The island nation of Cape Verde continues to generate excitement at the World Cup. Its third draw sets up a major showdown between the World Cup newcomer and Lionel Messi.
The fairy tale continues: Cape Verde has reached the knockout stage of the World Cup in a sensational and unexpected way. The 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia in Houston was the third draw for the third-smallest World Cup participant, which had previously pulled off surprise draws against Spain (0-0) and Uruguay (2-2).
Because Spain defeated Uruguay 1–0 in a parallel match early Saturday morning, thereby knocking La Celeste out of the tournament, Cape Verde advances to the Round of 16 as the second-place finisher in Group H. Awaiting them there on the night of July 4 (midnight CEST) in Miami is none other than defending champion Argentina, led by superstar Lionel Messi.
“This is a very special moment. I don’t think I’ve ever felt anything like this on the field before. I almost wanted to cry. It was so emotional,” said midfielder Deroy Duarte, visibly moved, after celebrating the upset with his teammates on a seemingly endless lap of honor: “We’re a small country with a small population. But we have a big heart.” He said he used to “always watch Argentina’s games on TV. For me, this is a dream come true.”
For the first time since the 2006 World Cup—when Ukraine and Ghana made it—a first-time participant has reached the knockout stage; Ukraine even made it to the quarterfinals back then. Cape Verde is one of four debutants at this year’s tournament—Haiti, Jordan, and Uzbekistan have already been eliminated.
“The game of our lives” awaits
The atmosphere in the stands was electric—especially when, in the 43rd minute, Spain’s 1-0 goal was shown on the video screens, followed by the live standings. “We’re proud to have made it this far. It’s possible,” said Coach Bubista ahead of the “game of our lives” against the Albiceleste.
Cape Verde also received recognition and admiration from the international press. “A historic result, marked by passion, pride, and sheer courage,” wrote *La Gazzetta dello Sport*, for example. “At least for a few days, the Blue Sharks can already smell Argentine blood,” reported *The Guardian*.
