Cape Verde continued to make an impact against the defending champions after drawing 0-0 with Spain, 2-2 with Uruguay, and 0-0 with Saudi Arabia in the group stage. On 3/7 at Hard Rock Stadium, Argentina took the lead through Lionel Messi, before Deroy Duarte equalized for Cape Verde, forcing the match into extra time.

The drama intensified in the first period of extra time when Lisandro Martinez restored Argentina's lead, but Sidny Lopes Cabral scored a spectacular curling shot to bring Cape Verde level again at 2-2. The African representative's journey ended only due to an own goal by Diney in the second period of extra time.

Vozinha (yellow jersey) shaking hands with Lionel Messi after Cape Verde lost 2-3 to Argentina in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup at Miami Stadium, Miami Gardens city, Florida state, My, on 3/7/2026. Photo: Reuters

After the match, Vozinha expressed pride in his team's performance. "Cape Verde departs with pride in what we have achieved and for proving to the world that we know how to play football", the 40-year-old goalkeeper stated.

Vozinha shared that he always believed Cape Verde would pose significant challenges for the defending champions. "Before the match, everyone thought Argentina would win easily. But I am proud of my teammates and myself for putting Cape Verde on the world map with this performance", he expressed.

The match against Argentina marked Vozinha's busiest performance in the tournament. Despite conceding three goals, he made 8 saves. In the group stage, the goalkeeper made 7 saves in the 0-0 draw against Spain, did not need to make any saves in the 2-2 draw against Uruguay, and added three more saves in the 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia, results that secured Cape Verde's spot in the knockout round.

Vozinha blocking a close-range shot from Messi. Photo: Reuters

By the end of the World Cup, Vozinha had made a total of 18 saves across four matches. In the history of the tournament, only two goalkeepers aged 40 or older have made more saves in a single World Cup: Peter Shilton of England (28 saves in the 1990 World Cup) and Dino Zoff of Italy (27 saves in the 1982 World Cup). However, both played seven matches, while Vozinha played only four times.

His impressive form also brought Vozinha widespread recognition. Before the World Cup began, the goalkeeper's Instagram account had around 46,000 followers. After Cape Verde's impactful journey, this number increased to over 19 million.

Cape Verde equalized 1-1.

Meanwhile, coach Bubista expressed regret that Cape Verde came very close to taking Argentina to a penalty shootout. "The general feeling is sadness at being eliminated, even though the team had a good tournament. We were very close to a different outcome for the match", he said. "We showed pride in representing our country. Some cried, but that is part of the growth process".

The 56-year-old coach emphasized that the team always chose an attacking style of play, despite facing three former world champions: Spain, Uruguay, and Argentina. He stated: "We played fair, maintained discipline throughout the tournament. This shows that small nations can also compete with big teams through organization and discipline".

Bubista also expressed pride and satisfaction that Cape Verde did not resort to disrupting the opponent's play. His players attacked when opportunities arose, defended well when necessary, dropped deep, and counter-attacked at the right moments.

Cape Verde equalized 2-2.

When asked if there was a moment he believed Cape Verde could eliminate Argentina, Bubista said he sensed an opportunity, especially in extra time. The 56-year-old coach also mentioned that a friendly match against Chile before the tournament helped Cape Verde better understand the South American football style, allowing for better preparation for the confrontation with Argentina.

At the conclusion of the press conference, coach Bubista received applause from reporters before offering his thanks and departing, concluding a memorable first World Cup campaign.

Hong Duy (according to Globo)