Jul 26, 2026
Cape Verde national football team: full squad and key players
Cape Verde reached the knockout rounds of the 2026 World Cup with 26 players drawn almost entirely from clubs outside the islands. Here is the full sq...
Cape Verde
17 articles tagged with "Cape Verde"
Jul 4, 2026
Messi reaches 20 World Cup goals as Argentina edge a defiant Cape Verde in extra time
Cape Verde twice fought back in Miami before a Diney Borges own goal in the 111th minute sent the holders through 3-2. Lionel Messi’s opener made him...
Jul 1, 2026
Messi’s Argentina stand between Cape Verde and one more World Cup shock
Cape Verde, the smallest nation ever to reach the World Cup knockouts, take on the reigning champions in Miami with the fairytale on the line.
Jun 28, 2026
The World Cup knockouts begin with a record African presence in the last 32
The 48-team World Cup’s first Round of 32 opens with South Africa against Canada, and a record nine of ten African teams have reached the knockouts as...
Jun 28, 2026
Messi’s late free-kick caps Argentina’s perfect group as they see off Jordan
Lionel Messi came off the bench to curl in a trademark free-kick, extending his all-time World Cup scoring record as Argentina beat debutants Jordan 3...
Jun 27, 2026
The 48-team World Cup gave us Cape Verde, but it also gave the big sides a safety net
Cape Verde’s debut run and Uruguay’s exit are everything FIFA hoped the bigger World Cup would produce. The trouble is that letting 32 of 48 teams thr...
Jun 27, 2026
Cape Verde reach the last 32 on their World Cup debut
The Blue Sharks are through to the knockout rounds in their first World Cup, and now Lionel Messi’s Argentina stand between them and the last 16.
Jun 27, 2026
Baena’s strike wins Group H for Spain and sends Uruguay out
Alex Baena’s first-half goal settled top spot in Group H for Spain and dumped two-time champions Uruguay out of the World Cup, while debutants Cape Ve...
Jun 22, 2026
The 48-team World Cup’s best story is its smallest nations
The 48-team World Cup was billed as a recipe for mismatches. Two weeks in, Cape Verde, Curacao and Egypt have made the expanded tournament a stage for...
Jun 22, 2026
Cape Verde dig out a second famous draw, holding Uruguay 2-2
Kevin Pina’s stunning free kick and Helio Varela’s second-half leveller earned World Cup debutants Cape Verde a 2-2 draw with Uruguay, leaving Group H...
Jun 21, 2026
Morocco lead the way as Africa’s record 10 settle into the World Cup
From Morocco’s unbeaten start to Cape Verde’s history-making point against Spain, here is how Africa’s record 10 teams are faring at the first 48-team...
Jun 17, 2026
Brazil, Belgium and Spain all held: Africa’s bold start to the World Cup
Morocco, Egypt and Cape Verde all took points off the favourites and Ivory Coast went one better, even if not every African side enjoyed the same week...
Jun 16, 2026
Vozinha and Al-Owais turned Group H into goalkeeping theatre at the World Cup
Spain could not beat a 40-year-old debutant and Uruguay needed 80 minutes to break Saudi Arabia. The opening week of World Cup 2026 has belonged to th...
Jun 15, 2026
Vozinha defies Spain as Cape Verde mark their World Cup debut with a famous point
Cape Verde marked their World Cup debut by holding European champions Spain to a goalless draw in Atlanta, with 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha produci...
Jun 15, 2026
Favourites Spain begin their World Cup against debutants Cape Verde
Reigning European champions Spain begin their World Cup against debutants Cape Verde in Atlanta on June 15 (9:30pm IST), with Lamine Yamal and Nico Wi...
Jun 12, 2026
Cape Verde’s first World Cup: how an island of 525,000 reached the biggest stage
Fewer than 525,000 people live across Cape Verde’s 10 islands. On 15 June, the Blue Sharks walk out against Spain in Atlanta for the first World Cup m...
Jun 11, 2026
Forty-eight teams, three hosts and four debutants: the 2026 World Cup has arrived
The 2026 World Cup is the biggest ever, with 48 teams, three host nations and 104 matches. It has also opened the door to four first-time countries, f...