July 03, 2026
Argentina will be heavy favourites when they face World Cup debutants Cape Verde in their round of 32 match on Friday in Miami Gardens, Fla.
But Argentine boss Lionel Scaloni says meeting their African foes at this stage, instead of Uruguay or Saudi Arabia as some predicted, is far from a shock.
"We've already watched them, not just because we are playing against them, but because we were analyzing potential opponents (earlier on)," Scaloni said via an interpreter. "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."
