Magical World Cup ride of Vozinha and Cape Verde ends after pushing Messi and Argentina to the brink

Cape Verde's 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha and his team made a memorable debut at the 2026 World Cup, pushing Messi's Argentina to the brink before being eliminated in the Round of 32. Despite not winning a single match in the tournament, Cape Verde's performance was widely praised as one of the most remarkable stories of the competition. Vozinha had expressed before the tournament that his primary wish was simply for his mother to see him play on the World Cup stage.