Cape Verde’s historic World Cup run capped by Goal of the Tournament award

In North America, FIFA named Sydney Lopes Cabral’s curling strike against Argentina as the World Cup 2026 Goal of the Tournament.

According to FIFA's official release, the Cape Verde attacker claimed the Hyundai Goal of the Tournament award following a massive global fan vote. The defining moment arrived in the Round of 32 when Cabral produced a sensational solo effort.

He beat midfielder Alexis Mac Allister with a swift shift of direction before whipping a precise shot straight into the top corner past goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez.

The spectacular strike leveled the match at 2-2, though Argentina eventually edged through 3-2 after extra time.

Surpassing football's biggest names

Cabral’s effort topped an elite list of nominees. Uzbekistan’s Eldor Shomurodov finished second for his strike against DR Congo while Haiti’s Wilson Isidor claimed third with his goal against Morocco.

The fan favorite also edged out high profile finishes from Kylian Mbappe against Senegal, Lionel Messi against Algeria, Julian Alvarez against Switzerland and Ferran Torres’s extra time winner for Spain in the final.

A dream debut campaign

This individual accolade caps off a historic debut appearance for Cape Verde. The underdog nation made its first-ever World Cup appearance in 2026, successfully navigating the group stage before pushing eventual runners up Argentina to the absolute limit.

Khaled Hegazy |

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Journaliste sportif spécialisé dans la couverture du football et la création de contenu numérique, alliant expérience éditoriale et expertise des médias sociaux.

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