Vozinha and Cabo Verde tangled with Lionel Messi and Argentina, and while the run of the Blue Sharks at the World Cup may be over, they’ve left a mark on the World Cup that won’t be forgotten. As the second smallest nation to ever qualify for the tournament, Cabo Verde used LinkedIn as a recruiting tool, pulling from their diaspora around the world, and after drawing against Spain, they one-upped themselves in an electric match, facing Argentina in the round of 32.

What’s most impressive in this loss to Argentina is that Cabo Verde lived up to their dreams so much that, leaving the pitch against Argentina, it wasn’t about moral victories. It was a picture of sadness. Players who laid it all on the line going toe to toe with the reigning World Cup champions, and they were able to fight back twice. Vozinha outdueled Emiliano Martínez, and Sidny Lopes Cabral had the best goal from distance, not Messi. 

“We hope that now you realize that there is no easy opponent, and congratulations to Cabo Verde. We knew that they were going to be a tough opponent, and we struggled so much,” Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni said after the match. “Actually, we deserved the win, but that doesn’t mean that the opponent made things easy for us, and of course, I will talk about the negative aspects with my players, but we also need to focus on the positive aspects, the fact that we never gave in, and neither did the opponents.”

Messi also agreed with his manager about how tough the Blue Sharks made this on Argentina. Without fouling much, Cabo Verde are the team who pushed Argentina the most physically, making things quite tough for them in the match despite having all the talent from all over the world and a core of the team playing in the second division of Portugal.

“We knew this would be a very tough match. In the World Cup, no one gives you anything for free. Now it’s about resting, learning from today, and focusing on the next game. Also, congratulations to Cabo Verde for that great performance,” Messi said.

These aren’t things that happen overnight, and it’s part of why the Cabo Verde story has been one that has endured during this tournament. Katy Perry may not have been in attendance for their game against Argentina, but even Left Shark made an appearance in the game as their style makes the Blue Sharks easy to root for, as Bubista has built an organized unit during his time in charge of the squad.

“I think that shows the character of our team, how skilled our team is, and was throughout most of the match. We knew of the quality of our opponent,” Bubista said. “It would be a tough match, as it truly proved to be against Argentina. But I think we did our best, and we did it with bravery. And never did we fail to stay true to our identity, which is why I’m so proud of what my players did throughout the match.”

Bubista has been the architect of this project, managing the side since 2020, and while he was confident that they’d compete coming into the match, it’s another thing to push Argentina from start to finish after what they’ve already accomplished. And surely he’ll also be prepared to work on their set-play defending, which was their undoing in extra time.

Their keeper, Vozinha, grew to internet fame after the draw against Spain and has amassed over 18 million Instagram followers during the tournament. When the World Cup began, his mother wasn’t able to see him play due to visa issues, but those were resolved so that she could see the remainder of Cabo Verde’s run.

While there is joy around the Cabo Verde story, there are also the rape allegations surrounding their captain, Ryan Mendes, that have cast a negative shadow during the tournament. He had an assist during the game and has appeared over 100 times for this country, but he’s currently under investigation in regard to an alleged incident in New Zealand in March.

Following the match, Bubista made it clear that he would only answer questions about the game, and if Mendes is found guilty, his participation in the World Cup will bring a black mark to this team, which is unfortunate because they’re well poised to be back at this stage. 

This World Cup run will make dual national recruitment easier for Cabo Verde, as now eyes turn toward the Africa Cup of Nations and qualifying for the 2030 World Cup. Remember the Cabo Verde name because this won’t be the last time that it’s heard on the big stage for this island nation.