Messi asserts that Argentina would not underestimate Cabo Verde.
"Some people might underestimate some teams, but we know this is never an easy game. That's what makes this World Cup special. Everything is incredibly close, and every match is extremely difficult," Messi shared after being asked for his assessment of newcomer Cabo Verde, who caused immense difficulties for the defending champions Argentina after a thrilling 3-2 victory in extra time on July 4th in the round of 32.
Messi and Cabo Verde goalkeeper Vozinha after the match. Vozinha made 18 saves at the 2026 World Cup, including eight in the match against Argentina.
Photo: Reuters
Messi further emphasized: "We knew this would be a very difficult match. The fact that this team didn't lose to Spain or Uruguay is no coincidence. These are also knockout matches, and nobody gives you anything for free."
"Scoring the first goal was the hardest part, and we thought that would help us control the game and play more calmly, but the opposite happened. We lost possession many times, dropped too deep, and couldn't put the pressure on them as we wanted."
They capitalized on their strengths and found the equalizer. We knew this was always a complicated game,” Messi further explained, assessing why Argentina, after controlling the game and seemingly heading for an easy victory, then gave Cabo Verde the opportunity to almost pull off the biggest shock in World Cup history.
"As always, we gave everything we had, regardless of whether we played well or not, or whether we were able to show our best form. Now the most important thing is to recover, focus on the next game and take the positives from today's match," Messi concluded after his team's nail-biting performance.
He also emphasized: "We have to fix the bad things; a lot of bad things happened today."
Meanwhile, Argentina coach Scaloni shared: "Yes, there were no easy opponents. Congratulations to Cabo Verde. They had a courageous game. On our side, I will discuss the negative aspects with the players, but the biggest positive is that we never give up."
"This was not an easy match, and we knew that beforehand. We were attacked at crucial moments, but we kept trying and looking for the win."
According to coach Scaloni, the Argentine team will have to learn many lessons from the match against Cabo Verde, improve their weaknesses, and prepare as best as possible for the next match, avoiding a repeat of what just happened.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/messi-noi-gi-ve-cabo-verde-185260704090824823.htm
