Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Much of the credit for Cape Verde’s performance must go to coach Buvista, himself a former international who has been in charge since January 2020.
A stable coaching set-up allowed the 56-year-old former centre-back to build a compact and well-drilled team with an organized defence, technical midfielders and talented forwards who upset Ghana and drew with Egypt on their way to the quarter-finals at Afcon 2023, only 1 year ago on their tournament debut.
They may have Vojinha to thank for the veteran goalkeeper’s seven saves in the goalless draw with Spain, but the Blue Sharks conceded just one foul against the 2010 champions – the fewest recorded by a team in a World Cup match since 1966.
“We always train and play as a unit, so what we did in the game was not our first time,” defender Sidney Lopes Cabral told the BBC World Service.
“For us, this is our game. This is how we play, this is who we are.
“That’s our personality as a team and as defenders.”
Cape Verde took a more aggressive and expansive approach in their second Group H outing against Uruguay, but also showed their determination by grabbing an equalizer in the second half.
“More important than the result is being able to show our identity as a team, our strength, our unity and our resilience,” Bubista said.
Buvista was recognized for his achievements in World Cup qualification by being named the continent’s coach of the year for 2025 by the Confederation of African Football.
He has always believed that he has the potential to mix it with the world’s elite.
“We did really well considering how small our country is,” he told BBC Sport Africa ahead of the 2021 Afcon, when the Blue Sharks reached the last 16.
“I think in the future we will be in the World Cup.”
That bold prediction has come true, and now Buvista hopes Cape Verde’s achievements in the extended tournament can inspire the rest of the world’s underdogs.
“I believe that football is for everyone, or for everyone,” he said.
