Cape Verde Makes History by Qualifying for the World Cup

Cape Verde made history on Monday by securing a spot in the upcoming World Cup. The victory over Eswatini at the National Stadium in Praia propelled the Blue Sharks into the global event hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This achievement marks Cape Verde as the smallest nation by territory to qualify for the World Cup and the second least populated, following Iceland.

The journey of Cape Verde, ranked 70th in the FIFA rankings, just behind Jamaica and ahead of Finland, became a reality in a match that captivated this modest nation located 570 kilometres off the African coast, near Senegal. With a population of just over 500,000, Cape Verde ranked 131st in the Human Development Index (HDI) by the United Nations in 2022, an indicator that assesses health, education, and income among other factors.

With tickets sold out days in advance, priced between one and five euros at petrol stations, and a half-day holiday declared by the government led by José Maria Neves to allow Cape Verdeans to watch the match, anticipation was high. The team, managed by Pedro Leitao Brito, known as Bubista, a former footballer who played for Badajoz, faced the weak Eswatini team, defeating them 3-0 to the delight of the 15,000 spectators present.

Goals from forward Dailon Rocha Livramento, left winger Willy Semedo, and centre-back Stopira fulfilled Cape Verde's World Cup dream. This makes them the third debutant in the upcoming World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, following Jordan and Uzbekistan, who qualified last June.

With seven wins, two draws, and just one loss in ten matches, Cape Verde topped their qualifying group with 23 points, outpacing more renowned teams like Cameroon and Angola, alongside Libya, Mauritius, and Eswatini, the latter known historically as Swaziland.