Praia: A carnival-like celebration swept through Cape Verde after the country qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time in its history. The archipelago nation off the coast of Senegal is the smallest African country by population—and the second smallest in the world after Iceland—ever to qualify for the tournament.
According to Deutsche Welle, Coach Pedro "Bubista" Brito expressed that the win was "a victory for all the Cape Verdean people," emphasizing the joy it brought to the nation. "Giving this happiness to these people is enormous," he told reporters.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino congratulated Cape Verde on what he described as a "historic moment," noting that the team’s success is likely to "power a new generation of football lovers" across the country.
Cape Verde secured its World Cup spot by topping its qualifying group with 23 points, finishing four points ahead of Cameroon, Africa's most frequent World Cup participant with eight appearances.
An archipelago of 10 islands off the coast of Senegal, Cape Verde gained independence from Portugal in 1975 and first entered World Cup qualifying in 2002.