The Smallest Nation Ever to Reach the World Cup Knockouts — Can Cape Verde Shock Messi's Argentina?
"Cape Verde held Spain 0-0 in the tournament's most shocking result. They drew with Uruguay, they drew with Saudi Arabia. They have never won a World Cup match. And now they face the defending champions and Lionel Messi in Miami. This is the most romantic, most impossible, most wonderful story of the 2026 World Cup." π Round of 32 — Argentina vs Cape Verde, World Cup 2026 Stop what you are doing and appreciate this moment. Cape Verde — a nation of 600,000 people off the coast of West Africa , making their first ever World Cup appearance — have become the smallest nation by population in history to reach a World Cup knockout stage . They held Spain to 0-0. They held Uruguay to 2-2 when trailing. They held Saudi Arabia to 0-0. Three draws, six points, Group H runners-up. Goalkeeper Vozinha — who stopped everything Spain threw at him and gained two million Instagram followers overnight — has become one of the tournament's most beloved figures. Every neut...