 0.37 expected set-piece goals in this fixture. Cape Verde converts 16.1% from set-pieces (0.05 expected). Combined, the model expects 0.42 set-piece goals across the 90 minutes.

  • P(Argentina scores set-piece goal) 30.9%
  • P(Cape Verde scores set-piece goal) 5.0%
  • P(set-piece goal in match) 34.3%

Argentina: Lionel Messi on corners (32 corners), Guido Rodríguez on free kicks (per fbref 2022 23)

Penalty outlook

If a penalty is awarded to Argentina, the model gives 77.0% conversion, 72.0% for Cape Verde. If this match goes to a shootout, the symmetric (coin-toss averaged) win probability is 67.7% Argentina / 32.3% Cape Verde.

Argentina primary PK: Lionel Messi (3/5 in 2020-21, per fbref 2022 23) · Cape Verde primary PK: Nuno da Costa (1/1 in 2018-19, per fbref 2018 19).

Derived from the model's per-fixture forecast joint and supporting reference data (predicted squads, set-piece xG share, PK posteriors, club minutes). See /docs/methodology/ for the full methodology.

Squad depth

Most irreplaceable starters

Argentina

  1. Giovani Lo CelsoAttacking midfieldNo natural backup0.30gap
  2. Lautaro MartínezStrikerCover: José Manuel López · 0.670.30gap
  3. Leandro ParedesDefensive midfieldNo natural backup0.26gap

Cape Verde

  1. Logan CostaCentre-backCover: Diney · 0.360.41gap
  2. Kevin PinaDefensive midfieldCover: Laros Duarte · 0.280.25gap
  3. Jamiro MonteiroCentral midfieldCover: Yannick Semedo · 0.130.24gap

Gap = how far a side's rating at the position falls from the starter to his likely in-squad replacement (named under each name). Larger = harder to replace. Descriptive metric, does not feed the published probabilities. Methodology →

Match conditions

  • AltitudeNear sea level3 m
  • Avg temperatureFive-year mean over the tournament window27.0 °C
  • Avg humidity82%
  • Heat stressShade WBGT ~30.7 °CHigh heat stress
  • Pitch surfacenatural grass

Already plays on natural Bermudagrass; no turf conversion needed.

Heat stress is a shade Wet-Bulb Globe Temperature proxy from the venue's climatology mean temperature and humidity; FIFA mandates cooling breaks at WBGT 32 °C. Evening kickoff (local time). These are long-window averages, not a match-day forecast, and they are not inputs to the forecast.

Top scorers · P(scores in this match)

Cape Verde

Per-player scoring rate from Model #5 (`p_score_per_match`). Reflects each player's npxG/90, expected minutes, team xG share, and the average opposing-team defence. See /docs/methodology/.

Recent match form

Last match player ratings

Argentina

vs Jordan · avg 8.0

9
Lionel MessiAM
ATK
DEF
PAS
8
Lisandro MartinezCB
ATK
DEF
PAS
8
Cristian RomeroCB
ATK
DEF
PAS
8
Player #22
ATK
DEF
PAS
7
Emiliano MartínezGK
ATK
DEF
PAS

Cape Verde

vs Saudi Arabia · avg 6.3

8
DA COSTAST
ATK
DEF
PAS
7
Nuno da CostaST
ATK
DEF
PAS
6
SemedoRW
ATK
DEF
PAS
6
Ryan MendesRW
ATK
DEF
PAS
6
DuarteCM
ATK
DEF
PAS
5
VozinhaGK
ATK
DEF
PAS

Player scores from official highlight analysis of each team's most recent match. Observational, not a model input. Methodology →

Video analysis: player performance

Per-player ratings and event breakdowns from official highlights analysis. Tap a player to see their full match timeline.

Argentina
8
Lisandro Martínez

Scored two vital goals, including one in extra time, to put Argentina ahead, overcoming an earlier defensive miscue.

8
Cristian Romero

Scored the decisive winning goal in extra time with a powerful header from a corner, showcasing his aerial threat.

7
Emiliano Martínez

Made several critical saves, particularly in extra time, to preserve Argentina's lead, despite conceding two goals.

7
Nahuel Molina18'–18'

Provided the assist for Messi's opening goal and contributed with attacking runs from his defensive position.

Match timeline

18'Molina's cross almost reaches Messi in front of goal
6
Lautaro Martínez

Had a couple of attempts on goal, one of which was well-saved, but ultimately failed to convert his chances.

6
Leandro Paredes

Came on as a substitute and immediately contributed with two shots on target, though neither found the net.

6
Alexis Mac Allister

Registered a shot on target that was saved but otherwise had a limited impact during his time on the field.

5
Gonzalo Montiel

Received a yellow card for a foul in extra time, with no other significant contributions noted.

Cape Verde
9
Vozinha14'–17'

Delivered an exceptional goalkeeping performance, making numerous world-class saves to keep Cape Verde competitive against a relentless Argentine attack.

2saves

Match timeline

14'Messi's shot from a tight angle is saved by the goalkeeper
17'Messi's free-kick is comfortably gathered by Vozinha
8
Sidny Lopes Cabral

Scored a spectacular and crucial overhead kick to equalize for Cape Verde in extra time, also contributing defensively with a block.

7
Deroy Duarte

Scored a vital equalizing goal for Cape Verde, demonstrating good finishing, but also committed a late foul on Messi.

4
Pico Lopes

Had a difficult spell, almost scoring an own goal and being involved in a VAR review for a potential handball.

Match observations

  • The match was a thrilling, high-scoring affair that extended into extra time.
  • Argentina initially took the lead through Messi, but Cabo Verde showed remarkable resilience, equalising twice.
  • Both teams displayed strong attacking intent, with numerous shots on target and dramatic saves from both goalkeepers.

분석 내부

Model-by-model comparison

Argentina vs Cape Verde

Moderate (6.3%)
ModelWeightHomeDrawAway
EloRating-based strength estimate32%
85.2%
14.8%
0.0%
Dixon-ColesGoal-process model with low-score correction63%
81.4%
14.8%
3.8%
Hierarchical PoissonBayesian model with confederation pooling6%
78.9%
16.1%
5.1%
Bayesian stackingLearned-weight combination
93.0%
7.0%
0.0%
Ensemble (published)Uniform average + isotonic calibration
81.0%
17.5%
1.5%
Home spread: 6.3%
Draw spread: 1.2%
Away spread: 5.1%
How each model works
Elo
Each team carries a single strength rating updated after every match by a margin-aware K-factor. Match probabilities come from the logistic function of the rating gap. Elo is fast-adapting but coarse — it sees only who won and by how much, not how the goals were scored.
Dixon-Coles
A Poisson regression on team-level attack and defence parameters, fitted via maximum likelihood with an exponential time-decay weighting. The Dixon-Coles correction adjusts the four low-score cells (0-0, 1-0, 0-1, 1-1) where independent Poisson underestimates dependence. Produces full scoreline distributions, not just H/D/A.
Hierarchical Poisson
A Bayesian Poisson model fitted via MCMC (PyMC) with hierarchical priors that pool attack and defence parameters within confederations. Shrinks small-sample teams toward their confederation mean — helpful for nations with few recent competitive fixtures. Slower to fit but better-calibrated on the tails.
Bayesian stacking
Optimises simplex weights (w_elo, w_dc, w_hp) to maximise the leave-one-out log-score across a walk-forward backtest (Yao et al. 2018). The result is a weighted average of the three component models' probabilities, then isotonic-calibrated. Adds no extra features — just learns which component to trust more from historical accuracy.
Ensemble (published)
Equal-weight average of all three component models, followed by per-class isotonic regression calibration fitted on 24 months of walk-forward out-of-fold predictions. This is the probability published on the site. The uniform mean is deliberately simple — it avoids overfitting to the stacking weights' training window.

Three independent component models feed two combination strategies. The uniform ensemble is the published probability; Bayesian stacking uses learned weights. Amber bars flag >5pp divergence from the published number. Full methodology

Latest news & match context

Match conditions
Stage:
Round of 32 · Match 14
Date:
3 Jul
Venue:
Hard Rock Stadium, Miami

a 27°C kickoff modestly suppresses expected scoring at this venue.

Beyond the model

Ranked by likely importance. None of these feed the forecast: the probabilities rest on team strength, venue conditions and the style matchup.

  1. 1.Elimination stakes: A one-off elimination tie. Motivation, risk appetite and game management under tournament pressure are not model inputs; the forecast rests on team strength and the style matchup.
  2. 2.Rest differential: Cape Verde have had 7 days since their previous match versus 6 for Argentina. Rest and recovery are not model inputs.
Availability

Argentina

Argentina come in at close to full strength.

Cape Verde

Cape Verde come in at close to full strength.

What it means

Argentina and Cape Verde both come in at close to full strength, so the forecast rests on baseline team strength rather than late team-news swings.

Availability from the predicted squads and injury feed; forecast adjustments from the model's own decomposition. See /docs/methodology/.

Standard Pass

이 경기는 무료 미리보기입니다

이 경기의 모델 전체 예측을 무료로 보고 계십니다. 확률, 기대 골, 스코어라인 분포, 선수별 득점 확률 등 동일한 수준의 분석을 전체 104경기에서 잠금 해제하려면 Standard Pass를 이용하세요. 대회 기간 내내 유효합니다.

Pass 구매 — $15

Every forecast graded against the real result, scored on 987 matches since 2014. See the scorecard.

24h money-back, no questions asked·No subscription, no auto-renewal·Access through 31 Dec 2026. See refund policy.