Cape Verde beat Eswatini 3-0 on Monday to secure a spot at the 2026 World Cup, booking their place in football’s global showpiece for the very first time.

The team from an archipelago off the coast of Senegal with about 550,000 inhabitants becomes the second-least populous nation to reach the World Cup, after Iceland, with just over 350,000, at Russia 2018.

Cape Verde won Group D with 23 points, four more than Cameroon, who hold the African record for World Cup appearances with eight. Cameroon were held 0-0 by Angola in Yaounde.

“Giving this happiness to these people is enormous… it’s a victory for all the Cape Verdean people and, above all, a victory for those who fought for our independence,” coach Pedro Brito told reporters.

“It’s a special moment in this celebration of the 50th anniversary of our independence.”

An emotional Vozinha, the 39-year-old goalkeeper, admitted, “I have been dreaming of this moment since I was a child. It’s time to celebrate.

“We knew we could do better (in the second half), and that’s it… it’s time to celebrate.”

After dominating the first half of the final round qualifier but seldom threatening to score, the Blue Sharks struck twice through Dailon Livramento and Willy Semedo in the first nine minutes after halftime before a 15,000 flag-waving crowd in Praia.

Livramento claimed his fourth goal of the 10-round qualifying campaign on 48 minutes, and Semedo struck six minutes later. Both goals came from close-range tap-ins.

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Cape Verde added a third goal in added time when Stopira, a substitute for Joao Paulo, pounced on a loose ball to score.

Cape Verde rely heavily on players born outside the nation to Cape Verdean parents or grandparents. Livramento was born in Rotterdam, and Semedo near Paris.

Eswatini had come to the 10-island archipelago with little attacking ambition, adopting a 5-4-1 formation in front of goalkeeper Khanyakwezwe Shabalala.

‘Too Emotional’

But after conceding twice, there was no way back for the team from southern Africa, who lost seven qualifiers and drew the other three.

“It’s too emotional. I embrace all the Cape Verdean people, at home and in our great diaspora,” said scorer Stopira.

Captain and striker Ryan Mendes added, “Honestly, I don’t have the words to describe this moment.” I’m very, very happy.”

Cape Verde spread the national team net wide with three starters based in Portugal and one each in the United States, Republic of Ireland, UAE, Romania, Russia, Netherlands, Turkey and Cyprus.

The remarkable qualification of Cape Verde came after they made a disappointing start to the campaign, drawing 0-0 at home with Angola and slumping to a 4-1 loss in Cameroon.

Those results left the Blue Sharks with four points from a possible nine, having won away to Eswatini in between.

But after the matchday three loss in Yaoundé, Cape Verde won five consecutive qualifiers, including crucial one-goal victories away to Angola and at home to Cameroon.

That left the islanders needing three points from their final two qualifiers this month, and a drama-filled 3-3 in Libya secured one before hosting Eswatini.

Last year, in the midst of the World Cup campaign, Cape Verde fared poorly in 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying, winning only one match of six and failing to secure a place at the tournament.

Despite flopping in a group from which Egypt and Botswana advanced, Cape Verdean officials retained faith in long-serving Brito.

After two stints as assistant coach of the national team and spells with five local clubs, the coach popularly known as Bubista took charge of Cape Verde in 2020.

The 55-year-old former centre-back, who represented his country 21 times, guided Cape Verde to successive AFCON tournaments, in Cameroon three years ago and Ivory Coast last year.

They reached the knockout phase each time, making a last-16 exit, then losing a quarter-final against South Africa on penalties after having four spot-kicks saved.

AFP

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