Cape Verde lost on Friday, but won the respect of just about every soccer fan on the planet.
Representing a country of around 530,000 in their first-ever FIFA World Cup appearance, Cape Verde took defending champion Argentina to their absolute limit. In a match that will be talked about for years, they matched Lionel Messi and his squad 1-1 in regulation and went toe-to-toe in extra time before Argentina finally found a way to eke out a 3-2 victory and move on. Not only did Cape Verde come incredibly close to pulling off one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history, but they proved to the world that they belong on the biggest stage.
Afterward, both Fox Sports soccer ******* ysts Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimović, legends in their own right, praised the tiny nation’s team and offered a poetic appreciation of their heart, passion, and accomplishments after the team finished the tournament with three draws, including one against Spain, and no regulation losses.
“I can stand there and give applause to Cape Verde because it was all about Cape Verde,” said Ibrahimović. “Small island with big dreams. And they almost rocked a big giant. But these guys, they’re heroes. These are heroes.
“They became idols of that small island and they are stars. They didn’t lose any game during 90 minutes. Important to say. They almost made it in this game. I think the whole world didn’t believe it was possible.”
Representing a country of around 530,000 in their first-ever FIFA World Cup appearance, Cape Verde took defending champion Argentina to their absolute limit. In a match that will be talked about for years, they matched Lionel Messi and his squad 1-1 in regulation and went toe-to-toe in extra time before Argentina finally found a way to eke out a 3-2 victory and move on. Not only did Cape Verde come incredibly close to pulling off one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history, but they proved to the world that they belong on the biggest stage.
Afterward, both Fox Sports soccer ******* ysts Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimović, legends in their own right, praised the tiny nation’s team and offered a poetic appreciation of their heart, passion, and accomplishments after the team finished the tournament with three draws, including one against Spain, and no regulation losses.
“I can stand there and give applause to Cape Verde because it was all about Cape Verde,” said Ibrahimović. “Small island with big dreams. And they almost rocked a big giant. But these guys, they’re heroes. These are heroes.
“They became idols of that small island and they are stars. They didn’t lose any game during 90 minutes. Important to say. They almost made it in this game. I think the whole world didn’t believe it was possible.”
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