Kevin Pina becomes Cape Verde's first World Cup scorer

Kevin Pina did something on June 21, 2026 that no Cape Verdean footballer had ever done before. He put the ball in the net at a FIFA World Cup.

The defensive midfielder rifled a direct free kick past Uruguay’s goalkeeper during Cape Verde’s tournament debut at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, giving his country a 1-0 lead and an entire nation a moment they’ll never forget.

A 2-2 draw that felt like a win

Cape Verde ultimately drew 2-2 against Uruguay, a country with two World Cup titles to its name. For context, Cape Verde has a population of under 600,000 people. That’s roughly the size of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The player behind the moment

Kevin Pina becomes Cape Verde's first World Cup scorer

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