Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has hailed his team’s supporters as their "12th player" as thousands of fans swarmed Miami ahead of Friday’s World Cup Round of 32 clash against Cape Verde. With an estimated 60,000 Argentine fans expected at Miami Stadium and the atmosphere in captain Lionel Messi's current home city is already electric.
Despite the overwhelming support and Argentina's near-flawless group-stage run, Scaloni refuses to underestimate Cape Verde. The African nation has made history as the smallest country ever to reach the World Cup knockout rounds advancing after securing resilient draws against Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.
"This is a match where if you lose, you’re out. We know that," Scaloni told reporters during his pre-match press conference. "They are a good team, and they are not here by chance. We must respect them and that’s what we will do."
He praised Cape Verde's defensive discipline and counter-attacking threat that noting they were particularly unlucky not to secure a win against Saudi Arabia.
While fans gathered at Miami beaches for traditional banderazo pep rallies confidently predicted an easy 3-0 victory, Scaloni remains focused purely on the tactical challenge. He also addressed concerns about the team's reliance on 39-year-old Messi, who has already netted six goals in the tournament to tie for the Golden Boot lead. Scaloni emphasized that while Messi's impact is highly visible that the entire squad is systematically creating chances.
Messi, who was rested during the final group game expected to return to the starting lineup. However, factoring in Miami's sweltering heat and the possibility of extra time Lionel Scaloni noted that his captain's exact playing minutes will depend entirely on how the match unfolds and how the player feels on the pitch.
