Cape Verde's Historic World Cup Journey: Vozinha's Emotional Moment

Cape Verde's football team, led by the emotional goalkeeper Vozinha, has made history by reaching the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup for the first time. With a remarkable performance, they secured a goalless draw against Saudi Arabia, becoming the smallest nation by population to advance. Their journey includes a surprising draw against Spain and a thrilling match against Uruguay. As they prepare to face Argentina next, the team celebrates their unprecedented achievement while looking forward to the challenges ahead. Discover more about this inspiring story of determination and heart.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 28, 2026, 05:11 IST

A Dream Come True for Cape Verde

Josimar José Évora Dias, affectionately known as Vozinha, never anticipated reaching this milestone. The 40-year-old goalkeeper, now the fourth oldest player to participate in a FIFA World Cup, was overcome with emotion after Cape Verde achieved a remarkable goalless draw against Saudi Arabia at Houston Stadium. This result marked a significant achievement for the island nation, making it the smallest country by population to advance to the knockout stage of the tournament.

Ranked 67th in the FIFA standings, Cape Verde made its debut in the knockout rounds with a total of three points, having secured two goalless draws against Spain and Saudi Arabia, along with an exhilarating 2-2 draw against Uruguay. With a population of merely 530,000—less than that of Sikkim, India’s least populated state (703,000)—this Atlantic archipelago of ten islands is living a footballing dream that continues to unfold.

Their next challenge is against the reigning champions, Argentina, in Miami Gardens, Florida, on July 4. The campaign kicked off with one of the tournament's biggest surprises: a scoreless draw against the favorites, Spain. They followed this with their first-ever World Cup goals in a thrilling 2-2 match against Uruguay, finishing the group stage undefeated and securing second place in Group H, just behind Spain and ahead of two-time champions Uruguay. Cape Verde has already outperformed other small nations by population—such as Curaçao (2026) and Iceland (2018)—who were eliminated in the group stage during their only World Cup appearances.

After the match against Saudi Arabia, an emotional Vozinha stated, “We may be small, but we possess big hearts and a fighting spirit.” His outstanding performance was vital, as he saved three crucial attempts, including a last-minute header from Mohamed Kanno, a 66th-minute shot from Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat, and a 92nd-minute effort from Abdullah Al-Hamdan. The team also nearly scored their first victory against Saudi Arabia; in the 50th minute, Kevin Pina’s shot went over the bar, and in the 74th minute, Laros Duarte’s powerful volley was blocked by Mohammed Al-Owais, while Nuno da Costa failed to convert the rebound. However, Spain's victory over Uruguay paved the way for Cape Verde to progress.

“Honestly, it feels surreal. I can hardly believe it. Being named man of the match and making history is something I never envisioned. First, we must celebrate. We are filled with joy. I hope all Cape Verdeans share in this happiness. Starting tomorrow, we will focus on our next match against Argentina,” remarked Cape Verde midfielder Deroy Duarte following the match.