Coach Bubista Led Cape Verde Vows To Shock Argentina At FIFA World Cup
Cape Verde head coach Bubista believes his side can spring another surprise when they face Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 in Miami on Friday.
The Blue Sharks have been one of the tournament’s biggest stories on their first appearance at the World Cup. They held Spain to a draw during the group stage before eliminating Uruguay to book a place in the knockout rounds.
Argentina, the defending champions, swept through their group and head into the last 32 among the favourites to retain the title, with Lionel Messi once again leading the charge.
Despite the challenge ahead, Bubista said his players are ready to chase another historic result.
“We’re ecstatic. Reaching the knockout phase means making history yet again,” Bubista told FIFA.com.
“Now we get to play against Argentina. In football, anything can happen. We’ll show them the same respect we’ve shown every opponent, but we’ll compete.
“We’re living a dream, but once we step onto the pitch we can’t see faces. We’ll approach this game exactly as we did against Spain or any other team.”
Bubista also welcomed the chance to come up against Messi, describing it as a special occasion for his squad.
“For us, it’s a huge privilege to face the player many consider the greatest of all time,” added Bubista.
“Will it be the No. 10 against our ten islands? Of course. But we’ll continue to play with character, discipline and our own identity.”
TGM reports that the World Cup clash between Cape Verde and Argentina will kick off at 11 p.m. Nigeria time later tonight, July 3.
