Scenes of jubilation erupted in Praia at the final whistle of the Spain-Cape Verde match on Monday. The Blue Sharks held La Roja to a goalless draw in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup.
A remarkable achievement for the small island nation, against the Spanish, the favorites in the competition.
"I didn't expect us to hold our own in such a hard-fought and difficult match. We're facing one of the strongest national teams in the world, aren't we? But we're confident we'll keep going and hold on. Thanks to Vozinha's performance, who is, for now, one of the best players on our team," said William Gomes, a Cape Verde supporter.
Cape Verde indeed withstood the onslaught of the European champions, thanks to their goalkeeper, who was named "man of the match." The 40-year-old put on a spectacular display against the Spanish attacking force, bringing pride to an archipelago of approximately half a million inhabitants.
"Cape Verde is just a small country, but today we feel good and important. I don't even have enough words to express what we feel. We Cape Verdeans are truly blessed," explains Vladimir Garcia, a Cape Verdean supporter.
See you on June 22nd, against Uruguay for the second match of the Blue Sharks.
