Cape Verde continues writing World Cup fairy tale: 2-2 against Uruguay and

Cape Verde continues writing World Cup fairytale: 2-2 against Uruguay and

Cape Verde remains one of the stories of the 2026 World Cup. The Blue Sharks took a point against Uruguay (2-2) in Miami, taking another big step towards the knockout phase. The archipelago previously made world news with a surprising draw against Spain, on paper 65 places higher in the world rankings. On their World Cup debut, the Cape Verdeans are still undefeated after two matches and that alone is historic.

Against Uruguay, Cape Verde took a bold and offensive approach from the kick-off. The South Americans, two-time world champions and tournament goers par excellence, had a hard time with the flair and daring of the team from the African mini-country (more than 500,000 inhabitants, spread over ten islands). While goalkeeper Vozinha had to do heroic work against Spain, the defense now kept much away: Uruguay only managed two attempts on goal.

The moment of the evening came from Kevin Pina. The midfielder blasted a free kick from about thirty meters through the Uruguayan wall and beat Fernando Muslera: 1-0. The party started in the capital Praia; once again the team wrote history on the biggest stage. The fact that Cape Verde refused to accept the role of underdog became clear again after the break. A mistake at the back for Uruguay was mercilessly punished by Helio Varela: the 2-2 score followed with a subtle ball past the outbound Muslera. In the meantime, Vozinha hardly had to intervene, but the phenomenon surrounding the goalkeeper continues to grow: his number of followers on social media jumped from approximately 40,000 to more than 15 million in a few days. This time his mother was also in the stands, who had to miss the earlier match in the United States due to visa costs.


Statistically, Cape Verde underlined the progression: twelve goal attempts, four of which between the posts - two more than Uruguay - and ten shots after the break. Analysts were full of praise. Former international Ashley Williams called it the most entertaining match of this World Cup so far, while Benni McCarthy spoke of regained respect for Cape Verde. Sue Smith once again praised the maturity in the game, and James McFadden especially saw a team that visibly enjoys and dares to play football.

In the Group H standings, Cape Verde is third, level with Uruguay on two points. The new format of this extensive World Cup offers perspective: the best eight numbers three advance to the last 32, in addition to the first two teams of each group. The last group match awaits Saudi Arabia on Saturday, which previously played 1-1 against Uruguay and lost 4-0 against Spain. Three points against the Asians are enough to ensure qualification for the knockout.

The facts put the achievement into perspective. Only two teams ranked lower than Cape Verde (currently 63rd) have ever reached the knockout stages before: Nigeria (74th in 1998) and Russia (70th in 2018). In addition, Cape Verde is the first debutant since Senegal in 2002 to remain undefeated in its first two World Cup matches. Faith is growing, both in the camp and in the stands. With courage, discipline and an infectious dose of fun, a sensational place in the last 32 is within reach.

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