World Cup 2026: Cape Verde bid farewell after losing to Argentina

Cape Verde may be the smallest country in the World Cup, but they have made a huge impact.

Forget Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane – they’re the center of attention at the start of the tournament.

Goalkeeper Vozinha was heroic as he scored his first World Cup point against Spain. There were jubilations when they scored their first World Cup goal against Uruguay. Sidney Lopes Cabral’s stunning goal came close to causing the biggest shock of the tournament against Argentina. Cape Verde’s World Cup trip had it all.

When the whistle blew for overtime against Miami, the Blue Sharks players took the field after an hour. Argentina lost 3-2 in the championship But they can leave the United States knowing they won more hearts.

“Cape Verde lost but they won,” former Scotland international James McFadden told BBC Radio 5 Live.

They showed courage, unity, unity and an unshakable belief in who they are and what they can do.

“The story of this tournament is Cape Verde. That’s what you want to see on the football side.”

They are ranked 67th in the world at the tournament but were held to a draw in Group Three – European champions Spain drew 0-0 in their opening game – in a desperate bid to cause the biggest upset ever at the World Cup.

Despite going behind with Messi’s goal against Argentina, they came back with a 1-1 draw and took the game to extra time. Then they went behind again – before Cabral’s stunning strike equalized again. In Argentina’s win, Cristian Romero’s header was brutally cleared by Danny Borges.

But former England right-back Gary Neville told ITV he was “one of the greats”.

They are crying because they are going home, he added. “They don’t want to go home. They want to be here for the rest of their lives.”

“They want to be here forever. It’s a moment that will probably never come back for some players. It’s magical but it’s frustrating.”