Cape Verde advance to World Cup Round of 32 to face Argentina

Cape Verde's historic 2026 FIFA World Cup run concluded in a thrilling defeat to Argentina, with emotional homecoming celebrations igniting national pride in Praia.

Nobody told Cape Verde they should have been happy to be here, and it was almost bad news for Argentina. The squads that couldn’t be further apart in world rankings (Argentina is No. 1 and Cape Verde is No. 67) clashed in what resulted in one of the best thrillers in the 2026 FIFA World […]

Mumbai: The World Cup will be eventually won by one of the traditional heavyweights of the world game but the team that has captured the imagination of the footballing world is a tiny African nation with a population of just around 530,000: Cape Verde.Ask Lionel Messi and Co for a low-down on Cape Verde’s gigantic effort that almost knocked the defending champions out of the competition few nights ago.Goals from Deroy Duarte and Sidny Lopes Cabral kept Argentina on the tenterhooks until the 111th minute own goal from Diney sealed the South American nation’s berth in the Round of 16.For a nation of barely half a million people scattered across 10 volcanic islands in the Atlantic Ocean, simply qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup was considered a miracle. By the time Cape Verde left the tournament, they had achieved something far greater. They had captured the imagination of football fans across the world. Making their FIFA World Cup debut, the Blue Sharks arrived with little fanfare. Ranked outside the traditional football elite and drawn alongside Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, few expected them to survive the group stage.Instead, they produced one of the tournament's greatest underdog stories. Cape Verde held European giants Spain to a draw, frustrated Uruguay with another resilient performance, and secured the point they needed against Saudi Arabia to qualify unbeaten for the Round of 32. Their disciplined defending, tactical organisation and unwavering belief transformed them from tournament outsiders into one of its biggest attractions.'F*** This Car': Max Verstappen Swears On Radio As Red Bull Ace Spins Out To Crash At British Grand Prix | VIDEOThe team's success reflected years of careful planning. Head coach Bubista built a squad that blended home-grown talent with players of Cape Verdean heritage from clubs across Europe. While many opponents possessed bigger stars and greater resources, Cape Verde compensated with teamwork, defensive discipline and relentless work ethic.Even in defeat, Cape Verde emerged with enormous credit. Veteran goalkeeper Vozinha produced a string of remarkable saves, while the defence repeatedly frustrated one of football's most gifted attacks. Their courage drew praise from Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni and Messi himself, who acknowledged the challenge posed by the World Cup newcomers.

MIAMI GARDENS, Florida — Cape Verde’s World Cup team walked into its Miami hotel after getting eliminated from the tournament, almost in disbelief at the scene in the lobby. Dozens of people were there, cheering for them. After a loss, no less. READ: World Cup: Messi, Argentina beat Cape Verde 3-2 in extra time thriller Let that be the first sign of how things are going to be very different in many respects for the team, at least for the foreseeable future. Such is the case when a club goes from unheralded — and practically unheard of — to taking […]...Keep on reading: For Cape Verde, a World Cup run means many things will change

A 111th-minute Diney Borges own goal saved holders Argentina from one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history as they scraped past heroic debutants Cape Verde in the last 32. The team lying 64th in the Fifa rankings twice came back to equalise against opponents who are second in the world. With the score […] The post Argentina break Cape Verde hearts with extra-time win appeared first on nationnews.com.

Cape Verde pushed defending World Cup champions Argentina all the way before an agonising defeat on Friday in Miami. The post Argentina thriller puts Cape Verde ‘on the map’, says Lopes appeared first on SoccerNews.