Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni warned his squad not to underestimate Cape Verde ahead of their FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 clash at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

Scaloni stated that the debutants’ unbeaten group-stage run against heavyweights like Spain and Uruguay was no accident.

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He urged his players to maintain maximum respect and caution in the sudden-death knockout fixture, noting Cape Verde’s tactical discipline.

“We’re in a good moment, but ‌now the margins are very small. This is a match where if you lose, you’re out. We know that,” Scaloni told reporters on Thursday.

“They’re a good team. We’ve already watched them, not just ‌because we are playing against them, but because we ⁠were analysing potential opponents and then they ‌qualified.

“We are not surprised, to be honest. They are a good team, and they are ​not here by chance. We must respect them and that’s what we will do.”

But Scaloni dismissed concerns over their reliance on Argentina’s talisman for goals, emphasising that the team continues to create numerous scoring opportunities regardless of who finishes them.

“Of course, everything he does is more visible, but there is one more striker in the team,” Scaloni said.

“We do create chances and Leo Messi, apart from being a great player, he’s a striker. Whether he plays with Julian (Alvarez) or Lautaro (Martinez), we will try for all of them to score just as anyone else.”