Cape Verde are at the FIFA World Cup for the first time in their history.
After seven attempts across nearly three decades of trying, the Blue Sharks finally qualified for the 2026 edition in North America, and it is the greatest achievement in the nation’s sporting history.
With a population of around 525,000 people, Cape Verde become the second least-populous nation ever to qualify for a World Cup, behind only Iceland in 2018.
Coach Bubista, full name Pedro Leitão Brito and a former Cape Verde international himself, led the Blue Sharks through CAF Group D, topping a section that included four-time World Cup finalists Cameroon, Angola, Libya, Mauritius, and Eswatini.
The achievement is staggering in context.
They are drawn in Group H against Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia, which is as brutal a welcome to the elite stage as any debutant could receive.
Nobody expects them to progress from the group.
But the romance of their presence is undeniable, and this squad has earned every single moment of it.
Cape Verde’s squad is one of the most culturally unique at the tournament, with most players born or developed in Portugal, France, the Netherlands, and Ireland before choosing to represent the Blue Sharks, much like many of the footballers who have played for two different countries throughout history.
Here are the 10 best soccer players in Cape Verde at the 2026 World Cup.
1. Ryan Mendes — Forward (Captain)
Age: 36 | Club: Igdir FK (Turkey)
The most important player in Cape Verde’s history and the man who has led this nation for the last decade and a half.
Mendes made his debut 16 years ago and at 36 arrives at his first and only World Cup as the country’s all-time leader in both caps (98) and goals (22).
He is the face, the voice, and the heartbeat of this squad.
He drops deep to link play, brings runners from midfield into the final third, and provides the calm, experienced focal point around which Bubista’s 4-2-3-1 is built.
At 36 and playing in Turkey, Mendes is one of the older captains at this tournament, but his influence on this squad goes far beyond what he does on the pitch.
2. Vozinha — Goalkeeper
Age: 40 | Club: Chaves (Portugal)
The second oldest player at the entire 2026 World Cup and the vice-captain of this Cape Verde squad. He is one of the main footballers from Cabo Verde.
Vozinha, real name Josimar Dias, is 40 years old and still the first-choice goalkeeper at Chaves in Portugal’s Primeira Liga, which tells you everything about his standard.
He has 90 caps and has been between the posts for Cape Verde across multiple AFCON campaigns and the entirety of this historic World Cup qualifying run.
His command of his penalty area, shot-stopping quality, and leadership of the backline give Cape Verde a genuine European-standard goalkeeper, and you can read about the oldest players at the 2026 FIFA World Cup where Vozinha features prominently.
3. Logan Costa — Defender
Age: 25 | Club: Villarreal (Spain)
The only Cape Verde player competing in one of Europe’s top five leagues and the most technically accomplished defender in the squad.
Logan Costa joined Villarreal from Toulouse for 18 million euros in 2024 but suffered an ACL rupture in a pre-season friendly in July 2025, ruling him out for most of the season.
His return to action came on 17 May 2026 as a substitute for Villarreal against Rayo Vallecano, just weeks before the tournament.
His fitness is the single most important individual question surrounding Cape Verde’s World Cup, because if Costa is fully available he transforms the quality of their entire defensive unit.
ACL injuries are among the most feared in football and you can read about the footballers who have suffered ACL injuries.
4. Dailon Livramento — Forward
Age: 25 | Club: Casa Pia (Portugal)
The breakout star of Cape Verde’s qualifying campaign and the player who carried the attacking burden alongside Mendes throughout the entire process.
Livramento scored four crucial goals in qualifying, making him the most prolific Cape Verde forward across the campaign, and he arrives at this World Cup as the team’s primary striker.
He has 22 caps and 7 international goals and brings a direct, physical goal threat that gives Mendes genuine support inside the penalty area.
At 25 and in his first World Cup, this is the stage where Livramento needs to show the world what he can do.
5. Garry Rodrigues — Midfielder/Forward
Age: 35 | Club: Apollon Limassol (Cyprus)
One of Cape Verde’s most experienced and dangerous attacking players and a winger who has spent most of his career across European football.
Rodrigues has 61 caps and 10 international goals and provides the wide attacking pace and delivery that Cape Verde need when transitioning quickly from their defensive block.
He has played in Portugal, Turkey, Greece, and Cyprus across a long club career and brings a maturity and composure in wide areas that younger squad members cannot yet replicate.
6. Jamiro Monteiro — Midfielder
Age: 32 | Club: PEC Zwolle (Netherlands)
One of the two pivots in Bubista’s 4-2-3-1 and the most technically accomplished central midfielder in the squad.
Monteiro has 55 caps and 5 international goals and operates as the double pivot alongside Kevin Pina, providing defensive cover and allowing the number ten and wide players to operate with more freedom.
He spent time in MLS and in Dutch football and brings the composure and experience in possession that Cape Verde need to avoid being overrun in Group H against Spain and Uruguay.
7. Kevin Pina — Midfielder
Age: 29 | Club: Krasnodar (Russia)
The second pillar of Cape Verde’s double pivot and one of the most physically committed defensive midfielders in the squad.
Pina has 31 caps and 3 international goals and works alongside Monteiro to give Bubista a structured and organised midfield base from which to operate.
His ability to press, win the ball, and transition quickly makes him perfectly suited to the counter-attacking system Cape Verde will employ against every team in Group H.
8. Roberto Lopes — Defender
Age: 33 | Club: Shamrock Rovers (Ireland)
One of Cape Verde’s most experienced centre-backs and a player who represents the unique diaspora makeup of this squad, having been born in the Republic of Ireland.
Lopes has 45 caps and has been a consistent and reliable performer for Shamrock Rovers in the League of Ireland for many years.
He brings aerial quality, physical authority, and a reading of the game that makes him a dependable defensive partner alongside Logan Costa, or the most important centre-back in the squad if Costa is not fully fit for the tournament.
9. Jovane Cabral — Midfielder/Forward
Age: 27 | Club: Estrela Amadora (Portugal)
One of the most technically gifted and creative players in the Cape Verde squad and a winger who provides a different kind of attacking threat from Rodrigues on the opposite flank.
Cabral has 29 caps and 3 international goals and spent time in Portugal with Sporting CP before his current stint at Estrela Amadora.
His ability to take on defenders in one-on-one situations and create chances from wide positions gives Cape Verde the unpredictability their counter-attacks need against high-quality opposition.
10. Deroy Duarte — Midfielder
Age: 26 | Club: Ludogorets Razgrad (Bulgaria)
One of the most important midfielders in the squad and a player who has been developing steadily at Ludogorets in the Bulgarian top flight over recent seasons.
Duarte has 33 caps and brings a physical, combative presence in the centre of midfield that gives Bubista additional options beyond the Monteiro-Pina double pivot.
He is versatile, hardworking, and capable of operating in multiple midfield roles depending on what the game demands.
Cape Verde’s Greatest Moment
Cape Verde are at the World Cup, and nothing in African football this year comes close to matching the scale of what that means for this tiny island nation.
After seven attempts across more than two decades, the Blue Sharks have earned their place on the biggest stage in football for the very first time.
Group H with Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia is as tough a draw as any debutant nation could receive, and qualifying from it would require one of the greatest upsets in football history.
But Vozinha, Mendes, and Logan Costa, if fit, give Cape Verde a competitive spine that no team in Group H should take lightly.
Bubista’s compact, counter-attacking system conceded just five goals across six CAF qualifying matches, which is a defensive record that deserves enormous respect.
Cape Verde are one of the best African countries in football right now in terms of punching above their weight, and their journey to this World Cup is the kind of story the tournament was built to celebrate.
You can also read about every country that has ever won the World Cup, the longest unbeaten runs in international football, and the future World Cup hosts from 2030 to 2042 to understand the full picture of where the global game is heading.
According to FIFA, the 2026 World Cup will be the largest in tournament history with 48 teams competing across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
According to BBC Sport, Cape Verde’s qualification has been described as one of the most remarkable stories in African football history, a testament to what a tiny, well-organised nation can achieve with unity and a clear identity.
Who do you think will be Cape Verde’s best player at the 2026 World Cup? Let us know in the comments below!
