Cape Verde’s Team Receives Hero’s Welcome Despite World Cup Exit

PRAIA: Cape Verde’s national football team received a rousing homecoming on Sunday, a day that coincided with the country’s Independence Day, making it doubly historic.
Thousands of fans had already gathered at the airport in the capital, Praia, before the team’s arrival, waving the national blue flag with its red-and-white stripes and six stars. Crowds also lined the streets, standing on open trucks, chanting, singing, and drumming in celebration.
Captain Bobsta took the microphone and declared in Portuguese: “Obrigado, Cabo Verde” (Thank you, people of Cape Verde). Popular goalkeeper Vozinha also addressed the crowd.
Cape Verde, a nation of just 500,000 people, had never even played a World Cup qualifier at the turn of the century, when it was ranked 182nd globally. By February 2024, it had climbed to a record-high 27th. After reaching the round of 32 and losing to Argentina 2-3, the “Blue Sharks” still hold the 64th spot in world rankings.
Former Scotland international James McFadden remarked: “They lost, but they won. They showed courage, unity, and unwavering determination — if you ask me what the tournament was about, I’d say it was Cape Verde.”