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Cape Verde shocks Spain 0-0 in historic World Cup debut

22 articles·14 sources·updated about 14 hours ago·View in graph

Story Timeline

3 days · 8 summary articles

  1. Cape Verde shocks Spain 0-0 in historic World Cup debut

  2. Japan stun Netherlands 2-2 with last-gasp header in World Cup thriller

  3. Ivory Coast shock Ecuador with late Amad Diallo winner in World Cup thriller

  4. Curaao shocks Germany with early goal in World Cup opener

    Continuation

  5. FIFA moves to clarify controversial penalty as Qatar demands urgent statement

  6. Manuel Neuer returns as Germany's captain in World Cup opener against Curaao

  7. Switzerland squander a 2-0 lead as Qatar snatch 2-2 draw in stoppage time

  8. USA steamroll Paraguay 4-1 in World Cup opener

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Spain were held to a shock 0-0 draw by World Cup debutants Cape Verde in their Group H opener on Monday, a result that sent ripples through the tournament and left European champions stunned in Atlanta.

The 40-year-old Cape Verde goalkeeper, playing in his first World Cup match, delivered a rearguard performance that kept the Spanish attack at bay throughout, while the 600,000-strong archipelago celebrated a historic night in the United States. Spain, despite introducing teenage sensation Lamine Yamal from the bench, could not break down a disciplined Cape Verde side who absorbed pressure with resilience and unity.

Cape Verde’s coach Bubista had framed the match as more than football—“it was music, it was culture, it was everything”—and his players delivered exactly that. The team, featuring a centre-back discovered via LinkedIn and a goalkeeper plucked from Portugal’s second tier, defied expectations against a side many had tipped to challenge for the title.

Pico Lopes, a 40-year-old defender from Shamrock Rovers in Dublin, became an overnight hero after being found on LinkedIn by Cape Verde’s staff in 2019. His journey—from an unsolicited message in Portuguese to a World Cup debut—was emblematic of Cape Verde’s triumph.

Spanish media reacted with disbelief. “A catastrophe,” declared Norway’s *Aftenposten*, while Germany’s *Frankfurter Allgemeine* described it as “the biggest upset of the tournament so far.” Spain’s lethargic performance, particularly in midfield, raised questions about their title credentials.

For Cape Verde, the draw secures an early point in a group containing Portugal and Iran, while Spain must regroup quickly before facing either side. The result marks the first time a debutant nation has avoided defeat against a European champion in World Cup history, a milestone that will resonate long after the final whistle.

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Articles

Mit diesen Paraden bringt Kap Verdes Keeper die Spanier zur Verzweiflung Kap Verde sorgt für eine der größten Sensationen der WM-Geschichte. Völlig überraschend kommt Spanien nicht über ein Remis hinaus. Sehen Sie die Paraden von Kap Verdes Keeper Vozinha hier im Video.

Mit diesen Paraden bringt Kap Verdes Keeper die Spanier zur Verzweiflung Kap Verde sorgt für eine der größten Sensationen der WM-Geschichte. Völlig überraschend kommt Spanien nicht über ein Remis hinaus. Sehen Sie die Paraden von Kap Verdes Keeper Vozinha hier im Video.

welt.de · about 14 hours ago

Live From Europe

Sensation durch WM-Neuling: Kap Verde schockt Spanien mit 0:0 bei Yamal-Comeback Kap Verdes Keeper wächst über sich hinaus, während die Fans im Stadion die Show übernehmen. Der WM-Favorit zeigt sich erstaunlich ideenlos.

tagesspiegel · about 14 hours ago

Live From Europe

Chocken: Kap Verde kryssar mot Spanien Den lilla önationen Kap Verde snodde en poäng av VM-guldfavoriterna Spanien. Trots ett massivt spelövertag lyckades spanjorerna inte få hål på Kap Verde och matchen slutade 0–0.

svenska dagbladet · about 14 hours ago

Live From Europe

Fußball-WM: Spanien blamiert sich gegen Kap Verde Zum Auftakt gegen WM-Neuling Kap Verde gelingt Spanien nur ein 0:0.

die presse · about 14 hours ago

Live From Europe

Spania s-a lovit de zidul Capului Verde la Atlanta! Ibericii au produs șocul cu o remiză, 0-0, în faza inaugurală la Mondial Meciul dintre Spania și Capul Verde a dat startul confruntărilor din Grupa H a Campionatului Mondial.

adevarul · about 14 hours ago

Ni con Lamine Yamal alzando pasiones ni con el madridista Cucurella en el foco: "La lección es que hay que meterlas" Si el nuevo lateral del Real Madrid acaparó las miradas en la previa y tuvo peso en el ataque, el atasco de España provocó la salida de la joven estrella, ovacionado por todo el estadio. De la Fuente: "Cuando no quiere entrar, no entra". Leer

Ni con Lamine Yamal alzando pasiones ni con el madridista Cucurella en el foco: "La lección es que hay que meterlas" Si el nuevo lateral del Real Madrid acaparó las miradas en la previa y tuvo peso en el ataque, el atasco de España provocó la salida de la joven estrella, ovacionado por todo el estadio. De la Fuente: "Cuando no quiere entrar, no entra". Leer

elmundo · about 14 hours ago

Live From Europe

World Cup 2026: Debutants Cape Verde hold European champions Spain to shock draw

france24 · about 14 hours ago

Dubliner Pico Lopes journey of a lifetime to the World Cup with Cape Verde The 42 meets defenders wife and family ahead of Spain game as they prepare for 30-foot campervan trip around America.

Dubliner Pico Lopes journey of a lifetime to the World Cup with Cape Verde The 42 meets defenders wife and family ahead of Spain game as they prepare for 30-foot campervan trip around America.

thejournal · about 14 hours ago

Dubliner Pico Lopes helps Cape Verde stun Spain with 0-0 draw in World Cup opener Shamrock Rovers centre back at the beating heart of one of tournaments greatest ever underdog stories.

Dubliner Pico Lopes helps Cape Verde stun Spain with 0-0 draw in World Cup opener Shamrock Rovers centre back at the beating heart of one of tournaments greatest ever underdog stories.

thejournal · about 14 hours ago

Live From Europe

Spain held to shock draw by Cape Verde in their World Cup opener Lamine Yamal comes off the bench but cannot help Spain overcome World Cup debutants Cape Verde in 0-0 draw.

aljazeera · about 14 hours ago

Spain 0-0 Cape Verde: World Cup 2026 – as it happened A rearguard for the ages, in Cape Verdes debut World Cup match, helped them shut out a disappointingly lethargic SpainEmail! Dont forget the story of Pico Lopes, chides Tikthra, a lad from Crumlin in inner-city Dublin who was first called up to the Cape Verde team in 2019 and became only the second ever League of Ireland player to qualify for a World Cup. Declan Rice and Pico are the only two former Ireland internationals still left with a chance of winning the World Cup.I was getting to him! First of all, Im glad Crumlin has someone other than Conor McGregor repping for them; secondly, UK telly just showed a lovely interview with him in which he explained he was on LinkedIn for employment purposes and the manager of Cape Verde contacted him. Problem was, the message was in Portuguese so he ignored it, but got another, in English nine months later, and here he is, at the World Cup. His relief remains palpable. Continue reading...

Spain 0-0 Cape Verde: World Cup 2026 – as it happened A rearguard for the ages, in Cape Verdes debut World Cup match, helped them shut out a disappointingly lethargic SpainEmail! Dont forget the story of Pico Lopes, chides Tikthra, a lad from Crumlin in inner-city Dublin who was first called up to the Cape Verde team in 2019 and became only the second ever League of Ireland player to qualify for a World Cup. Declan Rice and Pico are the only two former Ireland internationals still left with a chance of winning the World Cup.I was getting to him! First of all, Im glad Crumlin has someone other than Conor McGregor repping for them; secondly, UK telly just showed a lovely interview with him in which he explained he was on LinkedIn for employment purposes and the manager of Cape Verde contacted him. Problem was, the message was in Portuguese so he ignored it, but got another, in English nine months later, and here he is, at the World Cup. His relief remains palpable. Continue reading...

theguardian · about 14 hours ago

Cape Verde shock Spain with historic draw on World Cup debut Wow, just wow. At 1.57pm, Atlanta time, 3,291 miles from home, the final whistle went on Cape Verdes first World Cup game, and they had only gone and done it and what they had done was madness – they had only gone and held the favourites. Bubista had said that he wanted the world to see who and what they are and, boy, did they see. Cape Verdes coach had insisted that getting here was was more than football – it was music, it was culture, it was everything. So what was this? This was wonderful. What a moment and what a noise greeted the moment when the impossible had become real.An Atlantic archipelago of 600,000 people. A Shamrock Rovers centre-back from Crumlin, Dublin, who had been found on LinkedIn. A goalkeeper from Portugals second division, another Josimar leaving his mark on the history of this competition and a million minds, to be talked about for generations. All of them. They had come to the US, faced Spain, and resisted them, their bodies on the line and their hearts on their sleeves. Even the introduction of Lamine Yamal, the teenage icon cast as Spains saviour couldnt defeat them. Continue reading...

Cape Verde shock Spain with historic draw on World Cup debut Wow, just wow. At 1.57pm, Atlanta time, 3,291 miles from home, the final whistle went on Cape Verdes first World Cup game, and they had only gone and done it and what they had done was madness – they had only gone and held the favourites. Bubista had said that he wanted the world to see who and what they are and, boy, did they see. Cape Verdes coach had insisted that getting here was was more than football – it was music, it was culture, it was everything. So what was this? This was wonderful. What a moment and what a noise greeted the moment when the impossible had become real.An Atlantic archipelago of 600,000 people. A Shamrock Rovers centre-back from Crumlin, Dublin, who had been found on LinkedIn. A goalkeeper from Portugals second division, another Josimar leaving his mark on the history of this competition and a million minds, to be talked about for generations. All of them. They had come to the US, faced Spain, and resisted them, their bodies on the line and their hearts on their sleeves. Even the introduction of Lamine Yamal, the teenage icon cast as Spains saviour couldnt defeat them. Continue reading...

theguardian · about 14 hours ago

España aprieta, pero se le resiste el gol ante Cabo Verde Mundial 2026 - Grupo H | España - Cabo Verde: 0 - 0

España aprieta, pero se le resiste el gol ante Cabo Verde Mundial 2026 - Grupo H | España - Cabo Verde: 0 - 0

la vanguardia · about 14 hours ago

Live From Europe

Nederlands getint Kaapverdië verrast met 0-0 tegen Spanje op WK Kaapverdië heeft voor een grote verrassing gezorgd door gelijk te spelen tegen Spanje bij het debuut op het WK voetbal. In het Atlanta Stadium hielden de voetballers uit Kaapverdië, onder wie enkele in Rotterdam geboren spelers, de Europees kampioen op 0-0 en zorgden daarmee meteen voor het eerste WK-punt ooit.

rtl nieuws · about 14 hours ago

Spanien unter Schock – Freudentränen bei Kap Verde nach Sensation Kap Verde feiert bei seiner ersten WM-Teilnahme einen historischen Erfolg. Trotz torlosem Remis gegen den Favoriten sorgt das Team für eine der größten Sensationen des Turniers. Sehen Sie die Jubelszenen nach Abpfiff hier im Video.

Spanien unter Schock – Freudentränen bei Kap Verde nach Sensation Kap Verde feiert bei seiner ersten WM-Teilnahme einen historischen Erfolg. Trotz torlosem Remis gegen den Favoriten sorgt das Team für eine der größten Sensationen des Turniers. Sehen Sie die Jubelszenen nach Abpfiff hier im Video.

welt.de · about 14 hours ago

Schock-Moment für Spanien – Hier erzielt Kap Verde fast das Last-Minute-Siegtor Spanien sorgt für die erste große WM-Sensation. Gegen Kap Verde kommt der Europameister nicht über ein Remis hinaus. In der Nachspielzeit erzielt Kap Verde sogar fast das Siegtor. Sehen Sie die Chance hier im Video.

Schock-Moment für Spanien – Hier erzielt Kap Verde fast das Last-Minute-Siegtor Spanien sorgt für die erste große WM-Sensation. Gegen Kap Verde kommt der Europameister nicht über ein Remis hinaus. In der Nachspielzeit erzielt Kap Verde sogar fast das Siegtor. Sehen Sie die Chance hier im Video.

welt.de · about 14 hours ago

Live From Europe

WM-Regularien: DFB-Elf reicht Sieg gegen Elfenbeinküste für K.-o.-Runde Der WM-Modus ist ziemlich kompliziert. Weil Spanien und Kap Verde remis spielen, ist jetzt klar: Mit einem Sieg gegen die Elfenbeinküste steht Deutschland sicher in der K.-o.-Runde.

tagesspiegel · about 14 hours ago

Live From Europe

Fifa-WM 2026: Spanien patzt gegen Kap Verde Der WM-Außenseiter Kap Verde hat den Favoriten Spanien geschockt. Trotz des Comebacks von Lamine Yamal kam der Europameister nicht über ein 0:0 hinaus. Der Spielbericht

die zeit · about 14 hours ago

Titelfavorit strauchelt: Kap Verde gelingt große WM-Überraschung gegen Spanien Es ist das Duell der Gegensätze: Doch im ersten Spiel überhaupt bei einer Weltmeisterschaft lässt sich Kap Verde von Europameister Spanien nicht bezwingen. Anschließend kennt der Jubel kaum Grenzen.

Titelfavorit strauchelt: Kap Verde gelingt große WM-Überraschung gegen Spanien Es ist das Duell der Gegensätze: Doch im ersten Spiel überhaupt bei einer Weltmeisterschaft lässt sich Kap Verde von Europameister Spanien nicht bezwingen. Anschließend kennt der Jubel kaum Grenzen.

faz · about 14 hours ago

Live From Europe

Fußball-WM 2026: Spanien leistet sich Fehlstart gegen Kap Verde Dem Außenseiter Kap Verde ist die erste große Überraschung der WM gelungen. Auch dem spät eingewechselten Superstar Lamine Yamal gelang kein Tor. Das Liveblog

die zeit · about 15 hours ago

Spain 0-0 Cape Verde: World Cup 2026 – live ⚽️ Kick-off time: 3pm local/5pm BST/12pm EDT/2am AEST⚽️ Player guide | Bracketology | Wallchart | And mail DanielEmail! Dont forget the story of Pico Lopes, chides Tikthra, a lad from Crumlin in inner-city Dublin who was first called up to the Cape Verde team in 2019 and became only the second ever League of Ireland player to qualify for a World Cup. Declan Rice and Pico are the only two former Ireland internationals still left with a chance of winning the World Cup.I was getting to him! First of all, Im glad Crumlin has someone other than Conor McGregor repping for them; secondly, UK telly just showed a lovely interview with him in which he explained he was on LinkedIn for employment purposes and the manager of Cape Verde contacted him. Problem was, the message was in Portuguese so he ignored it, but got another, in English nine months later, and here he is, at the World Cup. His relief remains palpable. Continue reading...

Spain 0-0 Cape Verde: World Cup 2026 – live ⚽️ Kick-off time: 3pm local/5pm BST/12pm EDT/2am AEST⚽️ Player guide | Bracketology | Wallchart | And mail DanielEmail! Dont forget the story of Pico Lopes, chides Tikthra, a lad from Crumlin in inner-city Dublin who was first called up to the Cape Verde team in 2019 and became only the second ever League of Ireland player to qualify for a World Cup. Declan Rice and Pico are the only two former Ireland internationals still left with a chance of winning the World Cup.I was getting to him! First of all, Im glad Crumlin has someone other than Conor McGregor repping for them; secondly, UK telly just showed a lovely interview with him in which he explained he was on LinkedIn for employment purposes and the manager of Cape Verde contacted him. Problem was, the message was in Portuguese so he ignored it, but got another, in English nine months later, and here he is, at the World Cup. His relief remains palpable. Continue reading...

theguardian · about 15 hours ago

„Eine der größten Sensationen der WM-Geschichte – Spanien blamiert sich gegen Kap Verde Spanien gilt bei vielen Experten als größter Titelanwärter dieser WM. Doch davon ist im ersten Gruppenspiel nichts zu sehen. Ganz im Gegenteil: Der Europameister blamiert sich beim 0:0 gegen die Inselrepublik Kap Verde bis auf die Knochen.

„Eine der größten Sensationen der WM-Geschichte – Spanien blamiert sich gegen Kap Verde Spanien gilt bei vielen Experten als größter Titelanwärter dieser WM. Doch davon ist im ersten Gruppenspiel nichts zu sehen. Ganz im Gegenteil: Der Europameister blamiert sich beim 0:0 gegen die Inselrepublik Kap Verde bis auf die Knochen.

welt.de · about 15 hours ago