Cape Verde coach confident ahead of historic World Cup match against Argentina

This marks a historic debut for the team in the World Cup. Leitão stated that the team is serene and earned their place, emphasizing that they know the importance of the match and will give their best. He declined to comment on accusations of a violation against Cape Verde captain Ryan Mendes, which reportedly stem from a complaint filed in New Zealand by a Brazilian woman regarding events in March at a hotel in Auckland during friendly matches.

Neither the Cape Verdean Federation nor FIFA have commented on the accusations, though FIFA stated it is in contact with New Zealand authorities. Mendes, 36, is the most capped player for Cape Verde with 99 selections and the team's all-time leading scorer with 22 goals. Cape Verde qualified for the round of 16 by finishing second in Group H, eliminating Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.