June 15, 2026
Cape Verde’s memorable World Cup debut in holding European champions Spain to a 0-0 draw on Monday is one of the great upsets in the tournament’s history.
AFP Sports picks out four upsets prior to the the side from the tiny volcanic archipelago of just 525,000 people proving more than a match for a football superpower:
The US coach said his team were like “sheep ready to be slaughtered” as they prepared to face an England team labelled at the time ‘The Kings of Football’.
However, the Americans, a mix of teachers, dishwashers and other professions, captained by a Scot, Edward McIlvenny played more like wolves than sheep in the match in Brazil.
