A nation of just over 500,000 people is heading to the knockout round of a World Cup.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cape Verde became the first side since Chile in 1998 to advance from the group stage with three draws, but they did so in stunning fashion.\u00a0<\/p>\n
With Spain beating Uruguay in Guadalajara, Bubista\u2019s side only needed a draw against Saudi Arabia to advance. But they didn\u2019t sit back in the second half and instead displayed the type of soccer that has endeared the African nation to the wider sporting world.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Their reward? Second place in Group H and a date with Lionel Messi and Argentina on July 3rd in Miami.<\/p>\n
Here are the biggest takeaways from Friday\u2019s action at the 2026 World Cup.<\/p>\n
Group G: New Zealand vs. Belgium | 11 p.m. ET\/8 p.m. PT<\/p>\n
Group G: Egypt vs. Iran | 11 p.m. ET\/8 p.m. PT<\/p>\n
In the end, Spain topped their group as expected.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Their manager, Luis de la Fuente, made a couple of tweaks to the lineup that thrashed Saudi Arabia this past Sunday. \u00c1lex Baena showcased the depth Spain boasts as they reasserted themselves after a lacklustre start that featured a frustrated Lamine Yamal. They were fortunate in some instances, including Baena\u2019s opening goal, which stood as the winner. Before being replaced at halftime, Uruguay\u2019s Fernando Muslera became the first goalkeeper since 1966 to commit three errors leading to goals in a World Cup. Woof. At least Uruguay\u2019s stunning failure opened the door for one of this tournament\u2019s greatest stories.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ranked 64th in the world and given little chance to advance, Cape Verde did just that. Led by goalkeeper Vozinha and the excellent centre-back pairing of Diney Borges and Roberto Lopes, they were organized.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kevin Pina, one of the heroes in their match against Uruguay, was again excellent in the midfield. But Bubista has built a collective, based on not one or two players but the whole squad, and that unity was showcased in each match as Cape Verde\u2019s inner belief and Vozinha\u2019s follower count simultaneously grew.\u00a0<\/p>\n
They\u2019re going to face the greatest player of all-time and the defending champions in their next match. But what\u2019s another upset?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Stale Solbakken wasn\u2019t going to take any chances. With a spot in the round of 32 already secured, Norway\u2019s manager decided to make 10 changes from their last match, including resting starmen Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard.<\/p>\n
Perhaps we should\u2019ve expected rotation given the fact Haaland dumped cold water on one of the standout matches of the group stage four days ago.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“Honestly, I couldn’t care too much about that,”\u00a0said Haaland.<\/a>\u00a0“We managed to get through (to the knockout round), which is incredible. I couldn’t care too much about that game (vs. France). They’re probably going to win against us. They’re probably going to win the whole tournament.”<\/p>\n