Cape Verde, a small island nation off the western coast of Africa, has made history by becoming the smallest country to reach the World Cup knockout round. The team, led by 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha, drew 0-0 with Saudi Arabia to advance in the tournament.

A Dream Come True

Cape Verde’s coach, Bubista, said the team was eager to show the world what they could do. “We are small, but we have big hearts and we are fighters,” he said. The team’s success has been a dream come true for the players and fans, who celebrated with joy and tears after the final whistle.

Vozinha, who has become a hero in his country, said the team has a lot of quality and is ready to compete with the best. “Maybe for many of you, you think the Cape Verdean player is not good enough. But we came here to show that we have a lot of quality and we are here to compete and our players can play everywhere in the big competition, in the big leagues,” he said.

A Historic Achievement

Cape Verde’s achievement is all the more impressive given the team’s lack of experience on the world stage. The country is making its debut in the World Cup and has already exceeded expectations by reaching the knockout round. The team will play reigning World Cup champion Argentina in Miami on July 3.

Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.