Spain kicked off their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign by taking on Cabo Verde. The two sides met at the Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta on June 15, and while many had backed Spain to register a dominant victory, it was Cabo Verde who scripted history and stole a point from the 2010 champions.ย
With the amount of talent that Spain possesses, many predicted that the clash against Cabo Verde would be a cakewalk for the side. However, thanks to a magical performance from the defensive line and a historic showing by 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha, Cabo Verde seems to have pulled off the impossible and has held Spain to a 0-0 draw.ย
In a squad full of stories, Cabo Verde proved to the world that dreams do come true, and with Vozinha in tears after full time, the dreams of the country seem to have come true, with the team qualifying for the World Cup and even rightfully taking a point from Spain, who are widely revered as one of the best teams in world football.ย
Vozinha was extremely important for Verde, making seven saves; the veteran keeper played his heart out and played a major role in holding off Spain. Despite the likes of Lamine Yamal and Mikel Merino coming on in the latter stages of the game, Spain were unable to put one goal past their opponents as the game ended 0-0.
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What did Cabo Verdeโs head coach say before the clash against Spain?
When the team were set to take on Spain, Cabo Verde head coach Bubista took centre stage and talked about how important it was for him to maintain their identity and revealed how he has told his players to play their heart out and enjoy their time in the World Cup.ย
โWeโve been discussing how much we want to enjoy the match and the World Cup. It is an amazing opportunity to show our country to the world. We are very much happy to face Spain in the opener, this is a dream coming true. We are happy to be here, I believe it is an opportunity for teams from smaller countries to have a chance to participate and play and compete, so to us we are proud of being here,โ Bubista said in the press conference before the game.ย
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