Cape Verde Makes History
Cape Verde fans in Lisbon stayed up into the early hours on Friday as the Blue Sharks made World Cup history, reaching the last 32 after a goalless draw with Saudi Arabia.
Footage shows supporters in national team shirts waving Cape Verde flags as they watched from Portugal, home to a large Cape Verdean community.
Fans Celebrate Historic Achievement
“I want to praise the team […] We played with pride, and everyone saw that. The substitutions were good, the game was well played,” one of the fans, Luis Pina, said.
For supporters, the fight and unity on the pitch mattered as much as the result.
“They were really playing as a team. Everything was going well. I really liked their partnership. And that’s it. I hope it continues like this,” fan Ludmila Vaz said.
“They only gave us a one percent chance […] We’ve already drawn three times,” fellow fan Vanessa Leal commented. “What matters is that we’ve already moved on. And now we just keep going, because from here on, as we say, it’s nothing but blessings.”
Cape Verde, one of the smallest countries ever to reach the World Cup, has turned its debut campaign into a story of belief for fans at home and across the diaspora.
Eyes Turn To Argentina
Cape Verde’s first Olympic medallist, boxer David de Pina, also joined the Lisbon watch party, backing his fellow countrymen as they pushed deeper into the tournament.
“I’m very optimistic […] I believe everything is possible. I know we’re going to face a very strong team,” he said, referring to Cape Verde’s upcoming match against Argentina.
“For Cabo Verde, this is the first time, and until now, nobody even thought we would get past the group stage. We already did,” he added.
The squad will now face Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, in Miami on Friday, July 3.
The result in Houston left Cape Verde unbeaten, with three points from three draws. Spain’s 1-0 win over Uruguay confirmed the Blue Sharks as Group H runners-up, sending them into the knockout stage of their first World Cup.
Article by Viory
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