Kenya's Anthony Okumu (background) tackles Marco Suares of Cape Verde during a 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifying match at Nyayo National Stadium on November 13, 2015. Kenya won 1-0.
Nine days into the 2026 Fifa World Cup, and the biggest talking point from the expanded 48-team showpiece remains Cape Verde’s stunning goalless draw against co-favourites Spain in a Group 'H' match at Atlanta Stadium in Georgia, USA on June 15.
Considering Spain’s stature in world football, which includes being the world’s second-ranked team and winners of the 2010 World Cup and the fact that Cape Verde are ranked a distant 67th and are only making their debut in the global tournament, it was a result that few expected heading into the match.
Cape Verde goalkeeper Josimar Dias, popularly known as Vozinha, became an overnight celebrity after inspiring his side to the historic draw with a string of superb saves. It was a performance that deservedly earned him the Man of the Match award.
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha celebrates with their national flag after his team drew 0-0 with Spain in a Group H Fifa World Cup match at Atlanta Stadium in Georgia on June 15, 2026.
Given that Cape Verde is a team that Kenya’s Harambee Stars have historically dominated, their 0-0 draw against Spain has sparked debate among Kenyan football fans.
How could a country that had never played in the World Cup stand eyeball-to-eyeball with a European force that won the global showpiece in 2010, and which has some of the world’s most famous footballers?
Many are questioning how the island nation with a population of 600,000 has made such remarkable progress and overtaken Kenya, which has a population of about 60 million and continues to struggle on the international stage. Kenya have yet to feature in the Fifa World Cup.
“Ten years ago we (Kenya) could slap Cape Verde like that little boy trying to crawl. Today, June 15, Cape Verde is giving the 2010 World Cup champions nightmares. Mpira si uchawi (football is not witchcraft) If you know you know,” former Harambee Stars player James Situma wrote on his Facebook page.
“But it is like Kenya, sometimes we are not serious,” stated Amina Munyendo in response to Situma’s Facebook post.
Historically, Kenya and Cape Verde have met just four times, with Harambee Stars winning three of those meetings while the Blue Sharks have claimed one victory. The two teams first met on October 12, 2002 in a 2004 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier, a match which Harambee Stars won 1-0 away in Cape Verde’s capital Praia.
Kenya completed the double in the return leg in Nairobi on July 5, 2003 by winning 1-0. Their third meeting came on November 13, 2015 in a 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifier, which hosts Kenya won 1-0. Cape Verde registered their first victory over Kenya in the fixture’s return leg on November 17, 2015, claiming a convincing 2-0 victory.
From then, it has been a good run by Cape Verde, which was ranked 182nd out 211 Fifa member federations in 2000, while Kenya was 108th. Today, the Atlantic Ocean islanders are ranked 67th, while Kenya is languishing in 109th place.
Spain's Pau Cubarsi misses a chance to score during their Group H Fifa World Cup 2026 match at Atlanta Stadium in Georgia on June 15, 2026.
Given Cape Verde’s limited resources and the low standard of its domestic leagues compared to those of several other African countries, Kenya included, the country has built a formidable national team by tapping into its vast diaspora talent. It is a model, which Kenya is slowly adopting as it seeks to elevate the fortunes of the national team.
Under the tutelage of former player Pedro Leitão Brito, Cape Verde’s 26-man squad is almost entirely made up of foreign-based players.
Goalkeeper Vozinha is the lone exception, having recently left Portugal’s second-tier side Chaves. A significant number of the players in the squad were born abroad and honed their skills within the European youth football system before going on to feature for clubs in those territories or abroad.
For instance, six members of the World Cup squad were born in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and developed their football careers through the country’s youth systems. They are forward Dailon Livramento, midfielders Laros Duarte, Deroy Duarte, Garry Rodrigues and Jamiro Monteiro and defender Sidny Lopes Cabral.
Portugal and France also serve as major sources of talent for the team, with several players either born there or having progressed through clubs in those countries.
Apart from goalkeeper Vozinha, captain Ryan Mendes, who is among the 10 players in the squad who were born in Cape Verde but built their careers abroad is one of the team’s star players. His career has seen him represent clubs such as France’s Le Havre Athletic Club, Lille Olympique Sporting Club, and England’s Nottingham Forest. He currently plies his trade in Turkish top flight side Iğdır. Born in France, centerback Logan Costa plays for Spanish La Liga side Villarreal CF.
With Kenya’s football league also not being of high standards, Football Kenya Federation (FKF) have renewed the drive to persuade several Europe-based players, with Kenyan roots, to play for Harambee Stars.
Some of the foreign-based who have since accepted the call are Zechariah Obiero, Micah Obiero, Deon Woodman, Sydey Agina, Zak Vyner and goalkeeper Caleb Kramer.
Cape Verde players celebrate after their Group H 2026 Fifa World Cup match against Spain at Atlanta Stadium in Georgia on June 15, 2026.
“It is a good idea because if you compare players in Europe with those playing locally, you will find that the ones in Europe are more exposed,” Athanas Obango, the FKF’s Head of Special Projects and National teams told Nation Sport in March.
“So it is not that we are discarding the local players. We are just trying to strengthen the team so that come 2027 (Afcon), we have a solid squad. It is a long-term plan because we are also focusing on the World Cup 2030, most of the players being targeted are young” he added.
Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy has similarly defended the decision to scout the foreign-based players.
“That is how you will get the best of players because they want to play for Kenya. I am looking to build towards 2027 (Afcon) so it is exciting times,” McCarthy said.
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