Jubilant Cape Verde sets date with Argentina
Debutant Cape Verde secured a place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 as Group H runner-up after a 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia in Houston, and will face Lionel Messi's Argentina in the next stage as it continues a journey that has captured the imagination of fans.
Spain's 1-0 victory over Uruguay earned the European champion top spot in the pool with seven points, while three draws were enough for Cape Verde to earn second place.
Uruguay and Saudi Arabia have both been eliminated with two points.
It was a game low on quality as Cape Verde looked the more likely to score but lacked composure in the final third.
Laros Duarte missed their best chance when one-on-one with goalkeeper Mohammed Alowais, who saved his effort.
"I feel like I’m in a dream," man-of-the-match Deroy Duarte said.
"Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always dreamed of playing in a [FIFA} World Cup."
"From tomorrow, we’ll focus on the next match. It’s against Argentina, isn’t it? A tough match, but let’s believe – anything is possible.”
Many players lingered on the pitch after most of the supporters had exited Houston Stadium as they took pictures, hugged each other and draped themselves in flags, absorbing the historic moment for the nation of some 500,000 people.
Cape Verde’s Dailon Livramento said the team sought to play its own way against Saudi Arabia but acknowledged finishing the kind of chances it created would be vital against Argentina.
"We tried to play football; we tried to play our own style,” he said.
“This was the match where we were able to show that.”
“In the end, we’ll look at what we could have done better – like finishing off our moves – but that’s for the next match. For now, we’re just going to celebrate."
Saudi Arabia exited the tournament meekly having scored a single goal in their three games and never looked like adding to their tally in Houston in a display that lacked ambition for the most part.
Saudi coach Georgios Donis said an inability to hold possession and threaten Cape Verde in the final third was his team’s undoing.
"We had problems in creating things,” he said. “When you are playing in such a match and unable to control the pace and tempo of the game and in the attack you cannot create chances it is difficult to win a match.”
