Nearly Toppled Argentina, Cape Verde Goalkeeper: Regretful Exit But Can Leave with Heads Held High

2026 World Cup Key News

(CNA Miami, July 4, 2026, Foreign News) Cape Verde battled Argentina fiercely in the World Cup Round of 32 today, ultimately being eliminated by an own goal after extra time. The breakout star goalkeeper Vozinha stated afterward that although they failed to advance, his teammates' performance was admirable, and the team can leave the field with their heads held high.

According to Agence France-Presse, Argentine football superstar Lionel Messi scored his 20th World Cup career goal today, but the defending champions still had to fight Cape Verde into extra time, only securing a narrow 3-2 victory to advance to the Round of 16 in the 111th minute thanks to an own goal by the opponent.

Cape Verde, an island nation in the western Atlantic Ocean with a population of just over 500,000, made its first-ever appearance in the World Cup finals this year. In the group stage, they drew with Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia, showing remarkable performance.

Cape Verde's 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha was named Man of the Match in the first game against Spain, becoming one of the most talked-about players of this World Cup.

During the World Cup, his social media follower count has surged from around 50,000 to over 19 million.

Vozinha, currently a free agent, said after the match: "This World Cup means a lot to us because it was a dream we had long awaited. We succeeded in qualifying, not just fulfilling the dream for myself or the national team, but all the people of Cape Verde have realized their dream."

"We are very proud of what we have achieved along the way. Of course, we are also disappointed with the result because we had hoped to advance to the next round."

"My teammates performed brilliantly, they were incredible. We can leave the World Cup with our heads held high."

Cape Verdean defender Pico Lopes, born in Ireland, also said after the match: "We wanted to prove through our performance that small nations can achieve great things. With a fearless heart, believing in ourselves, and daring to chase our dreams, anything is possible."

"I hope this team can inspire the younger generation of Cape Verde to also stand on the World Cup stage in the future. We have proven that once we are on this stage, we have the ability to compete with the world's strongest teams."

Lopes, 34, whose mother is Irish and father is Cape Verdean, revealed that he was recruited to the national team through the professional networking platform LinkedIn.

He pointed out: "When we qualified for the World Cup, we wanted to show everyone that we belong on this stage. I think both in the group stage and in today's match, we have shown our ability to compete with the world's top teams."

He also added, "The most gratifying thing about this World Cup is that no one will ask 'Where is Cape Verde?' anymore." (Compiled by Shi Shi) 0704115

Stand with facts, your every sponsorship is a force to protect the freedom of the press

Download CNA's "Firsthand News" APP to get the latest news in real-time

This website's text, images, and videos may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or used without authorization.