The Cape Verde national football team is gearing up for an impressive showing at the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals, set to take place in Ivory Coast from January 13 to February 11, 2024. The “Blue Sharks” are hoping to emulate their performance from 10 years ago at the South African edition, where they reached the quarterfinals—their best finish in the competition to date—before succumbing to Ghana with a two-goal deficit. Cape Verde finds themselves in the challenging Group B alongside the likes of Egypt, Ghana, and Mozambique.
The Cape Verde Football Federation was established in 1982, gaining membership in the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) just four years later, and joined the Confederation of African Football in 2000. Currently, the federation is presided over by Victor Osorio. On April 19, 1978, the national team played its first international match against Guinea, securing a win with a single unreturned goal. In the latest FIFA ranking as of November 2023, Cape Verde occupies the 73rd position globally, with their highest ever ranking being 27th.
Cape Verde’s participation in the African Cup has a notable history. In the 2013 edition in South Africa, the team made their first appearance in the AFCON and advanced to the quarterfinals, finishing seventh overall after a loss to Ghana with a score of 2-0. They were knocked out during the group stage in the 2015 tournament in Equatorial Guinea. In the 2021 edition in Cameroon, they reached the round of 16 before being defeated by Senegal, who later claimed the title by beating Egypt in the final with a penalty shoot-out score of 4-2. Across their three past participations, the team has scored six goals while conceding nine.
In their 2013 AFCON debut, the Cape Verde national team delivered a stunning performance, justly earning their place in the quarterfinals. The question now is whether the “Blue Sharks” can exceed this stage in the upcoming edition.
Notable past players for the Cape Verde national team include:
– Babanco (third-highest number of appearances with 62 matches)
– Heldon, the team’s all-time top scorer (15 goals in 52 matches)
– Lito, Calo, Dady, Fernando Varela, and Marco Soares.
Currently, the leading players for Cape Verde are:
– Ryan Mendes, a forward for Turkish team Fatih Karagümrük and the second highest goal scorer in history with 15 goals, also holding the record for the most appearances at 69.
– Zé Luís, a forward for Spanish club Rayo Vallecano.
– Garry Rodrigues, a forward at Saudi club Al Ittihad.
– Júlio Tavares, who plays for the Saudi club Al Raed.
Pedro “Bubista” Brito, a local coach, has been in charge of training the Cape Verdean national team since January 2022. At 53 years old, Brito has led the “Blue Sharks” in 32 international matches, achieving 15 victories, 8 draws, and 9 losses. Under his guidance, the team has scored 40 goals and conceded 29.
Cape Verde’s upcoming Group B matches for the AFCON include:
– Sunday, January 14: Ghana vs. Cape Verde (Félix Houphouët-Boigny Stadium)
– Friday, January 19: Cape Verde vs. Mozambique (Félix Houphouët-Boigny Stadium)
– Monday, January 22: Cape Verde vs. Egypt (Félix Houphouët-Boigny Stadium)
