Cape Verde’s impressive run in the World Cup continues as they prepare to face Argentina, led by Lionel Messi, in the Round of 32. The African island nation has been a surprise package in the tournament, holding Spain to a 0-0 draw and reaching the knockout stages of their first ever World Cup.
Cape Verde’s Rise to Prominence
Former Cape Verde manager Rui Águas attributes the team’s success to the country’s talented people and their love for football. Águas, who managed the team from 2014-2016 and again from 2018-2019, identified potential stars through tipoffs and word of mouth, and then watched video clips to assess their suitability.
One such player is Roberto Lopes, the team’s current center-back, who was born and raised in Ireland but is eligible to play for Cape Verde through his father. Águas reached out to Lopes on LinkedIn, and after a year of persistence, Lopes finally joined the team.
Argentina Matchup
Cape Verde’s match against Argentina will be a tough test, but Águas believes that his team can cause an upset. ‘They did it against Spain, it’s possible to do it the same way against Argentina,’ he said. The match will be played at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, at 2 p.m. ET.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
