They arrived at the World Cup with barely any name recognition. They left as one of the tournament's most beloved stories. Cape Verde's 2026 World Cup campaign was a fairytale that captured the global imagination — and two players in particular emerged as unlikely heroes.

Vozinha: The Goalkeeper Who Nearly Wasn't There

The goalkeeper turned 40 shortly before the start of the tournament and was catapulted to cult hero status when he kept a clean sheet on Cape Verde's World Cup debut against eventual champions Spain — a stunning 0-0 draw that announced the tiny island nation on the world stage.

It was all the more remarkable given that Vozinha had considered retiring from the national team after being left out of the squad during their unsuccessful Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign. He was only convinced by team-mates to stay on for the World Cup. His heroics could not have come at a better time: his contract with Portuguese second-tier side Chaves had ended, and he now joins Chilean club Colo-Colo as a World Cup sensation.

Sidny Lopes Cabral: Goal of the Tournament

The most celebrated goalscorers in football were at the World Cup — but the goal of the tournament was scored by a defender playing for one of the competition's minnows.

Argentina's 3-2 win over Cape Verde in the round of 32 was a classic nobody expected. Cape Verde had already captured hearts by progressing from the group stage, holding Spain to that famous 0-0 draw in their opener. When they began the second half against Argentina trailing 1-0 courtesy of Messi, few thought the fairytale would last much longer.

But there was a bonus chapter. First came Deroy Duarte's second-half equaliser to force extra time, in which Argentina swiftly retook the lead. Then, in the 103rd minute, came Lopes Cabral's stunning, ludicrous curled effort from the edge of the penalty area. His sprint into the crowd afterwards to seek out his partner made a moment already loaded with emotion even more memorable. When Argentina went ahead for a third time in the 111th minute, it finally proved too much — but Lopes Cabral's equaliser was named the FIFA Goal of the Tournament.

Lopes Cabral, who was born in the Netherlands, broke through in the lower tiers of German football before joining Estrela da Amadora in the Portuguese top flight last summer. He earned a January move to Benfica, where he made a promising start before falling out of favour. In June, buoyed by his World Cup exploits, he moved to Turkish club Trabzonspor — where he has since been joined by former Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah.

Cape Verde's World Cup ended in the round of 32, but their story — and the moments of magic from Vozinha and Lopes Cabral — will echo far beyond this tournament.