World Cup 2026 July 3 Results: Argentina Through, LMS Recap

The Round of 32 is over. Thirty-two teams went in. Sixteen came out. For Last Man Standing pools running since the group stage, Friday was the last chance anyone had to take an "easy" pick before things get serious.

Here is what happened and what it means.

Friday's Results

Argentina 3–1 Cape Verde — No drama, no surprises. Messi scored once, assisted twice, and Argentina were comfortable throughout. This was the pick for anyone who had Argentina available. If you used them here, you spent them well on a game where the outcome was not in doubt.

Australia 2–0 Egypt — Cleaner than expected. Australia were organised, took their chances when they came, and Egypt's attacking threat never materialised in a way that caused genuine problems. A solid result for anyone who picked the Socceroos.

Colombia 1–0 Ghana — The tight one. Colombia's win was unconvincing — a single goal, limited clear-cut chances, and a Ghana side that made them uncomfortable for long stretches. Anyone who picked Colombia survived, but not comfortably.

Where the Round of 32 Left Things

Some numbers worth knowing for your pool:

• Paraguay are still in it. Germany are not.
• Morocco are still in it. Netherlands are not.
• France, Spain, Portugal, Brazil, England, Argentina all came through.
• The "giant-killer" phase of the Round of 32 ended on July 1. The final six Round of 32 matches all went to the favourite.

Who LMS Players Are Now Working With

The Round of 16 begins today, and the remaining field is, broadly, the teams you would have named before the tournament. The upsets happened early. What you are left with is a knockout bracket where picking the wrong "favourite" still costs you.

France, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, England, and Portugal are all present. If you have used one or two of these already in the Round of 32, you are now managing your remaining ammunition carefully. If you have used none of them — either by luck or design — you are in an enviable position with serious weapons left.

The Round of 16 Looks Completely Different

The Round of 32 was about avoiding obvious traps. The Round of 16 is about navigating proper footballing tests.

Where Germany vs Paraguay had a clear favourite on paper, several Round of 16 matchups now feature two sides who are both legitimately good. France vs Morocco is not a banker. England vs one of the South American sides is not comfortable. Argentina vs a European team is a genuine contest.

Pick carefully. Use the percentage choice, not the emotional one. And if two picks look equally valid, lean toward the team that is less likely to be picked by everyone else in your pool.

One More Thing

The 16 teams still alive contain every LMS player's nightmare: a match where both sides could plausibly win, and half the pool picks one and the other half picks the other. That match always comes in the Round of 16. Identifying it before it happens is half the battle.

If you're running a Last Man Standing pool or a predictor game for the World Cup, Matchroom handles picks and results automatically — free at getmatchroom.app.