Lionel Messi and Argentina have been warned by coach Lionel Scaloni ahead of the 2026 World CUp clash against Cape Verde: "They'll make life difficult for us." Argentina locked up the top spot in Group J after a nearly flawless group stage run at the 2026 World Cup, with Lionel Messi continuing to serve as the undisputed focal point despite his age. Now, with a surprising Cape Verde squad waiting in the wings, head coach Lionel Scaloni offered a cautious assessment ahead of their Round of 32 showdown: “They’ll make life difficult for us.” Making their World Cup debut, Cape Verde was drawn into a daunting Group H alongside powerhouse nations Spain and Uruguay, as well as Saudi Arabia, with most experts expecting the African side to quietly exit in the opening round. Instead, after grinding out three consecutive draws, including a shocking 0-0 clean sheet against Spain and a thrilling 2-2 tie with Uruguay, Cape Verde advanced as runners-up to book a knockout stage date with the reigning champions. During his postgame press conference following the win over Jordan, Scaloni was asked about the upcoming matchup and immediately preached respect for the tournament underdogs: “On Cape Verde, I’m not surprised they qualified. They made things very difficult for every opponent they faced. They are a tough team and they’ll make life difficult for us. They frustrated Spain, one of the tournament favorites. Uruguay couldn’t beat them, and neither could Saudi Arabia.“ Despite the massive disparity in soccer pedigree between the two nations, Scaloni refuses to overlook the island nation. “Based on everything we’ve seen at this World Cup, we have to be very careful. They play good football, they have quality, they’re fast, and even though some people might think it won’t be a contest, I can assure you that they’re a great team and they’ll make things difficult for us.” Cabo Verde players celebrate after the 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia. Argentina has been perfect so far, scoring eight goals while conceding just once, with Messi pacing the tournament’s Golden Boot race. While potential future opponents like Austria appear far more menacing on paper than Cape Verde, the Argentine manager is treating this single-elimination match with the utmost seriousness, knowing that unlike their opening-match stumble against Saudi Arabia in 2022, the knockout rounds offer no second chances. Messi on the bench: A selfless decision, says Scaloni One of the biggest storylines heading into the Jordan match was the decision to leave Lionel Messi on the substitutes’ bench. Many expected the Inter Miami superstar to start and pad his historic goal tally against a weaker opponent, especially with Argentina’s top spot in the group already secured. Ultimately, the legendary captain didn’t enter until the second half, a tactical decision that Scaloni revealed was actually proposed by Messi himself. When questioned about Messi’s relentless pursuit of records, Scaloni emphasized that individual accolades were the furthest thing from the playmaker’s mind: “Today he could have played 90 minutes and could have, without disrespecting the opponent, perhaps grown that legend even more, but he also preferred for his teammates to get minutes, he also preferred to think about what’s ahead, and that speaks volumes because he doesn’t think about those numbers that people talk about so much.“ After subbing on in the 60th minute, Messi needed just 20 minutes to convert a trademark free kick and extend his all-time World Cup record to 18 goals, a feat Scaloni credits to the squad’s collective harmony. “I’m happy because he decided on that. When I spoke to him he said that was what was best. I agreed as well. I think that speaks a bit to what what the Argentine national team, the group, his teammates represent to him, and that is honestly wonderful,” Scaloni concluded.