The Cape Verde national team received a massive popular reception upon returning to the capital Praia after its historic participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as thousands of fans lined the streets to salute the "Blue Sharks" players during a celebratory motorcade.
Cape Verde made its first-ever appearance in a World Cup finals, succeeding in reaching the knockout rounds after drawing with European champions Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia in the group stage, before being eliminated in the round of 32 following a hard-fought 3-2 loss to Argentina after two periods of extra time.
The team's motorcade set off from the airport and passed through the main neighbourhoods of the capital, accompanied by crowds playing music and chanting. The enormous turnout of fans caused the procession to slow to a crawl at several points along the route.
Players, technical staff, and administrative staff had been scheduled to meet with the country's president, but a planned stop in front of the National Assembly (parliament) was cancelled due to the difficulty of reaching it amid the massive crowds.
The team's return coincided with Cape Verde's Independence Day celebrations, marking the anniversary of the country's liberation from Portugal in 1975 after nearly five centuries of Portuguese rule.
Goalkeeper Vozinha, before the motorcade got under way, affirmed that the team had achieved something great, saying: "We accomplished something wonderful, and I still haven't fully grasped the magnitude of what we achieved."
The motorcade concluded at Quebra Canela beach, the capital's main seafront promenade, where thousands of fans continued celebrating the team amid applause and the beating of drums.
Fans had also celebrated in the streets of Praia following the match against Argentina, despite the elimination, in appreciation of the level the team had displayed against the world champions.
Goalkeeper Vozinha, 40 years old, stood out among the tournament's stars after being named man of the match in the opening game against Spain; his social media following also jumped from around 50,000 to more than 19 million over the course of the World Cup.
After the Argentina match, Vozinha said: "The World Cup means so much to us, because it is a dream we waited a long time for. We qualified and made the dream come true — not just for me or for the team, but for the entire people of Cape Verde."
He added: "We feel proud of what we achieved, and of course we feel disappointed by the result, because we wanted to continue the journey, but we leave this tournament with our heads held high."