World Cup 2026: They Gave Spain Hard Time — Scaloni Warns Argentina About Cape Verde

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni has cautioned his players against underestimating Cape Verde ahead of their Round of 32 clash at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The defending champions will face the tournament debutants on Friday after both teams secured qualification from their respective groups.

Scaloni issued the warning during his post-match press conference after Argentina wrapped up their Group J campaign with a 3-1 victory over Jordan at the weekend.

Despite Argentina entering the knockout tie as overwhelming favourites, the former defender insisted that Cape Verde have already demonstrated they are capable of troubling some of the strongest teams at the tournament.

“They’re a very good team, and they make it very difficult for all opponents,” Scaloni said.

“But they’re a very tough team to beat. It would not be true for me to say they’re not strong, because they really are.

“They’ve already given Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia a hard time, and these are facts. You’ve got to be even more careful in this World Cup.”

Cape Verde have emerged as one of the biggest surprise packages of the tournament after progressing beyond the group stage in their first-ever World Cup appearance.

The island nation finished second in Group H after holding both Spain and Saudi Arabia to draws while remaining unbeaten throughout the group phase.

Their remarkable performances have earned widespread praise from football fans and analysts, who view the Blue Sharks as one of the standout stories of the competition.

Argentina, meanwhile, advanced to the knockout stage with a perfect record, winning all three of their group matches.

Led by captain Lionel Messi, the South American giants defeated Algeria, Austria and Jordan to finish top of Group J.

Messi has been in outstanding form, scoring six goals during the group stage to strengthen his position among the tournament’s leading scorers.

Scaloni, however, believes the knockout phase demands a different mindset, warning that every remaining team deserves respect regardless of reputation or ranking.

The Argentina coach stressed that his players must maintain their concentration if they hope to successfully defend the World Cup title they won four years ago.

Victory over Cape Verde would see Argentina progress to the Round of 16, where they would face the winner of another knockout fixture.

Cape Verde, on the other hand, will be aiming to produce another major upset by eliminating one of world football’s traditional powerhouses and extending their historic World Cup journey.

The highly anticipated encounter is expected to attract global attention as Argentina seek another step toward retaining the trophy, while Cape Verde chase one of the greatest results in their football history.