The Italian Carlo Ancelotti, the coach of the Brazil national team, revealed the difficulties faced by the Argentina national team during their journey in the 2026 World Cup, ahead of the anticipated match between "Tango" and the Egypt national team in the round of 16, next Tuesday.
Ancelotti's statements came during the press conference preceding Brazil's match against Norway in the round of 16, where he spoke about his team's mental state in knockout matches, citing what happened with the Argentine team against Cape Verde in the round of 32.
The Italian coach said in statements carried by ESPN Argentina: "The team was prepared for certain situations against Japan, so when we conceded a goal, the players did not feel anxious but focused on what needed to be done to overcome the situation. The same applies now, we are confident, but the opponent is strong."
He added, speaking about the Argentine team: "Who would have expected Argentina to struggle against Cape Verde? No one. But they did struggle, because this is the nature of modern football."
Ancelotti continued: "You always have to face opponents at their full readiness, and this is not Argentina's fault, but credit to Cape Verde, its players, and its coach, who delivered a great football performance."
The Egypt national team set a date with Argentina in the round of 16 of the World Cup, at 7 PM next Tuesday.
