A group of 10 islands with just 525,000 inhabitants is dancing on the pitch in Houston, huddled around a mobile phone, waiting for Spain's final whistle to confirm they had reached the World Cup knockout stage. Cape Verde, the smallest nation ever to do so, had just held two-time champions Uruguay 2-2 and earlier drawn with Spain—a feat that left players crying with joy and BBC Radio 5 Live's Rob Law calling it “the moment of the World Cup so far.”
Cape Verde's Blue Sharks made history by finishing second in Group H, setting up a last-32 tie against defending champions Argentina. But that tie will be a meeting of extremes: the tiny debutants versus the tournament's biggest star, Lionel Messi, who will start on the bench for Argentina's final group game against Jordan because manager Lionel Scaloni wants to rest him. Scaloni told journalists, including legendary reporter Enrique Macaya Márquez (91, reporting on his 18th World Cup), that Messi will come on later in the second half.
“How the smallest nation reached the World Cup knockout stage and why Argentina rested Messi.”
How did a nation of half a million, which qualified ahead of five-time African champions Cameroon, get this far? The main reason, according to Cape Verde's football federation (FCF), is a deliberate policy of recruiting from the diaspora. Fourteen of the 26-man squad were born abroad, six of them in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam. The country's strong links to Portugal (a former colonial power) and its seafaring tradition have created sizeable Cape Verdean communities in Europe. Dublin-born centre-back Roberto Lopes was even recruited via LinkedIn in 2019. Forward Dailon Livramento, who scored the vital winner against Cameroon, is one of the Rotterdam-born players. Josina Freitas Fortes, a member of Cape Verde's parliament, told BBC Sport Africa: "The FCF has made significant progress through passion, commitment and a clear technical plan." 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha was the hero in the opening goalless draw against Spain.
For UK readers, this story is a reminder that the World Cup is not just about the giants. Cape Verde's achievement echoes the romance of Leicester City's Premier League title or Wimbledon's giant-killing runs—but on the global stage. It also highlights the growing trend of diaspora recruitment, which UK clubs (with their own multinational squads) know well. Meanwhile, Messi's rest shows how top teams manage their stars: Argentina have already won the group, and Messi (who turned 39 during the tournament and has scored all five of Argentina's goals so far) is being preserved for the knockout rounds. Argentina defender Nicola Tagliafico said Messi is "at the same level as he was in 2022 or even better."
Q: How did Cape Verde qualify for the World Cup? Cape Verde qualified by beating five-time African champions Cameroon in a crucial qualifier, thanks to a goal from Dailon Livramento. They then navigated a group containing Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, drawing with Spain and Uruguay and drawing 0-0 with Saudi Arabia to finish second.
Q: Why isn't Lionel Messi starting for Argentina against Jordan? Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni said Messi will start on the bench because the team has already secured top spot in their group. Scaloni wants to keep him fresh for the knockout stages and promised he will play some part in the second half.
Q: What is the significance of Cape Verde's achievement? Cape Verde is the smallest nation ever to reach the knockout stage of a World Cup, with a population of just 525,000. Their success is largely attributed to recruiting players from the Cape Verdean diaspora, particularly in Portugal and the Netherlands.
What happens next? Cape Verde will face Argentina in the last 32. Messi is expected to play, though likely not the full game. Argentina will be heavy favourites, but Cape Verde have already shown they can compete with the best. Their fairy tale continues.