On 19th July, a new FIFA World Cup champion in New Jersey will be crowned, but no matter who Donald Trump hands the trophy to after the summit clash at MetLife Stadium, the real winners of this tournament are Cape Verde.
The African nation exited the competition in the Round of 32 yesterday after a heartbreaking defeat to defending champions Argentina, but they leave the United States of America’s (USA) shores with their heads held high and by winning the hearts of the world.
Playing the World Cup for the first time, the Africans held European champions Spain to a 0-0 draw before playing out a 2-2 stalemate against two-time champions Uruguay and then playing another goalless encounter against Saudi Arabia before the heroic display against Argentina.
The performance against Messi’s men was praised from all quarters of the football fraternity, not just for the scoreline but for the performance they put up. The three-time champions did not look comfortable at any point in the game and will only consider themselves lucky that they scraped through and found the place.
What stood out about Cape Verde’s remarkable display was not that they just managed to take the game to extra time or score two goals, including one of the greatest finishes in World Cup history by Sidny Lopez Carabal, but their approach and intent throughout their game. Despite the massive gap in skill, quality, and experience, the Africans did not sit back at any point in the game and continued to attack while maintaining a rigid defensive shape.
Cape Verde’s Fairytale Story
Cape Verde being part of the FIFA World Cup was a magical story in itself. The African team created history by securing a spot in the mega event for the first time in history. With a population of just about 500,000 people, they are the third-least populated country to qualify for the world’s most popular sporting event. Meanwhile, with the island nation based around just 4,033 square kilometers (1,557 sq mi), they are the second smallest nation to play in football’s biggest competition in its 96-year history.
The fact that a country as small as it made it to the FIFA World Cup was a celebration in itself and a signal of what the sport stands for.
What made it even more significant was that they qualified from a strong federation with a lot of competition to deal with. Africa was awarded 10 slots in the new 48-team format, and nine teams ended up progressing to the Round of 32.
Some great African teams like Nigeria and Cameroon failed to qualify. Cape Verde was in the same qualification group as the latter and finished above them.
However, not much was expected from them in the tournament, and one would have excused them if their performance levels were not up to the mark. A first World Cup appearance was a tough assignment, but the Africans stunned the world.
They exited the tournament without losing a single game in regulation time despite facing some of the best teams and players in the world.
Not An Overnight Miracle
The remarkable thing about the Cape Verde story is it is not an overnight miracle but a sustained process that has repeated rewards. Be it smart scouting to find players of their diaspora to play for them, securing a competent coach, or most importantly, wisely using funds provided by FIFA, the Africans have reached the big league the hard way and without taking any shortcuts.
From their first AFCON qualification in 2013 to qualifying for the tournament four of the next six times, the Blue Sharks have set an example for every country trying to change their football fortunes.
The Smallest Nation Teaches The World To Dream Big
Their qualification to the Round of 32 made them the smallest nation (by both land and population) to ever play the knockout stages in FIFA World Cup history. The remarkable feat was that they did it by finishing second in the group and not needing to be among the eight best third-placed teams.
A close look at the squad will show that none of their players plays for any top clubs. In fact, Villarreal’s Logon Costa’s is the only member of their 26-man squad whose club will play in the top division in one of the five major European leagues.
However, this did not stop Cape Verde from stopping Spain, Uruguay, and Argentina from getting a win over them (in regular 90 minutes). While on each occasion, the world believed they had no chance, they turned up and proved people wrong again and again. While many would have one reason it is a fluke, no one can say that for three different games.
The most praise came from Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni, who called this game the one that impacted him the most among the 100 that have played. The comment from a coach who has won a World Cup and two Copa America titles speaks volumes about the squad’s strength.
Be it Vozinha and his heroics in goal or players like Sidny Lopez, Cape Verde gave the world new footballing heroes. While maybe the record books will forget them, the football fans will not. Their head coach, Bubista, gracefully presented a memento to every opposition coach, but his team gave all of them tremors, which summed up the inspirational attitude of his team, who maintained a humble decorum but did not give their opponents an inch. From lack of experience, quality, finances, and infrastructure, every excuse in the world was available for Cape Verde, but they showed the power of believing even if the world does not.
This is what makes Cape Verde’s story one of football’s underdog tale. While there have been tales of countries like North Korea and Senegal reaching the quarter-finals in their debut World Cup appearances with famous wins over Italy and France, nowhere have the odds been so much against a team. The Bubista-coached team was not just playing their World Cup for the first time and coming from a country with limited infrastructure and resources.
They also had a string of strong opponents, including three former winners, which included the current European and world champions, to play against. The Africans turned up against the strongest sides in the world back-to-back and maintained a strong performance level and made life easy for no one.
When Cape Verde came into the World Cup, the story was of how one of the smallest nations across the globe had qualified for the World Cup. They leave the tournament by teaching the world to dream big no matter what your size or who your opponent is.
Not every winner needs to be given a trophy; the tale of Cape Verde in 2026 will be part of footballing folklore and told for centuries to come. Alo