History made: 2026 World Cup sets attendance records
The tournament attracted 3,605,357 fans, surpassing the previous attendance record set at the 1994 FIFA World Cup USA.
HOUSTON — After suffocating two storied soccer powers and taking more than 90 minutes to a scoreless draw with Saudi Arabia, it seemed like cruel fate that Cape Verde’s players would be faced with another painful wait.
After the final whistle sounded at NRG Stadium and Saudi players took a knee in agony, the men in blue huddled anxiously around cell phone screens on the sideline, watching another game played nearly 1,000 miles away across the Mexican border.
A few seconds passed, and the stadium collectively held its breath. There was joy in Houston when Spain defeated Uruguay 1-0, sealing Cape Verde’s place in the last 32 of the World Cup.
“It was a tense moment, very tense,” Cape Verde midfielder Deroy Duarte said. “I almost cried. So many emotions came up. When I was watching the game, I was just praying. I was just hoping. And the joy that came out at the end was unlike anything I’ve ever felt on the pitch.”
The Cape Verde players hugged each other and began jumping. The rippling blue blob reflected on the fans gathered in the stands behind the team’s dugout. Defender Roberto Pico López roared and threw his arms up in encouragement. Vosinha, a 40-year-old goalkeeper who was loved by people around the world for his heroic performances, waved to the crowd with tears in his eyes.
No country has advanced to the World Cup finals for the first time since Slovakia in 2010. Cape Verde went undefeated in their three World Cup group stage matches for the first time since Senegal in 2002, making history as the smallest country to advance to the knockout stages.
The 525,000-person island nation off the west coast of Africa proves that under the right conditions, small waves can become big swells.
“We grew up with a lot of hardships. Both our grandparents and parents made a lot of sacrifices to educate us all,” Vozinya said. “I think we showed the resilience of the Cape Verdean people because we knew how to take care of things. We showed our passion for our homeland and also that we are here to represent not only our players but all Cape Verdeans around the world.”
“We may be small, but we have big hearts and we are warriors.”
They held reigning European champions Spain goalless and drew 2-2 with Uruguay. The Blue Sharks went into Friday’s final group stage game against Saudi Arabia, needing a win or a draw along with Spain’s win to continue their magical run. If they lose, they will return home.
It was a tough match that was excruciating at times. Cape Verde had 15 shots, an expected goals rate of 1.37, but no actual goals. Jamiro Monteiro held his head in disbelief after his shot was saved just before half-time. Kevin Pina’s long-range blast missed by mere centimeters. Lalos Duarte fired what could have been the winning goal in the 92nd minute, hitting the goalkeeper.
But the Blue Sharks never gave up, as Vosinha made three saves and the Cape Verde defense blocked two more Saudi shots.
“I think the spirit of the team is always good,” said midfielder Lalos Duarte, Deroy’s older brother. “No matter how we play and how we perform, they always have fun. So I think from the start of this whole campaign we believed that the team can be stronger than good individuals.”
The goal was bounced off the field, but the Blue Sharks still remained and celebrated with their fans, waving flags and plastic sharks.
The party continued inside the stadium, with Cape Verdean players parading through the mixed zone, dancing to music by French-Cape Verdean hip-hop collective La MC Marcriade.
“This song is our country’s song. It’s great!” captain Ryan Mendez explained before his enthusiastic teammates chased him away.
On Friday, Cape Verde fans turned out in droves as 68,000 fans showed up. Many of them undoubtedly had no connection to the island, but were drawn to the team’s feel-good stories and contagious spirit.
“We have seen in other games that we receive a lot of support from people from different countries,” Deroy Duarte said. “That’s exactly what football brings. Football brings people closer to each other, and I think this is also a Cape Verdean characteristic. We like to accept people. We like to behave as if they are ours. So I think this is a typical Cape Verdean and that makes us proud.”
The so-called beautiful game has the power to both emphasize and erase differences. Financial resources, player development pipelines, and cultural norms are all important when building a soccer powerhouse, but only until it happens. The ball is round for everyone.
“Probably for many people, the Cape Verdean players are not good enough,” Bosinha said. “But we came here to show that we have a lot of quality and that we came here to compete and our players can play anywhere in the big tournaments and in the big leagues.”
Cape Verde’s next opponent in the Round of 32 will be Argentina, led by the Goliath of Goliaths, Lionel Messi.
The Blue Sharks view this matchup as a reward, not a punishment. Deroy Duarte said he grew up watching Messi on TV and dreamed of playing against him one day.
Faith has brought Cape Verde this far and he sees no reason to stop believing now.
“It’s another chance to make history,” Duarte said. “Then why not?”
