Scaloni: No Easy Opponent in World Cup, We Knew This

Argentina's head coach Lionel Scaloni praised Cape Verde's performance, asserting that his team deserved to advance to the Round of 16 in the 2026 World Cup after a thrilling 3-2 victory following extra time.

In the post-match press conference, Scaloni stated: "There is no easy opponent in the World Cup, and I congratulate Cape Verde for the high level they displayed."

He added: "I will talk to the players about the negative aspects in the locker room, but what I am most proud of is that the team never gave up and kept fighting until the end."

Scaloni continued: "We conceded goals at crucial moments, but we never stopped looking for the win, and the players' reaction was fantastic during the toughest periods of the match."

The Argentina coach emphasized his team's attacking mentality, saying: "We always aim to reach the opponent's goal, and we played today with heart above all else."

Regarding Cape Verde's second goal, he remarked: "We knew their player preferred to cut inside and shoot, yet he scored a wonderful goal that can only be praised."

He stressed: "Everyone thought the match would be easy for us, but we knew it would be a complicated encounter, and that’s exactly what happened."

He concluded: "Even when you win by a large margin, there are aspects that need correction; we can discuss whether we played well or poorly, but this team is not afraid to control the game."