Cape Verde take record World Cup run into Argentina knockout tie
The World Cup debutants face the holders in Miami after becoming the smallest nation to reach the tournament’s knockout rounds.
By Lucas Ferreira · Science & Environment Writer
3 min read
Cape Verde will face reigning champion Argentina in the World Cup round of 32 on Friday in Miami, according to Al Jazeera, extending a debut campaign that has already set a tournament record. Al Jazeera reported that the Atlantic island nation, with a population of just over half a million, is the smallest country to reach the World Cup knockout stage in the competition’s 96-year history.
The match is scheduled to begin at 5pm in Miami, or 22:00 GMT, Al Jazeera reported. The fixture pairs the title holders with a team making its first World Cup appearance, a contrast Al Jazeera described as a David-versus-Goliath matchup.
How Cape Verde got here
Cape Verde advanced from Group H with three points, Al Jazeera reported. The team drew all three of its matches, holding Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, and finished second in the group to reach the last 32.
Al Jazeera reported that Cape Verde’s 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia in Houston sealed qualification. The result followed draws against Spain, described by Al Jazeera as one of the tournament favourites, and former champion Uruguay.
The run followed what Al Jazeera called a strong qualifying campaign in Africa. Cape Verde, an archipelago of 10 islands off Africa’s western coast, had entered the tournament with modest expectations because of its size and lack of World Cup history, according to the outlet.
A diaspora-built squad
Al Jazeera reported that Cape Verde’s recent rise has been helped by a player recruitment strategy focused on its diaspora. In the starting lineup for the scoreless draw against Saudi Arabia, six of the 11 players were born outside Cape Verde, according to Al Jazeera.
Three of those starters were born in the Netherlands, while the others were born in the Republic of Ireland, France and Portugal, Al Jazeera reported. The national team is nicknamed “Tubaroes Azuis,” Portuguese for “Blue Sharks,” a reference to the sharks in the Atlantic waters around the islands, according to Al Jazeera.
Vozinha leads the story
Goalkeeper Vozinha has been central to Cape Verde’s tournament, Al Jazeera reported. The 40-year-old, whose full name is Josimar Jose Evora Dias, kept two clean sheets in three group games.
Al Jazeera reported that Vozinha made seven saves in a 0-0 draw with European champion Spain, including efforts that denied Lamine Yamal. His performances also made him a major social media figure, with Al Jazeera reporting that his Instagram following had risen from about 500,000 to 17.4 million as of Wednesday.
That total put him ahead of some prominent athletes, including NFL legend Tom Brady and NBA player Victor Wembanyama, according to Al Jazeera. The outlet also identified centre-back Diney Borges and defensive midfielder Kevin Pina as key players in Cape Verde’s run, and reported that Pina and Helio Varela have each scored once at the tournament.
Previous tournament record
Although 2026 is Cape Verde’s first World Cup, Al Jazeera reported that the country had previously played at four Africa Cup of Nations tournaments. Its best finishes came with quarterfinal appearances in 2013, its first AFCON campaign, and again in 2023.
Cape Verde also came close to reaching the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Al Jazeera reported, but was eliminated in the final match of the group phase. The team is ranked 64th by FIFA, according to Al Jazeera.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.