The Best Anytime Goalscorer Picks for Argentina vs Cabo Verde

• Argentina’s Lionel Messi enters as the World Cup’s leading scorer and the top play to find the net
• Cape Verde leaned on elite defense to reach the knockouts, drawing all three group games
• See my top Argentina vs Cape Verde anytime goalscorer picks, including a +1200 longshot for July 3

Argentina and Cape Verde square off in the Round of 32 at Miami Stadium on Friday. La Albiceleste swept Group J with a perfect nine points, beating Algeria 3-0, Austria 2-0, and Jordan 3-1 while scoring eight goals and conceding just one. Lionel Messi leads the whole tournament with six goals and now owns the all-time World Cup scoring record.

Cape Verde got here the hard way. The smallest nation ever to reach a World Cup knockout round drew Spain 0-0, Uruguay 2-2, and Saudi Arabia 0-0 on pure defensive discipline. They’ll sit deep and dare Argentina to break them down.

Will Messi and the champions pile on, or can the Blue Sharks steal one on the counter? Below, I break down my top anytime goalscorer picks for this fixture.

Argentina vs Cape Verde Anytime Goalscorer Picks

Prices and odds as of July 3. Get the Kalshi referral code to score a bonus to bet on the World Cup.

All three goalscorer picks sit in plus-money territory, and that’s largely down to a low-scoring profile. The Argentina vs Cape Verde odds list the total at 2.5 goals, with Cape Verde’s deep block dragging the number down.

To crack a defensive block, you want players who create their own high-danger chances. I’m hitting Kalshi’s market for the two Argentine stars and taking a longshot swing on the counter.

Lionel Messi Anytime Goal Scorer (68¢ at Kalshi)

Messi is the focal point of everything Argentina do, and he’s playing like it. He leads the tournament with six goals, none of them from the penalty spot. That’s a striker generating his own chances, not cashing gifts.

He’s also rewriting history. His hat-trick against Algeria kicked off a run that pushed him past Miroslav Klose as the all-time World Cup scoring leader. At 39, he shows no sign of slowing down against elite competition.

Now he draws the weakest defense Argentina will see all summer. Cape Verde sit deep and compress space, but they can only hold out so long against this attack. When the block finally cracks, Messi is the man in the pocket to punish it. His 68-cent price on Kalshi is the safest bet on the board.

Lautaro Martinez Anytime Goal Scorer (49¢ at Kalshi)

Lautaro is the clinical No. 9 in a system that averaged 57% possession through the group stage. He’s the striker who lives inside the box, waiting for the ball to drop, which is exactly the profile you want against a packed defense.

He’s already on the board, too. Lautaro scored against Algeria and buried a penalty in the win over Jordan, so the finishing touch is sharp heading into the knockouts.

When Messi drops deep and drags coverage with him, someone has to clean up the rebounds and loose balls near goal. Lautaro is built for that job, and Argentina’s volume against a low block should hand him plenty of looks. At even money on Kalshi, that’s a strong price on a proven finisher.

Kevin Pina Anytime Goal Scorer (+1200 at bet365)

If you want a dart throw with real upside, Pina is the longshot to target. He already made history at this tournament, scoring Cape Verde’s first-ever World Cup goal with a stunning 32-metre free kick that split the Uruguay wall.

That’s the key to his value. Cape Verde’s whole run is built on defensive grit and the occasional big moment, and Pina is a genuine set-piece threat any time they win a free kick in range. Against Argentina, dead-ball chances may be their clearest path to goal.

A +1200 payout implies a tiny probability, and it should in a game this lopsided. But in a win-or-go-home match where one Argentina foul near the box hands Pina a look, it’s a longshot worth a small sprinkle.

As always, before making any wager on this tournament, check out the World Cup betting apps to shop for the best lines.