Moreira's high hopes for newcomers Cabo Verde

When Cabo Verde's national anthem rings out in Atlanta before their opening match against Spain, Steven Moreira's family will be beaming with pride. The right-back will look up into the stands and see familiar faces – the people who have been with him on the journey to the African archipelago's inaugural FIFA World Cup.

A decision that caused concern

Born in France and a former France international at youth level, the 31-year-old admits that his decision to represent Cabo Verde in 2023 caused some concern at home – especially for his mother, who was born there. “When I was very young, I went to visit Cabo Verde [and] back then, my mother felt the country wasn’t that safe,” he revealed to FIFA. “So, when I told her I was going to accept the call-up, she was a bit apprehensive. She thought something bad might happen – that’s mothers for you, isn’t it?”

It did not take long, however, for that concern to give way to pride. “When I got my first call-up, the whole family started ringing her. Then she said, ‘I already told you that you should’ve gone',” the defender joked.

A long courtship

Moreira made his senior international debut in a friendly against Algeria in October 2023. Long before that, however, officials, players and coaches had spent years trying to persuade him to represent Cabo Verde. “The interest started very early, when I was about 18 or 19,” he recalled. “They kept sending me messages, calling me and speaking to some of my family and friends.”

At the time, the full-back was still part of France’s youth set-up and felt it was not the right moment to switch his international allegiance. Years later, after signing for his current club, Columbus Crew in Major League Soccer, something changed. “It felt like the timing was right when I moved to Columbus,” he said. “They were still there, sending messages, calling me, checking in and making sure everything was going well. Even my future international team-mates were reaching out. Then, one day, I decided to accept.”

Growing connection and historic qualification

The connection grew quickly. Soon after making that decision, Moreira represented Cabo Verde at the CAF Africa Cup of Nations and began to grasp just how much the national team means to the people back home. “My dad, my brother, my cousins… everyone was so proud,” Moreira explained. “Now, with the World Cup, it’s bigger than ever. I think it’s the biggest moment of my career.”

Cabo Verde’s historic qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2026 has taken them to a new level, both within Africa and further afield. For Moreira, though, its impact extends far beyond the beautiful game itself. “We’re putting Cabo Verde on the map,” he said. “People will be able to visit, get to know the islands and discover more about them. That changes everything, too.”

There were some tense moments along the way, not least in an enthralling 3-3 draw with Libya, when the Blue Sharks thought they had scored a fourth goal, only to see it chalked off for offside to prevent the completion of a comeback from 3-1 down. “In moments like that, you think, ‘This is the dream we want to make come true.’ And then it feels as though that dream has been taken away from you,” he reflected.

Qualification was sealed in the following match against Eswatini, a 3-0 victory sparking celebrations that the nation will never forget. “After the final whistle, there was a pitch invasion – everyone was jumping, dancing and celebrating,” he recalled. “At the time, I don’t think we fully appreciated the scale of what we had achieved.”

World Cup ambitions

Cabo Verde are now preparing for their World Cup debut in a section featuring Spain, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay. “We want to get through the group stage,” Moreira insisted. “We’re not going to the World Cup just to make up the numbers; we’re there to compete.” Their first test will be against reigning European champions Spain in Atlanta.