Cape Verde coach Bubista believes his World Cup debutants have proven that dreams can triumph over financial constraints after claiming another precious point in a 2-2 draw against Uruguay on Sunday.
The African country has now completed a draw with heavyweights Spain and Uruguay to put itself in contention for a historic qualification for the knockout stages.
«Once you get on the pitch, many things become equal. No matter how big the opponent is on the world stage, many national teams become equal,» a beaming Bubista told reporters.
“We wanted to show that not only in football, but also in other aspects of life.
“Show that you can achieve great things regardless of your challenges, whether they are financial or any other kind. As long as you have a dream and chase it.”
Cape Verde’s remarkable performance has the coach daring to think about progress from the group stage in the 48-team tournament, where the best third-placed teams will also advance.
It is in third place with two points, level with Uruguay and two points behind group leaders Spain. Saudi Arabia is at the bottom with one point ahead of the last round.
“Given what we have done with two teams of international quality, I think our focus should be on qualifying,” he said.
“If we were to think about that, I think it’s only legitimate to do that given what we’ve done… But we also know that each of these teams also has an opportunity to move forward.”
However, the 56-year-old coach also emphasized that his team’s mission extends beyond football results.
«We are here to show our country to the whole world. So it’s not just about how we play football. It’s about everything: our culture, our music, our history, our supporters – all that,» Bubista said.
“We want people all over the world to know Cape Verde as we are, and to show the identity of our people.”
Despite their impressive performances against two former World Cup winners, Bubista insisted his players must keep their feet on the ground ahead of their final group match against Saudi Arabia.
«They have to keep their feet on the ground. We know this will also be a challenging match. Saudi Arabia also has the opportunity to qualify,» he warned.
“These will of course be challenging matches for all teams, but we will certainly try to win.”
Before the match, Bubista gave Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa a gift, saying it was a small token from Cape Verde and something for the 70-year-old to remember them by.
«For me and for many other coaches, especially in Africa, Bielsa is a master. We have studied what he has done throughout his career,» Bubista said.
“I was very happy that I could meet him in person.”
Published on June 22, 2026
