Cape Verde's defender #13 Sidney Lopes Cabral celebrates with teammates scoring his team's second goal during the 2026 World Cup round of 32 football match between Argentina and Cape Verde at the Miami Stadium in Miami Gardens on July 3, 2026. (Photo by PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA / AFP)
Cape Verde are an example for other small nations to follow, said defender Pico Lopes, after the islanders came close to pulling off one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history against Argentina on Friday.
Defending champions Argentina needed a Diney Borges own goal in the 111th minute to win a thrilling last-32 tie after strength-sapping extra-time in Miami.
A tiny archipelago of just over 500,000 people off the west coast of Africa, Cape Verde held Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia to draws on their first ever appearance at the World Cup.
“What we achieved, we wanted to show what was possible for small nations. With big hearts, that you can believe, and dream anything is possible,” Irish-born Lopes told reporters.
