The small West African island state of Cape Verde outstimates Cameroon – and is about to take part with a special squad.
The curious story of how Roberto has become “Pico” Lopes national player says a lot about the national national soccer team. In 2021, the Irishman native received a message about a social network. “I can’t do a Portuguese, so I ignored them.” What he didn’t know: The news came from Rui Aguas, the then head coach Cape Verdes.
Nine months later Aguas tried again in English. “I picked out the old message and translated it with Google Translate”revealed Lopes at “Cnn“. The 33-year-old was born in Ireland, plays as a central defender with the Shamrock Rovers And has a Cape Verdish father. Today he has 40 caps for Cape Verde on the account – and is about to lead the small West African island state to the first World Cup participation.
Cape Verke Roberto Carlos Lopes enters the field
Dream goal sealed victory against Cameroon
After the 1-0 (0-0) in the top game against Cameroon on Tuesday (09.09.2025) in the capital Praia, Cape Verde is the qualification for the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico. Striker Dailon Rocha Livramento (54th minute) from the Portuguese second division team Casa Pia AC scored the winning goal with a dream goal. In his own half he conquered the ball and sprinted away all opponents.
With two outstanding games, Kap Verde has four points ahead of the Cameroonians. The group winner is allowed directly to the World Cup, the second has to go to the playoffs. Cape Verdes Remaining opponents are called Libya and Eswatini.
Looking for players worldwide
It is estimated that more people with Cape Verdish roots live abroad than on the archipelago itself – there are only 427,000 inhabitants there. The football association has been trying to use this for itself since 2012.
The then national coach Lucio Antunes found footballers with Cape Verdish roots, especially in the former colonial power. They kicked in the second or third division and many liked to take the chance to play internationally.
The “Mourinho of Cape Verde”
When Cape Verde Verde in 2013 in the Africa Cup qualification sensationally Cameroon around the world star Samuel Eto’o threw out of the competition, Annunes was celebrated as “Mourinho von Kap Verde”. In 2014, the small state climbed to 27th place in the FIFA world rankings, which is the best value until today. In 2015 a historic 2-0 victory in Portugal followed.
Afterwards, Cape missed the Africa Championship twice in a row, slipping to 182 in the world rankings. But now the country is experiencing the next heyday with a sensational group win at the Africa Cup 2024. There were victories against Ghana and Mozambique as well as a 2-2 against record winner Egypt. The subsequent 1-0 in the round of 16 against Mauritania was the first victory in a KO game at the Africa Cup ever, leaving the quarter-finals against South Africa in penalty shooting was unhappy.
Just a top player – and he is injured
The wave of success continued in the outstanding World Cup qualification, with six wins, a draw and only one defeat in eight games. None of the 27 players in the squad play in the home league, half of a good half was born in another country. Top player Logan Costa, a 24-year-old central defender of FC Villareal, is currently out with a cruciate ligament tear. He is the only player under contract in one of the great European leagues.
National coach Bubista managed to form the team that had been thrown together from all over the world without stars. If the qualification succeeds, Cape Verde would be by far the smallest African final round participant in World Cup history.