In the opening match of Group H of the 2026 World Cup, the Cabo Verde team created a remarkable milestone when they drew 0-0 with Spain, and also set a record for the fewest fouls in a match at the World Cup since the statistics were recorded.
According to statistics, Cabo Verde only committed one foul throughout 90 minutes of play. The only situation occurred in the 15th minute when Lopes Cabral collided with Marcos Llorente and received a yellow card.
This is the lowest number of fouls in a World Cup match since 1966 - the time official statistical data began to be stored. The previous record belonged to West Germany in the match against Chile at the 1974 World Cup and Costa Rica in the match against Germany at the 2022 World Cup, when both teams committed 3 fouls.
Not only that, receiving 1 yellow card from a single foul also makes Cabo Verde the team with the highest penalty card-to-foul ratio in World Cup history, reaching 100%.
Spain controlled the ball up to 62%, launched 23 shots, including 8 shots on target. However, coach Luis de la Fuente's team could not penetrate the tightly organized defense of the African representative.
Goalkeeper Vozinha and a deep defensive system helped Cabo Verde stand firm against continuous pressure from the reigning EURO 2024 champions. The African team often arranges many players in their own half, controlling space effectively and minimizing spaces for the opponent to exploit.
In the opposite direction, Spain committed up to 10 fouls and received 1 yellow card. After the match, coach Luis de la Fuente admitted that the opponent had organized a very good playing style and caused many difficulties for his team.
The draw result is considered one of the notable surprises of the group stage when Spain is considered the top candidate for the championship, while Cabo Verde has only participated in the World Cup for the first time.
