Argentina vs Cape Verde: All you need to know
Argentina’s World Cup title defence has progressed smoothly so far and continues on Saturday [4am, Bangladesh Time] with a Round of 32 clash against tournament debutants Cape Verde.
One of the pre-tournament favourites for the FIFA World Cup 2026, Argentina take on the Blue Sharks at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami after emerging from the group stage with a perfect record. The Albiceleste were one of only three teams to remain unbeaten, while Cape Verde have impressed with their defensive organisation, recording two clean sheets in three matches.
Here are the key highlights:
** Argentina and Cape Verde are set to meet for the first time, and the stakes could not be any higher as both teams look to book their place in the World Cup Round of 16.
** The Round of 32 clash in Miami on Saturday morning is also set to be a historic occasion for Lionel Scaloni, who will take charge of his 100th match as Argentina coach.
** Since taking over, Scaloni has transformed a Lionel Messi-led Argentina into serial trophy winners on both the South American and global stage, guiding the team to two Copa America titles (2021, 2024), the Finalissima crown in 2022, and, most notably, ending a 36-year wait for a third World Cup title in Qatar in 2022.
** Scaloni has overseen 99 Argentina matches, recording 72 wins, 18 draws, and nine defeats, including a remarkable 36-game unbeaten run between July 2019 and November 2022.
"We've already watched them, not just because we are playing against them, but because we were analyzing potential opponents (earlier on). And then they qualified. And 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."
Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni
** Argentina's last defeat in a knockout match at any tournament came seven years ago in Belo Horizonte, where they lost to fierce rivals Brazil in the 2019 Copa America semifinals.
** Argentina head into this contest on a 10-game winning streak in both knockout matches and overall, presenting tournament debutants Cape Verde with a daunting challenge.
** Scaloni also appears to have unlocked an even more prolific version of Messi. The 39-year-old has scored 58 goals in 74 appearances under Scaloni (0.78 goals per game), compared with 65 goals in his previous 128 matches (0.51 per game). Messi is also tied with Kylian Mbappe at the top of this edition's scoring charts with six goals, despite having played one game fewer than the French captain.
** Cape Verde stunned former champions Spain and Uruguay with draws, while also holding Saudi Arabia, to reach the knockout stage in their maiden World Cup campaign. However, they are also the lowest-scoring team among the 32 knockout qualifiers, with their only two goals coming in the draw against Uruguay.
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