Cape Verde's Historic World Cup Run
Cape Verde's 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha has expressed immense pride in his team's historic performance at the FIFA World Cup 2026, following their qualification for the round of 32. The team, which finished second in their group behind Spain with three points from three resilient draws, became the smallest nation ever to reach the World Cup knockout stage. Vozinha, who gained fame for his saves against Spain in a goalless draw, is now looking forward to facing Lionel Messi's Argentina in the next round.
Vozinha's Emotional Reaction
Speaking after the match, as quoted by Goal.com, Vozinha said, "None of us dreamed of this, but we know we have quality and, when we got to the World Cup, perhaps many thought we would not win any games. We have a great team and quality players. It is gratifying to have qualified for the next phase, and facing Argentina will be very good. It is a dream for any footballer to play against Argentina and Lionel Messi." He added, "We did not come here to secure a draw. We always sought to win. We knew it was not going to be easy. Saudi Arabia also has a lot of quality and is used to these kinds of matches. We tried everything to score, but we could not. Everyone saw that we had more possession, more balls, and more opportunities. We deserve congratulations."
Inspiring Future Generations
The goalkeeper hopes that this tournament run will inspire young footballers back home, highlighting the difficulties they overcame. "We are from a small country, but we know how to compete. Perhaps most people think that Cape Verdean players are not good enough, but we have shown that we have quality, we are here to compete, and we can compete in any major competition," he asserted. "We grew up with immense difficulties, and our parents and grandparents sacrificed and taught us to value things. We have shown the resilience of the Cape Verdean people, the passion we have for our country, and also that we're here to represent not only the players, but all Cape Verdeans scattered around the world. We have big hearts, and we are fighters."
Role Models for the Young
Vozinha also emphasized the team's broader mission: "Who knows if from now on we won't have role models that children can look up to and say that one day they want to be like Stopira, Ryan Mendes or another player from the Cape Verde national team." He signed off by saying the team is "here to be an example for the little ones."
Elite Goalkeeping Record
Vozinha also entered an elite list in FIFA World Cup history, becoming only the third goalkeeper to register multiple clean sheets at the tournament after turning 40. With two clean sheets in the ongoing World Cup, he joins England's Peter Shilton (three clean sheets) and Italy's Dino Zoff (two clean sheets) in this rare statistical feat, according to OptaJose's X handle.
