Cape Verde wrote one of the most memorable pages of the 2026 World Cup, despite losing 3-2 to Argentina in the round of 32 played in Miami.
Lionel Messi opened the scoring in the 29th minute for the Albiceleste, but Deroy Duarte equalized in the 59th minute and brought the game to an unexpected close. In extra time, Lisandro Martínez put Argentina ahead again at 92; However, Sidny Lopes Cabral tied the match again at 103 with a long-distance goal. When everything pointed to the definition from the penalty spot, an own goal by Diney Borges in the 111th minute, after an offensive action by Argentina, ended up deciding the tie in favor of the current world champion.
Beyond the result, the journey of the team led by Bubista is already among the most outstanding performances of a debuting team in a World Cup. Before this match, Cape Verde had gone through the group stage undefeated and added results against teams like Spain and Uruguay.
Their performance is reminiscent of other teams that defied the odds and remained in the memory of the World Cup.
Iceland surprised Argentina in Russia 2018
One of the most memorable events occurred in Russia 2018.
With a population of close to 330,000 inhabitants, Iceland debuted in a World Cup with a 1-1 draw against Argentina, a result that became one of the big surprises of the group stage.
Like the Icelandic team, Cape Verde arrived at the World Cup with a small population, a consolidated structure and a team that stood out for its tactical discipline and its ability to compete against rivals with greater tradition.
Senegal broke the odds in 2002
Another emblematic case corresponds to Senegal in Korea-Japan 2002.
In its first World Cup participation, the African team defeated France, the current world champion, 1-0, and subsequently reached the quarterfinals.
Like that team, Cape Verde had an important base of footballers who play in European leagues, especially in Portugal, France and the Netherlands.
Trinidad and Tobago resisted in Germany 2006
At Germany 2006, Trinidad and Tobago also produced a historic performance by drawing goalless against Sweden in their World Cup debut, despite playing much of the match with one less player.
That result confirmed that teams with less tradition could compete on equal terms against higher-ranking rivals, a scenario that Cape Verde once again highlighted in the 2026 World Cup.
A performance that already transcends the result
Argentina qualified for the round of 16, where they will face Egypt, but needed 120 minutes to overcome a team that is playing in its first World Cup.
According to data collected by MisterChip, Cape Verde’s campaign is already among the most notable carried out by a debuting team in the history of the World Cup, after competing on equal terms against Spain, Uruguay and Argentina during the tournament.
Although the result favored the Albiceleste, the performance of the team led by Bubista remained one of the great stories of the 2026 World Cup and consolidated players like Vozinha and Sidny Lopes Cabral among the revelation figures of the championship.