Cape Verde coach Bubista proud of historic World Cup run
The coach of the Cape Verde national team Bubista has said that he is proud of his players despite losing 3-2 to defending champions Argentina in the Round of 32 at the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The coach who spoke to newsmen after the pulsating game expressed immense pride in his players performance following their heroic World Cup exit.
He stated: “I can only thank the team for their effort and showing so much heart. We dignify what our country is… More than anything, it’s being proud of our players who were dignified in the World Cup. We showed our identity.”
The coach also acknowledged the pain of coming so close but emphasized that their gritty 120-minute performance against Lionel Messi led Argentina was a massive source of pride.
“I don’t think any other team could have scored two goals against Argentina,” said Bubista.
“It shows the character of our team and how skilled they are. We did our best and we did it with bravery. I’m so proud of what my players did.
“Being able to equalise twice shows how resilient our team is. I’m very proud of what we did throughout the tournament. He added.
Read Also: Incredible Cape Verde bow out as Argentina win to set up Egypt clash
Argentina needed extra time to eventually win 3-2 as they were pushed to the brink of possibly the biggest World Cup upset ever after Cape Verde twice found equalisers before finally succumbing to the opponents 111th-minute winner.
Messi scored the first goal of the game in the 29th minute but Cape Verde equalized in the 59th minute of the second half through Deroy Duarte to make it 1–1.
Inter Milan of Italy striker Lisandro Martinez scored the second goal for Argentina in the 92nd minute but Cape Verde duly equalized in the 103 minute when Sidney Lopes fired home a curling rocket from the edge of the 18-yard box.
However, Argentina had the last laugh of the game when Diney Borges scored an own goal in the 111th minute of extra time to make it 3-2 after deflecting a Christian Romero header into his own net.
Argentina will now play the Egypt national football team in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after both teams survived dramatic Round of 32 games.
Key match statistics: Argentina Vs Cape Verde
Possession: Argentina 64% – Cape 36%
Total Shots: Argentina 22 – Cape Verde 16
Shots on Target: Argentina 10- Cape Verde 5
Total Passes: Argentina 822 – Cape Verde 444
Pass Accuracy: Argentina 92% – Cape Verde 86%
Big Chances Created: Argentina 3- Cape Verde 0
Saves: Argentina 3 – Cape Verde 8
Corners: Argentina 8 – Cape Verde 8
Fouls Committed: Argentina 13 – Cape Verde 12
