Cape Verde's historic World Cup ride ends after pushing Argentina to the brink

Sports Cape Verde's historic World Cup ride ends after pushing Argentina to the brink July 4, 20261:44 AM ET By  The Associated Press Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha (1) is scored on by Argentina's Lisandro Martinez during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between Argentina and Cape Verde in Miami Gardens, Fla., Friday, July 3, 2026. Lynne Sladky/AP hide caption toggle caption Lynne Sladky/AP MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — All that Vozinha wanted out of this World Cup was for his mother to see him play. He got that — and so much more. Soccer Edition Even fans who don't speak Spanish are watching the World Cup on Telemundo. Here's why Cape Verde didn't win a match at the World Cup, and somehow, that didn't seem to matter. The African team's debut on this stage was unforgettable, thanks largely to the 40-year-old goalkeeper who nearly engineered a soccer story that would have been counted among the greatest upsets in sports history. Cape Verde's magical ride ended Friday in the Round of 32, with the Blue Sharks falling to Lionel Messi and defending World Cup champion Argentina — as most expected. Final score: Champions 3, Cinderellas 2, in extra time — as probably very few expected. Sponsor Message "We have dignified Cape Verde as a national team in most parts of the world," Vozinha said in Portuguese. "Today, we fought on an equal footing against Argentina." Fight, the Blue Sharks did. But the journey still ended. There was a scoreless draw against Spain to open the tournament, with Vozinha leading the way, which led to the captivating tale surrounding the global collaborative effort it took to get his mother to the U.S. to watch matches in the group stage. There were two more dramatic draws that were good enough for Cape Verde to reach the knockout round. Argentina's Lionel Messi (10) battles with Cape Verde's Deroy Duarte (14) and Ryan Mendes (20) during the World Cup round of 32 soccer match between Argentina and Cape Verde in Miami Gardens, Fla., Friday, July 3, 2...