June 07, 2026
Cape Verde sways to the sound of morna, a homegrown folk music laced with melancholy, longing and soul. Morna's most famous song, "Sodade," remembers the tens of thousands of emigrés who have left these 10 islands sprinkled off the coast of West Africa for work and opportunities abroad.
"If you write me, I'll write you," the song's lyrics go. "If you forget me, I'll forget you."
In the next few weeks, Cape Verdeans hope their sense of nostalgia will turn to celebration. Their eyes are on the national soccer team, which is packed full of stars whose parents or even grandparents left Cape Verde years ago but who still consider the islands home.
The Blue Sharks, as the team is known, is one of the surprise qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
