Cabo Verde's Historic FIFA World Cup Qualification: A Dream Come True for Deroy Duarte

Cabo Verde's Remarkable Journey to the World Cup

Houston [US], June 27: Deroy Duarte, the midfielder for Cabo Verde, expressed his overwhelming emotions following his team's groundbreaking qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2026, describing the experience as surreal. The Blue Sharks made history by advancing to the knockout stage for the very first time.

"Honestly, it feels surreal. I feel like I’m in a dream," Duarte stated after Cabo Verde managed to secure a goalless draw against Saudi Arabia in their final Group H match, allowing them to progress behind the group leaders, Spain.

Reflecting on his journey, Duarte shared that achieving World Cup qualification and making history surpassed his wildest dreams. His exceptional performance earned him the title of Player of the Match.

"Since childhood, I’ve always aspired to play in a World Cup. Being named man of the match and making history is something I never envisioned," he remarked.

Shifting his focus to the future, Duarte encouraged his teammates to celebrate their achievement before turning their attention to the next challenge.

"First, let’s celebrate. We’re thrilled. I hope all Cape Verdeans share in our joy. Starting tomorrow, we’ll concentrate on the next match," Duarte added.

As they prepare for their Round of 32 match against defending champions Argentina, he acknowledged the difficulty of the upcoming game but maintained a hopeful outlook.

"It’s against Argentina, right? A challenging match, but we must believe. Anything is possible," he stated.

The Blue Sharks have made history as the smallest nation to qualify for the knockout stages of this prestigious tournament.

As the third smallest nation to compete in the World Cup finals, Cabo Verde drew all three of their group matches to advance in second place, according to FIFA.

They are the first team since Chile in the 1998 World Cup to progress from the group stage after drawing all their matches.