The world press hails “Little Thumb”: Cape Verde upsets the World Cup
By OnzeActu · · 2 min read
Cape Verde, for its first World Cup, confirms its incredible start to the tournament by coming back with a point against Uruguay after having already shared the points with Spain. The islanders' performance arouses the admiration of the international press, who see this small country as one of the revelations of the World Cup.
Cape Verde continues to ignite the world press. For the small African state, which is playing its first World Cup, the series is already historic: after holding Spain in check, the islanders once again won a draw against Uruguay. The gesture did not go unnoticed and foreign titles compete for praise.
“Cape Verde continues to make the headlines,” writes the French daily L'Équipe, highlighting the incredible journey of the debutants and estimating that they now have “a real chance” of qualifying for the 32nd finals after having neutralized two World Cup winners.
The Guardian, in an enthusiastic tone, describes the continuation of the Cape Verdean “tale” as potentially having serious consequences for Marcelo Bielsa and his Uruguay. The British newspaper salutes the heroic performance of the players, recalling that this small country has put the tournament hierarchy in difficulty on two occasions.
Image
In Portugal, A Bola talks about “epic goals” and a new “gala evening” for Cape Verde. In Italy, La Gazzetta dello Sport notes that it is “not a stroke of luck”: the beginners defend, but also know how to produce play – and could even only need a point against Saudi Arabia to validate a sensational qualification.
In Spain, Diario AS ensures that Cape Verde "turns the World Cup around", while Marca evokes a Uruguayan team in difficulty and in search of identity, despite the high pressure desired by Bielsa. The tone is similar in Germany: Bild headlines the “fairy tale” of the small state and recalls the modest stature of the country in the FIFA ranking (No. 67), which does not prevent exploits.
The shock wave has gone beyond Europe: the Washington Post speaks of a "new Cape Verdean sensation at the World Cup", and the Argentine daily Olé judges the performance "incredible", underlining the sporting consequences for Uruguay, now under pressure before its decisive match against Spain.
Among the notable faces of this adventure, goalkeeper Vozinha, 40 years old and a popular figure on the networks, embodies Cape Verdean solidity. Cape Verde's “magnificent” debut at the World Cup is already being presented as one of the finest dramas of the competition.