Cricket is called the game of uncertainty. However, the same policy applies to football as well. Cape Verde proved once again that nothing is impossible. Perhaps only a handful of people in the football world have heard the names from this country. Yet it was this very country that made history.
For the first time, they qualified to play in the World Cup main round. After Iceland, this unknown country got the opportunity to play in the 2026 World Cup as the second smallest country by population and territorial area.
The entire country's population is approximately 5 lakh 25 thousand. They created this precedent by defeating Eswatini 3-0 at home in a qualifying match. Cape Verde is a small country in West Africa located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. This country is made up of ten volcanic islands. They were under Portuguese rule until 1975. After gaining independence, Cape Verde first reached the World Cup qualifiers in 2002. They also reached the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals in 2013 and 2023. This time they surprised in the World Cup qualifiers.
Cape Verde was in excellent rhythm throughout the entire qualifying phase. They maintained that momentum in the final match against Eswatini as well. All three goals came in the second half. Dion Livramento, Willy Semedo, and Stopira scored the goals. With this victory, Cape Verde reached 23 points after playing 10 matches.
This includes 7 wins, 2 defeats, and 1 draw. Among African countries, they secured their place in the World Cup main round by staying at the top of Group D, surpassing the strong Cameroon. Because of them, Cameroon could not go directly to the main round.
In 2018, Iceland qualified for the World Cup as the smallest country by population and territorial area. Cape Verde has now joined that list. Their current population is approximately 5 lakh 25 thousand people. Now it remains to be seen how much they can surprise on the biggest stage of world football.
