Cape Verde's magical World Cup run continues after draw with Saudi Arabia. Next up? Lionel Messi and Argentina
Story by
Nick BrombergSenior writerSat, June 27, 2026 at 3:20 AM UTC·4 min readSeconds after tying Saudi Arabia 0-0 on Friday night, players from Cape Verde, the third-smallest nation to ever play in the World Cup, huddled around a phone and waited for the end of Spain's win over Uruguay to go final for the dream to be real.
Would the biggest underdog story of the 2026 World Cup continue for at least one more game?
AdvertisementAdvertisementThe answer was yes. And, somehow, Cape Verde is now an even bigger underdog.
Thanks to a group stage campaign that included no wins and — most importantly — no losses, Cape Verde finished second in Group H to Spain on Friday night. The three points Cape Verde earned from its three draws were enough to beat Uruguay, the inaugural World Cup winners, and Saudi Arabia, the country that upset Lionel Messi and Argentina to open the 2022 World Cup.
Now officially the smallest nation to make the knockout rounds of the World Cup, Cape Verde has captured the world's attention over the past two weeks. And, somehow, it'll be on an even bigger stage on July 3, when it meets Messi and Argentina in Miami in the Round of 32.
World Cup schedule | Group schedule, results | Standings
AdvertisementAdvertisementYes, making the knockout rounds of the World Cup is easier than ever this year. The tournament was expanded from 32 to 48 and the knockout round field size was doubled from 16 to 32.
But it's not like Cape Verde has snuck through to the Round of 32 as a third-place team in an easy group. After all, it tied Spain 0-0 to open the World Cup as goalkeeper Vozinha became the first breakout star of the tournament.
Vozinha's star turn
Vozinha made seven saves in that draw as Spain attempted 27 shots and had the ball nearly 75% of the time. If you go by the expected goals metric, which calculates how many goals a team could have scored based on the quality of its chances, Spain should have scored at least twice.
AdvertisementAdvertisementBefore the game, Vozinha had 50,000 Instagram followers. He's now about to hit 17 million. And, most importantly, his mother was able to travel to the United States to see her son play after she was unable to be at the first game.
Vozinha's fame isn't the only improbable path on the team, either. Center back Roberto Lopes, who plays just ahead of Vozinha in defense, was recruited to the team via LinkedIn. And it took multiple messages for Lopes to take that recruitment seriously.
Former manager Rui Águas sent Lopes a message in 2018 inquiring about his interest in playing for Cape Verde. Lopes' father is from Cape Verde and he hadn't yet represented a country internationally.
However, the message was in Portuguese, so Lopes ignored it since he didn't speak it. Months later, Águas sent another one in English.
AdvertisementAdvertisementIn 2019, Lopes made his Cape Verde debut.
Cape Verde's push to World Cup prominence
Though Cape Verde's worldwide rise has been meteoric, it's been building for years in Africa. In 2022, Cape Verde missed out on the final round of African qualifying by just two points after finishing well off the pace in 2018.
Ahead of 2026, Cape Verde took care of business before the playoffs began. With group winners automatically advancing to the World Cup, Cape Verde outscored eight-time World Cup participant Cameroon by four points in its group.
But African sides have long been overlooked in the World Cup. In 2022, Morocco became the first team from the continent to make the semifinals and just the fourth country to make a quarterfinal appearance.
This year, as many as eight African teams can qualify for the Round of 32.
Cape Verde's chances of matching Morocco or even Cameroon, Ghana or Senegal as a quarterfinalist are incredibly slim. After all, Messi is still playing like one of the best players in the world and Argentina looks primed for another deep tournament run. But that's something to worry about a week from now.
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price subsidising their life by livestreaming
Venezuela Fury and her husband Noah Price look to be making their own way in the world by raking it in from their lucrative social media accounts.
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury, 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year.
Since getting married and moving in together the couple have been earning thousands of pounds a month, livestreaming their life as newlyweds in their static caravan in the East Riding of Yorkshire.
And fans can't get enough of their regular life updates on TikTok and Kick, which have proved to be very profitable for the pair.
They look to be supporting themselves after Noah denied that he was given £5million by Venezuela's family as a wedding gift.
Despite his wife's huge family wealth, an estimated combined £160 million, Noah recently told his Kick followers that he 'pays for everything' for the couple.
Making light of the claims about Venezuela's millionaire financial status, Noah said: 'I actually pay for everything unfortunately. You'd expect the millionaire to pay for it wouldn't you.'
Venezuela Fury and Noah Price are earning thousands livestreaming their caravan life - after her new groom insisted he pays all the bills and denied he had £5m handout from her dad
The influencer daughter of Tyson and Paris Fury , 16, has become an internet sensation after tying the knot with her husband Noah, 19, earlier this year
Venezuela then asked their fans: 'Do you think I am a millionaire?'
Noah joked: 'She isn't a secret millionaire guys', before she broke into song and sang: 'But I live like a millionaire!'
But it seems according to estimated calculations from their social media work, Noah and Venezuela can more than afford to support themselves.
Noah has been livestreaming on platforms such as Kick and TikTok, where viewers can send paid gifts or donations.
He was previously encouraging viewers to send gifts on his honeymoon during livestreams, suggesting this is one revenue stream.
Both Noah and Venezuela have built substantial followings on Instagram and TikTok. They can potentially earn money through sponsored posts, brand collaborations, affiliate links and creator payouts.
Kick allows its creators to take home 95 per cent of the £4.99 subscription cost that fans pay.
Streamers keep 100 per cent of direct tips and donations, minus minor standard payment processing fees.
It is unclear how many subscribers Noah currently has because this information is hidden, but he does have 7,200 followers which is publicly viewable.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million.
An industry insider has suggested Noah is making around £400 per video on TikTok, while Venezuela is likely to make £2,000 due to her following count of 1.3 million
In one video on their honeymoon, Noah asked his followers if they'd give them some more gifts now that they were married.
In a TikTok live viewed by 20,000 he said: 'Keep liking our videos people, keep sending gifts.'
After saying thank you to several of his followers he joked they should stick around on the livestream and 'watch Venezuela punch me in the mouth'.
The other half of the honeymooning couple said: 'I am, honestly!'
Noah previously confirmed that the pair don't share their finances after they were asked whether they have a shared bank account.
'She earns her money, I earn mine,' said Noah, as Venezuela joked: 'Yeah, what you gonna do about it.'
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'.
Meanwhile Venezuela is being eyed up by executives for a fly on the wall TV series.
Noah went on to debunk the rumour that Tyson gave him £5million when he tied the knot with his daughter as he insisted: 'No Tyson did not give me £5million'
Boasting 1.3 million TikTok followers, Venezuela is already entertaining fans with her honest musings and candid moments, from cooking to kitting out her and Noah's static caravan home.
And following the success of the Netflix series At Home With The Furys, it is no wonder bosses are wanting to draw on the Fury popularity.
A TV insider said: 'The couple are not A-list celebrities but everyone has become obsessed with their love story.
'People are genuinely intrigued by them. Whether it’s the fact they have married so young, Venezuela’s famous family or their gypsy lifestyle, they have the ‘X factor'.
'Several TV executives think a proper fly-on-the-wall series following their lives as newlyweds in the gypsy community would be fascinating,' they told The Sun.
It is thought Netflix would be likely to produce the series due to their already established relationship with the Furys.
Venezuela's representatives told The Daily Mail: 'We have many offers on the table regarding Venezuela which we are discussing.'
