World Cup: How Cape Verde wrote an underdog fairytale in the US

The ongoing FIFA World Cup has not been really short on the underdog story – but it’s difficult to beat that of Cape Verde so far. Their goalless draw with Saudi Arabia on Friday was enough to make them the second team to qualify for last 32 from Group H (with Spain beating Uruguay 1-0), making the Caribbean nation the smallest country by population to reach the knockout stages - and the first debutants since 2010 to make it.

They run into Lionel Messi’s Argentina in Round of 32 next, but Cape Verde coach Bubista is not losing any sleep as he feels the team has shown ‘’nothing is impossible.’’ Starting as rank outsiders in a group which also comprised of title favourites Spain, Uruguay and Saudi, they found an unlikely hero in their 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha who set the tone by keeping Lamine Yamal & Co at bay in the first game.

A 2-2 draw with former champions Uruguay followed and in Houston, they became the flavour of the day as the football fraternity showered them with praise. ‘’It’s incredible what they are doing, it wasn’t just one game against Spain, it’s three games at the highest level,’’ remarked Spain’s former World Cup winner Juan Mata.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, their long serving coach Bubista – draped in his country’s flag – said: “I’ve always said that sooner or later, Cape Verde would be on such a stage. Of course it’s hard to give that kind of forecast but we overcame several steps. We showed the world that you should not fear difficulties. Now we are in the knockout stage and it’s amazing for our people, for anyone who identifies with our team and especially for the players. They gave everything and showed personality and discipline. When those come together you get this kind of outcome.”

How about the prospect of taking on champions Argentina in Miami next Friday? While Bubista made no bold predictions, he said they would not back away from a good fight: “First of all we are proud to be able to play Argentina. This is a country with which we have longstanding ties. But above all our will is to do things with our identity regardless of who the opponent is. We will play our game with attitude and responsibility, knowing that Argentina have some of the best players in the world plus Messi, who some believe is the best of all time.

“It is a reason of joy. From the very beginning, we said we had the opportunity to show our country to the rest of the world. It’s excellent for our country,” he said.

How did the ‘Blue Sharks’ chart their roadmap to success? The possibilities opened up with Cape Verde’s football federation’s (FCF) decision to draw on players from the country’s diaspora while Bubista’s presence had been a stabilising influence on the team since 2020. As many as 14 members of their 26-man World Cup squad were born abroad with six of them hailing from the Dutch port city.

Forward Dailon Livramento, who spent last season playing for Casa Pia in Portugal's Primeira Liga, scored the only goal in their vital qualifying win over Cameroon last September. ‘’The results we are seeing are largely the product of years of consistent work, strong belief and people who have given their heart to the project,’’ Josina Freitas Fortes, a member of Cape Verde’s parliament, was quoted by BBC.

The recruitment of Dublin-born centre back Roberto Lopes, courtesy a shoutout in LinkedIn in 2019, has become a familiar story by now while former Manchester United winger Bebe was part of their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) squad after representing Portugal at under-21 level. ‘’There is an inner confidence in this team that we are good enough to mix with the best teams in the world,’’ Lopes said.

The self-belief has really shown far!