Cape Verde in it to win it against world champions Argentina

Cape Verde's coach Bubista declared that his team's fearless mentality will remain unchanged as they prepare to face reigning world champions Argentina in their first-ever World Cup knockout match. The African nation, ranked 67th in the FIFA rankings at the tournament's start, has consistently adopted an ambitious outlook throughout the competition, which has been vindicated by shock draws against Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia in the group stage.

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Our main objective is to play a good match and try to get through to the next round.

"Our main objective is to play a good match and try to get through to the next round," Bubista told reporters. He stressed that Cape Verde's presence in the tournament is "on merit," highlighting their performance during qualification and their ability to compete effectively against top teams in the group stage. The coach aims to continue this approach with "humility, organisation, and courage" in the high-stakes knockout encounter.

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We are in this competition on merit. We showed that during qualification, and we have shown in our three matches here that we can compete at this level.

Bubista acknowledged the quality of Argentina, their coach Lionel Scaloni, and superstar Lionel Messi, but insisted that Cape Verde also deserves respect. He pointed to the team's qualification and their second-place finish in the group as proof of their capabilities. "We have trusted in our own way of working and in what we have done. If others did not respect us, that was their issue. We trust our work," he stated, underscoring the team's self-belief.

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We want to continue doing that in the best possible way, with humility, organisation, and courage. This is a knockout match, so there is only one thought in our minds: to try to advance.

When asked about specific strategies to counter Messi, Bubista indicated that Cape Verde would not deviate from their usual approach. He explained that while opponents and their challenges differ, the team's focus is on adapting without losing their identity. "We will try to do the same tomorrow against Argentina: respect them, but also maintain a strong ambition to get through the round," Bubista concluded, signaling their intent to play their game and pursue their dream of advancing in the tournament.

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Since we arrived, we have trusted in our own way of working and in what we have done. If others did not respect us, that was their issue. We trust our work.