Argentina may have finished the group stage with another convincing victory, but Lionel Scaloni has no intention of allowing complacency to creep into his squad.

The defending world champions secured a 3-1 win over Jordan in their final Group Stage fixture at the weekend, sealing their place in the Round of 32 with confidence. Yet while attention quickly turned to the next opponent, Scaloni’s message was immediate and unmistakable.

Cape Verde are not to be taken lightly.

Speaking after Argentina’s victory over Jordan, the Argentina head coach dismissed any suggestion that Friday’s knockout tie would be straightforward. Instead, he pointed to the African nation’s performances during the group stage as evidence that they are capable of causing serious problems for even the strongest teams.

“They’re a very good team, and they make it very difficult for all opponents,” Scaloni said during his post-match press conference.

Argentina enter the contest as overwhelming favourites, carrying the weight of expectation that comes with being reigning world champions. However, Scaloni believes reputations will count for very little once the knockout rounds begin.

“But they’re a very tough team to beat,” he continued. “It would not be true for me to say they’re not strong, because they really are.”

His warning was backed by evidence rather than caution for caution’s sake.

Cape Verde impressed throughout the group stage, producing performances that tested some of the tournament’s biggest names. Scaloni highlighted the challenges they posed against Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, insisting those displays prove exactly why Argentina must remain fully focused.

“They’ve already given Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia a hard time, and these are facts,” Scaloni said.

“You’ve got to be even more careful in this World Cup.”

Those comments underline the unpredictability that has increasingly defined recent World Cups, where traditional powerhouses have repeatedly found themselves pushed to the limit by emerging nations.

Argentina know that reality better than most.

Every knockout match brings a different level of pressure, where one lapse in concentration can end years of preparation. Scaloni appears determined to ensure his players approach Cape Verde with the same intensity they would reserve for one of football’s established giants.

Momentum is certainly on Argentina’s side after their victory over Jordan.

The world champions once again demonstrated their attacking quality, with Lionel Messi coming off the bench to score a trademark free kick in the 3-1 victory. The result ensured Argentina advanced comfortably into the knockout rounds and maintained belief that they can successfully defend the title they won four years ago.

Now, however, the challenge changes.

The margin for error disappears in the knockout stages, and Scaloni wants his players to understand that Cape Verde have already shown enough during the tournament to deserve respect.

Friday’s Round of 32 encounter may appear uneven on paper, but Argentina’s manager believes the performances Cape Verde produced against Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia tell a different story.

For Scaloni, those matches have already delivered the most important lesson of this World Cup.

No opponent can be underestimated.