Cape Verde’s national soccer team returned home to a hero’s welcome after reaching the round of 32 at the World Cup and taking Lionel Messi and Argentina into extra time, adding another layer to an already festive Independence Day across the country.
The team arrived from Miami as supporters gathered to salute a first World Cup appearance for a country of about 500,000 people. Cape Verde also became the smallest country by land mass ever to reach the World Cup, a piece of context that made the homecoming feel even larger.
Goalkeeper Vozinha recorded the scene as airport workers on the tarmac dropped to their knees and bowed while the plane moved toward its gate. The players and staff then moved through interviews, hugs, high-fives and selfies before the celebration shifted outside the airport.
Eventually, the squad and coaches were placed on the back of a truck and paraded through streets lined with thousands of cheering fans. Flags moved in the breeze, drummers played in the streets and dance troupes joined the Independence Day welcome.
“We gave it all for Cape Verde,” defender Pico Lopes said after the team’s return.
The weekend also brought progress for the men’s basketball team, which secured a place in the second round of World Cup qualifying before beating Libya in Cameroon. The basketball program made its first World Cup appearance in 2023 and is continuing its qualifying path with hopes of reaching the 2027 event.
“Viva Cape Verde,” basketball coach Emanuel Trovoada said after the win over Libya. Trovoada also tied the soccer team’s return to the wider national mood, saying, “This is historic. This is important. Our soccer team has returned to the country — for a party.”
For Cape Verde, the soccer homecoming and basketball qualifying result landed together during Independence Day, turning one national celebration into a broader sporting moment.