Argentina’s Lionel Messi (right) takes part in a training session with teammates. (AFP)
Doha, Qatar: Defending champions Argentina will look to keep their flawless FIFA World Cup title defence on track when they face tournament debutants Cape Verde in the Round of 32 at Miami Stadium tomorrow.
The match kicks off at 1am Qatar time, with Lionel Messi returning to familiar surroundings in Miami as Argentina meet the tournament’s biggest surprise package after the Blue Sharks’ unbeaten group-stage run.
The holders have looked every bit the team to beat in North America, winning all three group matches and extending their winning streak to 10 games.
Yet coach Lionel Scaloni has made it clear there will be no room for complacency against a Cape Verde side that has become one of the stories of the tournament after reaching the knockout stage.
Messi arrives in Miami, where he has played his club football since joining Inter Miami in 2023, as the joint leading scorer in the Golden Boot race alongside France's Kylian Mbappe.
The 39-year-old has struck six times in three matches, accounting for six of Argentina’s eight goals, while becoming the first player to score in seven consecutive World Cup matches.
Having also set a new all-time World Cup scoring record, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner continues to redefine longevity as he pursues another title with La Albiceleste.
Argentina’s progress has been built on far more than Messi’s brilliance. Scaloni’s side have combined defensive authority with attacking fluency, becoming only the third reigning champions this century to reach the World Cup knockout stage. Their route to the semi-finals also appears favourable on paper, but the Argentina coach insists his players are focused only on the immediate challenge.
Tomorrow’s match will also mark Scaloni’s 100th game in charge of Argentina, another landmark in a remarkable reign that has transformed a team once searching for direction into serial winners.
Since taking over after the 2018 World Cup, the 48-year-old has guided Argentina to two Copa America titles, the 2022 Finalissima crown and, most memorably, the World Cup triumph in Qatar.
“We are feeling good, now we have to rest, recharge our batteries to think about what is coming, which is going to be difficult,” Scaloni said after Argentina’s victory over Jordan.
“From now on, it’s about turning the page and thinking about Cape Verde, who will be a very tough opponent.”
Cape Verde have earned that respect the hard way. Draws against Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia carried the Blue Sharks into the knockout rounds, making them the only one of the four tournament debutants to advance and the first debuting nation to reach the World Cup knockout stage since Slovakia in 2010.
Their disciplined defending, tactical flexibility and fearless approach have made them difficult to break down, while veteran goalkeeper Vozinha has emerged as one of the tournament’s standout performers.
Coach Bubista believes his side has already shown what determination can achieve but insists their journey is not over.
“We are proud of what we have achieved so far, and once again, we have shown that though we are a small country, we are one that fights for what we want to achieve. For us, nothing is impossible,” he said.
