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Cabo Verde may have bowed out of the FIFA World Cup 2026, but the tournament debutants earned admiration from across the football world, with Haitian rapper and singer-songwriter Wyclef Jean praising the team's spirited performance against defending champions Argentina.
Soon after Cabo Verde's dramatic 3-2 extra-time defeat to Argentina in the Round of 32, Jean took to X to commend the African nation's fighting spirit. Emphasising that the result did not fully reflect the team's effort, he said the world had witnessed Cabo Verde's courage on football's biggest stage. "Cape Verde, hold your heads high. Great game against Argentina. The score says one thing. History says another. The world saw your heart. Respect," he wrote. Take a look: https://x.com/wyclef/status/2073235545581371753?s=20 Argentina were forced to dig deep before sealing their place in the Round of 16 after being taken to extra time by the World Cup debutants in a thrilling contest in Florida. Cabo Verde made a fearless start and troubled the reigning champions early through Ryan Mendes before Argentina gradually took control of proceedings. The underdogs drew level just before the hour mark when Mendes set up Deroy Duarte, who finished from a tight angle to score Cabo Verde's first-ever goal in the knockout stage of a FIFA World Cup. Veteran goalkeeper Vozinha then produced a series of impressive saves, including crucial stops to deny Lionel Messi, as Cabo Verde held Argentina until extra time. Argentina regained the lead through Lisandro Martinez, but Cabo Verde responded once again, with Sidny Lopes Cabral curling home a superb equaliser to keep their dream alive. The decisive goal eventually came in the second period of extra time when Cristian Romero's header, following a Messi corner, took a slight deflection before finding the net. Cabo Verde almost forced the match into a penalty shootout in the closing moments, but Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez produced a crucial save to deny Lopes Cabral's powerful free-kick. Argentina have now advanced to the Round of 16, where they will face Egypt. Cabo Verde, despite their exit, leaves the tournament with widespread praise after an impressive World Cup debut that saw them push the defending champions to the limit. (ANI)
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