Praia, Cape Verde – E be like say Cape Verde, small but mighty island dem, don enter gear as dem dey jostle for di 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification. Dis small nation wey get population like wetin one small town fit carry, just need one win from dem next two matches to secure dem place for di grand show! Unbelievable, right? (E go sweet pass sugar and palm wine!)
Dem go face Libya for away match on Wednesday, then after dat, dem go get home match against Eswatini on Monday. A win for any of di matches go land dem for di top of Group D and secure automatic qualification ahead of Cameroon, wey dey form heavyweights but don dey struggle recently.
Two decades ago, who even know Cape Verde for football? Na only dem dey find ground for international matches, with dem ranking dey sit down for 182nd place in di world. But fast forward to now! E be like say dem don upgrade dem skills. In 2013, dem land quarter-final for di Africa Cup of Nations, and now dem dey eye World Cup. Talk about transformation! (Shout out to dem coaches wey don dey work hard!)
Tony Araujo, one agent wey dey represent Cape Verde players from di Diaspora, talk say dem don make serious efforts to scout talent from everywhere dem fit find Cape Verdeans. “We don lock di Diaspora for player recruitment,” he yarn. Dem don even carry six players from Netherlands and many from Portugal, France, and Ireland join dem squad.
One of di major players, Roberto ‘Pico’ Lopes, no believe say e go fit play for di national team. Di young man dey chill for college when di coach send am message wey e no even check! E think say na spam! (Who fit blame am, abeg?). But di rest na history; now e dey ready to shine for di Blue Sharks!
Dis Cape Verde success no dey happen by magic o! Di increase in performance positivities can be traced back to plenty factors, including di recruitment wey dey hot dis time. People dey want to bring dem talent home. As dem dey shine, dem dey showcase dem skill to di world—trust me, dem go display anything wey dem get!
Dem latest win against Cameroon just sweet dem! Di whole island dey ready to party if dem fit land World Cup qualification. If dem win any of dis matches wey dey come, you fit bet say jubilation go scatter everywhere! Palm wine go flow like river! (I fit even carry my mat go chill for di beach!)
For many of di Cape Verde players, e go mean di world if dem fit qualify. Dem don go through migration heartbreaks, poverty challenges, and a lot of contrast since di days of Portuguese colonialism and di tough life wey dem dey face. Na wetin dey make dis opportunity taste even sweeter.
So, make we dey watch as dem take on Libya and Eswatini. If dem fit secure one win, na World Cup dem go dey carry dem wahala dey travel to North America. Dey gatz go show di bigger fish say dem dey here to compete!
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