Lionel Scaloni could not hide his relief after Argentina’s heart-stopping 3-2 victory over Cape Verde in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup. The coach, who reached his 100th match in charge of the ‘Albiceleste’, acknowledged that the team suffered more than expected, but valued the group’s composure in turning around a match that had become complicated.
«Very tough match, you always have to take the positives. This team never gives up. I want to congratulate the opponent, they showed us they are a great team. I take away the contribution of everyone, they gave everything,» the coach said in a press conference, visibly emotional. Scaloni did not dodge the issue and admitted that «no match in the World Cup is easy,» and that a defeat on such a special occasion would have been «crazy.»
The match analysis left several internal criticisms. The coach pointed out that the team dropped back poorly after the first goal and could not press as they should. «It’s not for nothing that this team didn’t lose to Spain or Uruguay,» he said, but acknowledged that «we opened the scoring, but it didn’t give us relief.» The opponent, according to Scaloni, «struck with their weapons and gave nothing away,» and he criticized those who disparaged Cape Verde for their lack of football history.
The captain, who scored his 20th World Cup goal, also joined the criticism. He noted that the main mistake was that «the lines were too far apart,» leaving defenders exposed and uncoordinated against an opponent that physically outmatched them. «We couldn’t match them and they made us run too much,» he lamented. Despite everything, he highlighted that the team «always competes» and knew how to take advantage of set pieces, a facet worked on with the «good headers of the ball» they have.
With this victory, Argentina advances to the Round of 16, where they will face Egypt next Tuesday. It will be the first World Cup meeting between the two, although there are friendly precedents: in 1928, Argentina won 6-0 in the Olympic semifinals, and in 2008, a 2-0 in Cairo with goals from Agüero and Burdisso. But Scaloni is not overconfident: «Now we have to rest, take positive things from the match. We did good things, but also many bad ones.»
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Para mí esto huele a que los medios quieren hacer mierda a Scaloni. El tipo transpira la camiseta, no como esos mercenarios de Cabo Verde que vinieron a chorear el partido. Yo creo que acá hay intereses de los vendepatria de siempre. ¡Viva la Selección carajo!
scaloni dejate de joder esto es un papelon ganarle a cabo verde sufriendo asi es una verguenza para mi no tenes huevos vendehumo la proxima contra un equipo de verdad te vamos a ver llorar vamos argentina carajo