Cape Verde
Cape Verde make their tournament debut, an extraordinary achievement for an Atlantic archipelago of 500,000 people. Bubista, the Portuguese-trained coach who has led the Tubarões Azuis since 2020, engineered the qualification on a foundation of organisation and Cape Verdean diaspora talent. Ryan Mendes, Garry Rodrigues and Bebé provide attacking experience; Stopira anchors the back; Vozinha keeps goal. The Blue Sharks reached the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations quarter-final, signalling their genuine arrival on the continental stage. Group H with Spain, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay is brutal but the moment is monumental. A point against Saudi Arabia or even a competitive showing against Spain or Uruguay would etch this team into Cape Verdean folklore for generations.
Upcoming matches
Group H standings
| # | Teams | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spain | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Cape Verde | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Saudi Arabia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Uruguay | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |