Cape Verde footballers greeted by thousands after World Cup exit

Cape Verde's "Blue Sharks" arrived in the capital, Praia, on Sunday after their World Cup campaign ended in a closely contested match against Argentina. The team was met by a large crowd of supporters lining the airport runway. Goalkeeper Josimar José Évora Dias, known as Vozinha, said the moment was "a very great moment for us to be here with our people" and added that the squad would "enjoy the moment and celebrate with our people" despite missing the next stage. Cape Verde entered the tournament ranked 67th and recorded three group-stage draws, including a 0-0 stalemate with Spain, before pushing Argentina to extra time. The match saw the sides level at 1-1, then again at 2-2 before a deflected header allowed Argentina to advance. Team manager Pedro Leitão Brito, also called Bubista, expressed pride in his side, stating, "We showed that we may be a small country but we can play against the best teams in the world. That's a reason for pride."