Cape Verde
Group H · FIFA rank 70 · World Cup 2026
Eliminated in the round of 32
Lost 2-3 to Argentina
The tiny island nation of Cape Verde has been the biggest surprise of this 2026 World Cup.
But they are out, beaten 3-2 by Argentina after taking the reigning world champions to extra time in the round of 32.
They came back twice before an own goal finally beat them.
But they can be very proud of their tournament, and they will be a nation to watch in the coming years.
Cape Verde's 2026 World Cup matches
See the full Group H standings →Cape Verde squad and manager
Manager: Bubista
| 👕 No. | 🧑 Player | 🛡️ Club |
|---|---|---|
| Goalkeepers (3) | ||
| 1 | Vozinha | Chaves |
| 12 | Márcio Rosa | Montana |
| 23 | CJ dos Santos | San Diego FC |
| Defenders (8) | ||
| 2 | Stopira | Torreense |
| 3 | Diney | Al Bataeh |
| 4 | Roberto Lopes | Shamrock Rovers |
| 5 | Logan Costa | Villarreal |
| 13 | Sidny Lopes Cabral | Benfica |
| 22 | Steven Moreira | Columbus Crew |
| 24 | Wagner Pina | Trabzonspor |
| 25 | Kelvin Pires | SJK |
| Midfielders (12) | ||
| 6 | Kevin Pina | Krasnodar |
| 7 | Jovane Cabral | Estrela Amadora |
| 8 | João Paulo | FCSB |
| 10 | Jamiro Monteiro | PEC Zwolle |
| 11 | Garry Rodrigues | Apollon Limassol |
| 14 | Deroy Duarte | Ludogorets Razgrad |
| 15 | Laros Duarte | Puskás Akadémia |
| 16 | Yannick Semedo | Farense |
| 17 | Willy Semedo | Omonia |
| 18 | Telmo Arcanjo | Vitória de Guimarães |
| 21 | Nuno da Costa | İstanbul Başakşehir |
| 26 | Hélio Varela | Maccabi Tel Aviv |
| Forwards (3) | ||
| 9 | Gilson Benchimol | Akron Tolyatti |
| 19 | Dailon Livramento | Casa Pia |
| 20 | Ryan Mendes | Iğdır |
Cape Verde at the World Cup
- FIFA ranking
- #70
- World Cup appearance
- 1st
- Best finish
- First appearance
- Confederation
- CAF
- Group
- Group H
How did Cape Verde's World Cup end?
Cape Verde are out, but they wrote one of the best stories of the whole tournament.
Remember the scale of it: this is a tiny island nation of about 525,000 people, the smallest country ever to reach a World Cup knockout round.
They earned that place with 3 brave draws in Group H, holding Spain 0-0, drawing 2-2 with Uruguay, and drawing 0-0 with Saudi Arabia.
Finishing 2nd in that group on 3 points was already history for a nation at its first-ever World Cup.
Then came the round of 32 against Argentina, the reigning world champions, and Cape Verde were not scared of them.
They fell behind, but Deroy Duarte brought the game back to 1-1 in the 59th minute.
Argentina scored again, and Cape Verde came back a second time through Sidny Lopes Cabral in the 103rd minute of extra time.
To fight back twice against the world champions is the kind of thing this team will be remembered for.
In the end they lost 3-2 to an own goal in the 111th minute, the cruelest way to go after such a brave display.
But everyone will remember Cape Verde as the smallest country ever to reach a World Cup knockout round.
Cape Verde's recent results
- L0-3BermudaJune 6, 2026Friendly
- W3-0SerbiaMay 31, 2026Friendly
Last 12 months before the tournament. Source: international match records.
Common questions
Which group were Cape Verde in at the 2026 World Cup?
Cape Verde were in Group H with Spain, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay. They finished 2nd in the group.
Who is Cape Verde's manager?
Cape Verde are managed by Bubista.
What is Cape Verde's best World Cup result?
This is Cape Verde's first World Cup, and reaching the round of 32 is their best result so far.
Are Cape Verde still in the 2026 World Cup?
No, Cape Verde were knocked out in the round of 32 by Argentina.
What is Cape Verde's FIFA ranking?
Cape Verde are ranked 70 in the FIFA world rankings.