Cape Verde vs Argentina World Cup
Cape Verde didn’t win. Cape Verde won something bigger.
Ranked 67th in the world, a nation of just 525,000 people took the defending world champions — Lionel Messi’s Argentina. All the way to extra time in the Round of 32 in Miami. We equalised against the champions not once, but twice. We only lost to an own goal in the 111th minute.
This is how Santa Maria, Sal Island lived every unforgettable second of it.
🇨🇻 THE STORY OF THE MATCH
Messi opened the scoring (29′). Deroy Duarte equalised for Cape Verde (59′). Argentina went ahead again in extra time (92′) and Sidny Lopes Cabral answered with one of the goals of the tournament (103′). Heartbreak came from an own goal in the 111th minute. Final score: Argentina 3–2 Cape Verde, after extra time. Undefeated until the very last breath.
📍 Filmed in Santa Maria, Sal Island, Cape Verde — July 2026
A nation that held Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia in the group stage, and pushed the world champions to their absolute limit. This is the greatest run in Cape Verdean football history.
ABOUT SAL ISLAND
Santa Maria is the heart of Sal Island. One of Cape Verde’s most visited islands, known for its white sand beaches, warm Atlantic waters, and some of the best windsurfing and kitesurfing conditions in the world. Beyond the tourism, it is a community with deep roots, real stories, and a pride that this World Cup has made visible to the entire world.
