Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has called on his players to remain fully focused ahead of their 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 clash against Cape Verde, stressing that the reigning world champions must not underestimate their opponents.
Argentina successfully completed the group stage and are considered the clear favorites to advance, but Scaloni insisted that knockout matches leave no room for mistakes.
“We’re in a good moment, but the margins are now very small. This is a match where, if you lose, you’re out. We know that very well,” Scaloni said.
The Argentine coach praised Cape Verde’s impressive performances, as they became the smallest nation by population ever to reach the knockout stage of a FIFA World Cup.
“They are a very good team. We’ve analyzed them for a long time, and we’re not surprised they’ve made it this far. They didn’t get here by chance. We respect them and will prepare for the match with the utmost seriousness.”
Scaloni added that the African side is extremely well-organized defensively and highly dangerous on the counterattack.
“They deserved to beat Saudi Arabia, and they defended very well against both Spain and Uruguay. They close down the central areas and are very dangerous in transition. They have quality players.”
When asked about the fact that Lionel Messi has scored six of Argentina’s eight goals at this World Cup, Scaloni dismissed suggestions that his team depends entirely on their captain.
“Messi is an extraordinary player, and naturally everything he does attracts more attention. But we have other forwards as well. We create plenty of chances, and whether it’s Julián Álvarez or Lautaro Martínez playing, our goal is for all of our attackers to contribute with goals,” he emphasized.
Messi is expected to return to the starting lineup against Cape Verde after being rested for Argentina’s final group-stage match. However, Scaloni declined to comment on how many minutes the 39-year-old could play, saying that everything will depend on the course of the match and his physical condition.
The Round of 16 clash between Argentina and Cape Verde will be played on Saturday.
