The fairy tale of Cape Verde, qualified for the round of 32 of the World Cup: it is the smallest nation in the world to do so (led by Vozinha)

Football can be the most extraordinary generator of impossible stories. The most disruptive sporting miracle in recent World Cup history took place in the stadium in Houston, Texas. The Cape Verde national team, considered on the eve of the competition as a mere extra, gained a legendary access to the round of 32. A science fiction achievement if you consider that the statistical models assigned the Atlantic Ocean archipelago just 1% chance of getting through the round.

Instead, the African team finished Group H in second position, putting behind nations with an immense reputation such as Uruguay led by Marcelo Bielsa. Immediately after the final whistle of the concurrent match between Spain and Uruguay, a rhythmic chant exploded in the locker room which immediately went viral online: “One percent“The players wanted to shout to the world their pride in having shattered general scepticism.

The Vozinha wall and the strength of the collective

The unsurpassed pillar of this feat is undoubtedly the goalkeeper Vozinha. At the age of forty, the Cape Verdean goalkeeper has become a true global star of the competition, so much so that he has attracted the attention of over sixteen million followers on Instagram in just a few days. During the decisive and exhausting match against Saudi Arabia, which ended with a historic 0-0, the rearguard held out with commendable mental solidity.

Despite the Saudis’ outbursts and the sensational scoring ball that landed at the feet of Laros Duarte in the seventy-fourth minute, the African selection managed to snatch the third draw of their campaign, after the sensational ones obtained against the Spanish and Uruguayan battleships. At the end of the match, the goalkeeper wanted to vindicate the value of his teammates:

We are small but we have a big heart and we are fighters. There is a lot of quality in our national team. Maybe many think that Cape Verdean players are not good enough, but we came here to show that we have a lot of quality and that we are here to compete, that our players can play anywhere in big competitions and big leagues.

The dream continues against Messi’s Argentina

Leading this united group from the bench is coach Pedro Leitão Brito, known in football as Bubista. Presenting himself before journalists at a press conference literally wrapped in the national flag, the coach did not hide his emotion at having become the representative of the smallest country in the world to have ever reached the direct elimination phase of a World Cup.

Now the doors of football paradise are opening wide for Cape Verde: the match against the reigning champions Argentina. It will be a crossroads with profound cultural value due to the strong historical ties linked to Cape Verdean emigration to South American soil. Bubista concluded by looking at the comparison with the legendary number ten opponent:

We will play responsibly, knowing that Argentina has Lionel Messi, who for many is the best of all time. Obviously, for all Cape Verdeans, it is a cause for joy. To be able to play against Argentina and Messi in a qualifying match is fantastic.

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