CORNERFLICK
Lionel Scaloni will take charge of his 100th Argentina match in the last-16 tie with Cape Verde at the 2026 World Cup.
Speaking before the game, Scaloni said Cape Verde have not lost in the tournament and deserved their win over Saudi Arabia. He added that Argentina have tracked them for some time, so the team will not be caught out by their defensive work or threat on the counter.
Scaloni also highlighted the role of Argentina’s fans, saying the squad feel their backing as energy rather than pressure. He said the players approach matches in the shirt “like supporters” and hopes the crowd can help them through a difficult game.
On his own future, Scaloni said his focus is on the World Cup and that his contract runs until December. Asked about reaching 124 games in charge, he said that is a big number for an international manager and that talks about what comes next can wait until later.