Draws against former World Cup champions Spain and Uruguay helped Bubista's team advance to the round of 16. Unfortunately for them, Cape Verde were drawn against the reigning champions Argentina.

But instead of lamenting the "unfortunate" statistics, assistant coach Humberto Bettencourt said it was "a joy." "Statistics are just theory. Football – as many historical results have shown – shows that what really matters is what happens inside the four sidelines," he told reporters at the team's training camp in Tampa. Bettencourt added, "We focus more on ambition, on expectations."

The Cape Verde team, making their first World Cup appearance, pulled off a major surprise by drawing 0-0 with Spain. Photo: AP

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Bettencourt said Cape Verde would not significantly change their playing style to contain the world champion and had no plans to specifically mark Messi to neutralize the threat from the Argentine superstar. “We see Messi as a player who makes a difference. But we always look at the collective aspect – the combinations that can be created, the spaces that they can try to open up for Messi,” Bettencourt added.

As the least populated nation to ever reach the knockout stage of a World Cup, Cape Verde's achievement not only enhanced the team's reputation but also put the entire island nation on the world map. Throughout history, the people of Cape Verde have migrated multiple times. Therefore, their World Cup team consists of players born in many countries, including: the Netherlands, Portugal, France, the United States, Ireland, and... Argentina.

Bettencourt confirmed that talented midfielder Telmo Arcanjo is only 50% likely to play against Argentina due to a leg injury. Meanwhile, the experienced left-back Sidny Lopes Cabral will return to action after serving a one-match suspension for receiving a yellow card.

On the other side of the pitch, Argentina's coach, Lionel Scaloni, is likely to bring Messi back into the starting lineup after he was benched in the final group stage match against Jordan. Messi came off the bench and scored his sixth goal of the tournament in the 3-1 victory, helping Argentina maintain their perfect record. Along with that, Coach Scaloni will have to consider fielding more top-class players to avoid one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history.

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    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/the-thao/worldcup-2026/cape-verde-giang-bay-1047250