Not many people thought that a 0-0 draw between the two teams ranked 59th and 64th respectively in the FIFA rankings could create a passionate celebration atmosphere.
But that is exactly what happened after Cabo Verde drew with Saudi Arabia to write a historical story at the 2026 World Cup.
This result helped the African representative win second place in Group H, surpassing Uruguay and Saudi Arabia to become the country with the smallest population ever participating in the World Cup knockout round. The reward for them is a clash with defending champion Argentina and Lionel Messi.
I think no one of us ever dared to dream of this. But we know we have many quality players. Winning a ticket to the next round is a worthy reward. Facing Argentina and Messi is the dream of any player" - goalkeeper Vozinha shared.
After the final whistle, Cabo Verde players immediately surrounded their phones to follow the result of the Spain vs. Uruguay match. When they knew La Roja won 1-0, the whole team burst into tears.
I almost burst into tears. That was an extremely emotional moment. We just knew to wait, pray and hope. I have never experienced such a feeling on the pitch and hope to experience it more in the next round" - midfielder Deroy Duarte said.
With a population of only about 530,000 people, Cabo Verde is one of the smallest teams to participate in the World Cup. Their squad of 26 players last season played for 26 different clubs in 14 countries.
7 players are playing football in Portugal - which is not surprising because Cabo Verde was once a colony of this country until 1975 and Portuguese is still the official language.
In nearly 3,000 minutes of the whole team's competition at the World Cup, only 256 minutes came from players wearing the jerseys of top 100 clubs in the world according to Opta's assessment. Goalkeeper Vozinha is even a free agent after leaving the Portuguese second division, while Deroy Duarte is playing in Bulgaria.
The Cabo Verde squad also gathers players playing football in the UAE, Ireland, Turkey, Netherlands and Israel, reflecting the diversity of the Cabo Verde community around the world.
We love our country. We grew up in difficult circumstances and learned to cherish everything. I think the whole team has shown the resilience of the people of Cabo Verde" - Vozinha said.
Meanwhile, Duarte also affirmed: "We are a small country with a small population, but we have a very big heart".
The team nicknamed "Green Sharks" advanced with 3 draws, but each match had a different meaning.
The draw with Spain was a brave performance against terrible pressure when the opponent launched up to 27 shots. The 2-2 draw against Uruguay showed the fighting spirit after being led backwards, and the goalless draw with Saudi Arabia was a test of bravery in the race to win a ticket to the next round.
Although unable to defeat Saudi Arabia, Cabo Verde still stood firm in the final minutes and completed the historic journey.
We didn't come here just to draw. In the second half, the whole team always aimed for victory. We tried to score but were unsuccessful. The important thing is that we still maintained our spirit and won the right to continue" - Vozinha affirmed.
