2026 World Cup: Cape Verde's track record against South American teams

26.06.26 FT World Cup

Cabo Verde

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Saudi Arabia

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Cape Verde has made history by qualifying for the round of 32 in the World Cup. The Blue Sharks are making their debut at the tournament, but that hasn't stopped them from pulling off this remarkable achievement.

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After the euphoria of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup by eliminating Cameroon, Cape Verdean fans kept the celebrations going into the night from Friday to Saturday, as their team punched their ticket to the knockout stage. It's a tremendous feat for a squad that's getting stronger with every match.

Cape Verde registered their third draw, a goalless stalemate against Saudi Arabia, after previously sharing the points with Spain (0-0) and Uruguay (2-2). This saw them finish second in Group H, knocking Uruguay out in the process.

What's next? Lionel Messi's Argentina, who topped Group J ahead of Austria, Algeria, and Jordan. The clash is set for Friday, July 3, at 22:00 GMT.

Before facing the defending champions, the national team from an island nation of about 530,000 inhabitants has never beaten a South American side in its history. Their record stands at one draw and two defeats against Latin American opponents.

The Cape Verdeans lost a friendly to Ecuador 1-0 on June 12, 2022, and also fell to Chile in a friendly 4-2 on March 27 this year, before frustrating Uruguay with a 2-2 draw on June 22, 2026, in the group stage of this World Cup.

Imed Ben Amara |

Editorar, fr

Imed Ben Amara - bilingual sports writer and web editor with experience in football content creation. Since 2021, he has contributed to Foot Africa, providing news coverage and analysis.

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