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NICOLE SOMMA
Updated
Argentina advanced to the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup, but had to battle until the very last minute of extra time to do so. With a final score of 3-2, Cape Verde put up a strong fight, shining thanks to goalkeeper Vozinha and goals by Deroy Duarte in the 59th minute and Sidny Lopes Cabral in the 103rd minute, as they sought to stop Lionel Scaloni’s team, but goals by Lionel Messi, Lisandro Martínez, and Cristian “Cuti” Romero (or an own goal by Diney) sealed the Albiceleste’s victory.
The match kept millions of fans on the edge of their seats, especially Antonela Roccuzzo, Leo’s wife, who celebrated in her now-familiar way after the game ended. A new superstition?
Roccuzzo’s “New” Good-Luck Ritual
The Argentine national team’s World Cup victory once again featured a tradition that’s becoming familiar to fans: Antonela’s celebration with her three sons after every major match by Lionel Scaloni’s team.
Vozinha’s leadership says everything after Cape Verde’s World Cup heartbreak against Argentina
After the narrow victory over Cape Verde, Messi’s wife once again shared a photo on her official Instagramaccount featuring Thiago, Mateo, and Ciro—all wearing the national team’s jersey—in a scene that directly echoes other similar celebrations throughout the tournament.
Along with seven photos from the match, she wrote: “Go Argentina,” accompanied by several sky-blue and white hearts.
This scene is nothing new. Throughout the tournament, Roccuzzo has repeatedly posted this type of content at key moments—especially after decisive goals by Messi or hard-fought victories—leading fans to speculate about a possible family “superstition” that repeats itself game after game.
However, while posting photos of the Albiceleste’s matches may seem like a “new superstition,” her choice of attire has also drawn attention—a trend that has continued since the 2022 tournament.
Antonela once again changed the jersey she wore in the previous match against Jordan and wore the alternate one. Thus, her outfits seem to follow a pattern: the home jersey on odd-numbered matches (first and third matches) and the alternate jersey on even-numbered matches (second and fourth matches), so her new superstition may be to alternate, a practice her children have also adopted.
During the match, the family also celebrated Messi’s goal, which opened the scoring and brought his total to seven in the tournament. He has now scored in eight consecutive World Cup matches, tying his goal tally from 2022. Additionally, he played in his 30th match, making him the player with the most appearances in the tournament’s history.
As the national team continues to advance in the tournament, these scenes have become a constant off the field, accompanying every step of the Albiceleste with their now-iconic celebration.
Now, Leo and Argentina will face Egypt next Tuesday, July 7, at noon (12:00 p.m.) at Atlanta Stadium for a spot in the quarterfinals.
