The Cape Verde team returned to Praia this Sunday amid an emotional welcome, after signing a participation that exceeded all expectations in the 2026 World Cup.

Hundreds of fans gathered at Nelson Mandela Airport to welcome the team led by Pedro Leitão Brito “Bubista”, who was fired amid applause, flags and signs of recognition after their elimination in the round of 32 against Argentina.

The images shared by the Cape Verdean Football Federation even showed an airport worker bowing to the players and the coaching staff, reflecting the impact that the national team's performance had.

The revelation of the 2026 World Cup

In its first participation in a World Cup, Cape Verde became one of the teams that attracted the most attention during the tournament.

The African team finished second in Group H, made up of Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, after remaining undefeated in the group stage thanks to draws against the three rivals.

That performance allowed them to advance to the knockout phase, where they surprised again by taking Argentina to extra time in an intense duel that ended 3-2 in favor of the Albiceleste.

During the match, Cape Verde evened the score at 2-2 in extra time thanks to a goal from Sidney Lopes Cabral, before being eliminated.

A World Cup that will remain to remember

In addition to becoming one of the big surprises of the tournament, Cape Verde achieved a feat by being the country with the smallest population to reach a direct elimination phase of a World Cup.

Their performance against teams with a greater football tradition consolidated the African team as one of the most outstanding stories of the 2026 World Cup and sparked the recognition of fans around the world.

Vozinha, the footballer who conquered social networks

One of the great protagonists of the Cape Verde campaign was goalkeeper Josimar José Évora Dias “Vozinha”, whose performances were decisive from the debut against Spain.

The goalkeeper went from having around 200,000 followers on Instagram before the tournament to almost 26 million during the 2026 World Cup, becoming a true phenomenon on social networks.

Currently, Vozinha is without a team after concluding his time with GD Chaves of Portugal, while his name is beginning to appear among rumors of possible signings, including a supposed interest from Inter Miami, although so far there is no official confirmation.

With a performance that exceeded the forecasts and the support of an entire country, Cape Verde said goodbye to the 2026 World Cup, leaving a mark that will hardly go unnoticed.