‘Had chances fall to other players’ - Argentina manager dismisses concern over Messi's goalscoring burden

With a perfect record from the group stage, Argentina will face tournament debutants Cape Verde this Friday in a compelling round-of-32 fixture. 

Scaloni's squad sailed through Group J with three straight wins, capping off their campaign with a 3-1 victory over Jordan. 

Messi scored six of the eight goals scored by the Argentina players in their first three games in the group stage.

During a press conference in Fort Lauderdale, Scaloni addressed questions about his team's perceived over-reliance on Messi. 

The coach firmly backed his system, stating that while he would welcome goals from other players, the primary objective is winning matches, especially now that the margin for error has disappeared.

"We are doing well, and naturally as excited as everyone else," Scaloni said. "There is an opponent to respect; they have done things very well, and the margin for error is shrinking. 

“Whoever loses goes home. We are keeping that in mind, but it catches us at a good time. This is football, and matches are very evenly matched," he continued. 

"Setting aside France or Mexico, who won very comfortably, other games have been very tightly contested. It will not be easy. That is the reality."

When asked specifically about Messi's role, Scaloni added: "We have had chances fall to other players, but Leo, who is one of our forwards, scored the goals. 

“It is not a cause for concern. I would like the goals to be shared around, but as long as the team plays well and wins, everything is fine."

Argentina heads into the knockout phase fully aware that their resolve will be pushed to its limits. Historically, seven of their last 13 World Cup knockout games have gone to extra time, making physical conditioning in the demanding Florida heat a critical factor. 

The world champions will need patience and precision to break down their opponent's low block and avoid the unpredictability of a penalty shootout.