After leading the Blue Sharks into the knockout round and a near-victory over defending World Cup champion Argentina in the Round of 32, Vozinha's social-media count has taken off to more than 22.1 million Instagram followers compared to 46,000 before the tournament started.

By Gabriel Araujo KANSAS CITY, Missouri, July 4 (Reuters) - Argentina advanced to the World Cup last 16 with a 3-2 extra-time victory over Cape Verde, but the reigning champions left the match with new doubts after being pushed to the brink by the tournament debutants.

Just as Cape Verde was lining up against the defending champions, Argentina, their head coach Bubista was continuing his tradition of handing gifts to opposition coaches. Bubista’s team has gone from an unknown island to one of the most loved underdogs at the World Cup thanks to excellent performances on the field and even more heartwarming stories off the field.

The Cinderella story for Cape Verde at the 2026 FIFA World Cup came to an end on Friday, but not before they provided one of the great moments of the tournament with Sidny Lopes Cabral's game-tying goal in extra time against Argentina.

The tiny African nation was eliminated from the World Cup by one of soccer’s biggest powers, Argentina, but there was still plenty to celebrate.

Argentina may have survived a huge scare on the pitch, but the drama did not end with the final whistle. The reigning FIFA World Cup champions edged Cape Verde 3-2 after extra time in a thrilling Round of 32 clash that instantly earned “World Cup classic” status.

Cape Verde, the small island that captured hearts on the world’s biggest stage 💙 Football wins again.