Cape Verde national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Cape Verde

Nickname(s)	Tubarões Azuis (Blue Sharks) Crioulos (Creoles)
Association	Federação Caboverdiana de Futebol (FCF)
Confederation	CAF (Africa)
Sub-confederation	WAFU (West Africa)
Head coach	Bubista
Captain	Ryan Mendes
Most caps	Ryan Mendes (84)
Top scorer	Ryan Mendes (21)
Home stadium	Estádio Nacional de Cabo Verde
FIFA code	CPV
First colours Second colours Third colours
FIFA ranking
Current	74 2 (7 February 2019)
Highest	27 (February 2014)
Lowest	182 (April 2000)
Elo ranking
Current	104 6 (3 March 2019)
Highest	69 (31 March 2015)
Lowest	146 (August 1998)
First international
Cape Verde 0–1 Guinea  (Guinea-Bissau; 19 April 1978)
Biggest win
Cape Verde 7–1 São Tomé and Príncipe  (Praia, Cape Verde; 13 June 2015)  Liechtenstein 0–6 Cape Verde  (San Pedro del Pinatar, Spain; 25 March 2022)
Biggest defeat
Senegal 5–1 Cape Verde  (Mali; 12 February 1981)  Cape Verde 0–4 Ghana  (Praia, Cape Verde; 8 October 2005)  Guinea 4–0 Cape Verde  (Conakry, Guinea; 9 September 2007)  Burkina Faso 4–0 Cape Verde  (Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso; 14 November 2017)  Algeria 5–1 Cape Verde  (Constantine, Algeria; 12 October 2023)
Africa Cup of Nations
Appearances	4 (first in 2013)
Best result	Quarter-finals (2013, 2023)

The Cape Verde national football team, also known as the Blue Sharks, represents the island nation of Cape Verde in international men's football games. This team is controlled by the Cape Verdean Football Federation. They have never played in the FIFA World Cup, but they have made it to the Africa Cup of Nations four times. Their best performance was reaching the quarter-finals in 2013 and 2023.

History of Cape Verde Football

Early Days and FIFA Membership

Cape Verde became its own country, independent from Portugal, in 1975. The national football team played its first international match on May 29, 1978. They lost 1-0 to Guinea in a tournament held in Guinea-Bissau. The Cape Verdean Football Federation was created in 1982. It then joined FIFA, the world football governing body, in 1986.

Many players for the national team come from Cape Verdean families living in other countries. These players often play for clubs in Europe or Asia. Some were even born outside Cape Verde.

Qualifying for Big Tournaments

Cape Verde has tried many times to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, but they haven't made it yet. Their first World Cup qualifying games were for the 2002 World Cup. They were knocked out early after one draw and one loss against Algeria.

For the 2006 World Cup qualifiers, they won their first World Cup qualifying match against Swaziland. They even had an impressive away win against Burkina Faso. However, they didn't qualify for the final tournament.

In the qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup, Cape Verde finished second in their group. They were behind Cameroon and didn't move on to the next round.

First Africa Cup of Nations Appearance (2013)

A huge moment for Cape Verde football came on October 14, 2012. They qualified for their first-ever Africa Cup of Nations! They beat Cameroon 3-2 over two games. They won 2-0 at home and lost 2-1 away, but their total score was enough.

In the 2013 tournament, Cape Verde was in Group A with Angola, Morocco, and host nation South Africa. They played the opening match against South Africa and drew 0-0. They also drew 1-1 with Morocco, with Platini scoring their first-ever AFCON goal.

They then won their first AFCON match, beating Angola 2-1. This amazing win meant they reached the quarter-finals in their very first appearance! In the quarter-finals, they played Ghana. Cape Verde played well, but Ghana won 2-0, ending Cape Verde's great run.

Second Africa Cup of Nations Appearance (2015)

On October 15, 2014, Cape Verde became one of the first teams to qualify for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. They beat Mozambique 1-0 at home. They finished first in their qualifying group, which also included Niger and Zambia.

In the 2015 tournament, Cape Verde was in Group B. They drew 1-1 with Tunisia in their first match, with Héldon scoring a penalty. They then drew 0-0 against DR Congo and also 0-0 against Zambia. Even though they were undefeated in the group stage, they were eliminated due to goal difference.

Other Achievements and Notable Games

Cape Verde has won two other titles. They hosted and won the Amílcar Cabral Cup in 2000. They also won the gold medal in football at the 2009 Lusophony Games. In 2006, they earned a bronze medal at the same games.

The team has played some interesting friendly matches. In 2002, they played their first non-African team, Luxembourg, in a 0-0 draw. In 2010, they drew 0-0 with Portugal, who were ranked much higher at the time. In 2015, they even beat Portugal 2-0 in Portugal!

Home Stadiums

The Cape Verde national team used to play their home games at the Estádio da Várzea. This stadium is in the capital city, Praia, on Santiago Island. It opened in 2006 and can hold 10,000 people.

In 2014, a new stadium called Estádio Nacional de Cabo Verde was opened. It can hold 15,000 people. On October 15, 2014, the team qualified for their second Africa Cup of Nations at this new stadium. They beat Mozambique 1-0, becoming the first team from Africa to qualify for that tournament.

Coaching History

Here's a list of the coaches who have led the Cape Verde national football team:

Team Records

Most Games Played

Ryan Mendes is Cape Verde's top goalscorer and has played the most games for the team.

The players below have played the most games for Cape Verde:

Top Goal Scorers

These players have scored the most goals for Cape Verde:

Team Achievements

Regional Cups

• Amílcar Cabral Cup
  • Winners (1): 2000
  • Second Place (1): 2007
  • Third Place (1): 1995

Other Competitions

• Lusophony Games
  • Gold Medal (1): 2009
  • Bronze Medal (1): 2006

Friendly Tournaments

• FIFA Series: Saudi Arabia
  • Champions (1): 2024

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Cabo Verde para niños