Spain and Uruguay boast of a rich legacy in football. Spain won the World Cup in 2010. La Roja are also the reigning UEFA European Champions and have won the competition more than any other country, with four in total.
Uruguay won the inaugural World Cup in 1930 and reclaimed the title in 1950. The La Celeste have won the Copa America — the South American championship —15 times, which is just one less than the continent's most successful team, which is Argentina.
Their footballers feature in some of the biggest clubs in the world. Uruguay's Manuel Ugarte, Rodrigo Bentancur and Federico Valverde play for Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Real Madrid respectively. Spain's squad is stacked with players from Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Manchester City, Arsenal, and Paris Saint-Germain.
These two footballing powerhouses got a reality check by the third smallest nation ever to play at the FIFA World Cup finals — Cabo Verde.
The small African island nation announced themselves on the world stage in grand style when they held Spain in a goalless draw. Spain, boasting of generational talents like Pedri, Lamine Yamal and Rodri and earmarked by AI and pundits alike as the team to win the tournament, failed to score a goal against a team playing their first-ever World Cup game.
Cabo Verde's dramatic feat was powered by its 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha, who made seven saves at the Atlanta Stadium. Sceptics dismissed the outcome calling it a fluke and pinning it down to Spain's early tournament rustiness.
However what transpired at the Hard Rock Stadium has made the world sit up take notice of The Blue Sharks. Thanks to Kevin Pina long-range free kick, Cabo Verde scored their first-ever World Cup goal and got the first taste of being ahead in a World Cup match.
Uruguay got into the lead as Maximiliano Araújo and Agustín Canobbio fired the ball into the Cabo Verde's net in quick succession. But Pedro Leitão Brito's men refused to give up and Helio Varela's first goal for his country ensured that Cabo Verde pulled off yet another shock result.
So, while a dark horse like Turkey has already been eliminated and Belgium, boasting of some of its golden generation stars, are staring at the possibility of an early exit, Cabo Verde have the chance of qualifying for the knockout round.
When Cabo Verde take on Saudi Arabia at the NRG Stadium in Huston, a win will secure them a spot in the knockouts. Even a draw may be enough to get through as a third-placed team.
How Cabo Verde qualified for 2026 FIFA World Cup?
Cabo Verde punched their ticket for the World Cup through the African qualifiers, overcoming a difficult start to their campaign. They opened with a goalless draw against Angola and then suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat to Cameroon, but responded brilliantly by winning seven of their remaining eight matches.
Their impressive turnaround saw them finish top of the group, ahead of favourites Cameroon, and secure a historic place at the tournament.
To finish above Cameroon is highly significant as the Indomitable Lions are five-time African champions and have appeared at the World Cup on eight occasions, the most by an African nation.
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Most of Cabo Verde's 26-man squad for the World Cup have been born outside the country, with six being born in Rotterdam and four in Praia, Cabo Verde's capital.
So, it was only natural for the country's President Jose Maria Neves calling the qualification for the World Cup qualification as "the third defining moment of our nation."
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