At Houston Stadium (USA), "tiny" Cape Verde drew 0-0 with Saudi Arabia in the final match of Group H on June 27.
Three draws only brought them 3 points, not enough for the "Blue Sharks" players to celebrate immediately after the final whistle, because they still had to wait for the result of the Spain - Uruguay match taking place at the same time.
When news of Spain's 1-0 victory over Uruguay arrived, Cape Verde officially finished second in Group H and secured their place in the Round of 16.
At this moment, the players of the island nation off the coast of West Africa erupted in joy on the Houston pitch, as they had just made their country of over 500,000 people the smallest nation ever to participate in the World Cup knockout round.
It was the result of a journey without victories, but one filled with courage and emotion. In their opening match, Cape Verde held Spain to a 0-0 draw, humiliating star players likeRodri , Pedri, and Lamine Yamal.
In the second match, coach Bubista's team continued to surprise by drawing 2-2 with Uruguay. Against a team that had won the World Cup twice, Cape Verde still held firm and secured a favorable result, thus confirming that the draw against Spain was not a stroke of luck.
Therefore, the match against Saudi Arabia became the final test of endurance for the team making its World Cup debut.
Goalkeeper Vozinha, the 40-year-old, was once again the pillar of support for Cape Verde in Houston, where just one goal conceded could shatter their dreams.
With approximately 68,278 people in the stands, Ana Candida Evora watched her son Vozinha's second World Cup match. Due to visa issues, Ana missed her son's seven-save performance against Spain in their opening game.
Many Cape Verde fans went shirtless, painting each letter of goalkeeper Vozinha's name on their chests. Amidst the sea of people in Houston, one female supporter painted the Cape Verde flag on her face and held up a sign that read: "Small islands, big dreams."
After the match, coach Bubista draped the Cape Verde flag over his shoulders and said his team had proven that a small country could still fight for a big goal.
That statement perfectly encapsulates the spirit of a team that went undefeated in the group stage, despite facing Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia in succession.
Cape Verde will face defending champions Argentina in the round of 32, taking place at 5:00 AM on July 4th (Hanoi time) in Miami, USA.
Despite facing superstar Lionel Messi and his teammates, after three courageous draws, this "tiny" team has the right to continue dreaming of something extraordinary at the 2026 World Cup.
Source: https://nld.com.vn/ky-tich-cape-verde-tai-world-cup-2026-196260627125300838.htm
