The whole world admires Cabo Verde.

Cabo Verde's extraordinary performance in their 2-3 extra-time defeat to Argentina in the Round of 32 deserves to be considered the most inspiring story of the 2026 World Cup.

RESILIENT

Eight years ago, the World Cup witnessed a moment of brilliance from Iceland. In their first appearance on the world stage, Iceland held Lionel Messi 's Argentina to a 1-1 draw. Goalkeeper Hannes Halldorsson, who saved Messi's penalty, even had a side job as a dentist. World football is beautiful not only because of stars like Messi, but also because of the unsung heroes willing to step out from behind the scenes to bask in the World Cup spotlight.

After almost a decade, another island nation with a population of half a million is writing a fairy tale, with even more extraordinary events. Cabo Verde, a young footballing nation making its first World Cup appearance, with a squad value of only around 56 million euros and zero experience, pushed Argentina, the reigning world champions, to the brink of elimination. In their Round of 32 match on July 4th, Cabo Verde proved that their draws against Spain and Uruguay were no accident. This relatively unknown team, which once had to recruit players via email, under the guidance of coach Bubista, transformed into a formidable, disciplined force with a blend of improvisation and uncanny adaptability.

Cabo Verde deserves to be celebrated.

PHOTO: REUTERS

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Messi gave Argentina the lead with a delicate shot from a tight angle, Deroy Duarte responded with a powerful equalizer. Lisandro Martinez scored in extra time with a shot into the top corner of the net, and Sidny Lopes once again silenced Argentina with what could be considered one of the most beautiful goals of the World Cup . Cabo Verde didn't play brilliantly, but their 120 minutes of battling against Argentina reflected the true strength of Coach Bubista's team. Lopez's curling shot was a masterpiece of unwavering determination, and although Argentina still advanced thanks to their champion status, Cabo Verde deserved the respect of the whole world. The African team didn't come to the World Cup for tourism or enjoyment, but to fight wholeheartedly and devotedly for their dream. As for Coach Lionel Scaloni's team, the hard-fought victory is a reminder that football is full of surprises. If they aren't well-prepared, Argentina will struggle to defend their title, as many teams are ready to play with the spirit of Cabo Verde to dethrone them.

CHAI TAY, THE LAST ASIAN REPRESENTATIVE

The Egyptian team will be Argentina's opponent in the next round. Mohamed Salah and his teammates are playing increasingly well at the World Cup, having defeated Australia on penalties (4-2) to win their first knockout round match. Egypt took the lead in the 13th minute through Emam Ashour, but conceded an equalizer in the 55th minute when Mohamed Hany scored an own goal. The African representatives endured the pressure in a breathtaking physical battle with Australia, but when it came to the penalty shootout, their composure helped the "Pharaohs" overcome the challenge and successfully convert all four penalties. Egypt is a worthy opponent for Argentina to be wary of in the next round.

While Egypt and Cabo Verde made Africa proud with their courageous spirit, Ghana suffered a crushing defeat against Colombia. Having conceded a goal in the 14th minute from Jhon Arias's shot, Carlos Queiroz's team had almost 80 minutes to find an equalizer. However, Ghana defended passively and too cautiously, in stark contrast to Colombia's relentless pressure until the very last second. The team leading attacked as if they were losing, while the team trailing relaxed as if they had the advantage. Despite both losing, Ghana received less praise than their neighbor Cabo Verde for this very reason.

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The eight Round of 16 matches have been determined : Canada - Morocco (0:00 on July 5), Paraguay - France (04:00 on July 5), Brazil - Norway (03:00 on July 6), Mexico - England (07:00 on July 6), Spain - Portugal (02:00 on July 7), USA - Belgium (07:00 on July 7), Argentina - Egypt (23:00 on July 7), Switzerland - Colombia (03:00 on July 8).

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ca-the-gioi-than-phuc-cabo-verde-185260704182503728.htm