Thousands welcome Cape Verde players after historic World Cup run

Tens of thousands of jubilant supporters lined the streets of Praia on Sunday to welcome home Cape Verde's national football team, the Blue Sharks, following their historic debut at the World Cup. The team arrived at the capital's airport after being eliminated in a thrilling extra-time match against reigning champions Argentina.

The airport grounds transformed into a carnival atmosphere as fans banged drums, danced, chanted, and waved the national flag. Supporters screamed the names of goalkeeper Vozinha and centre-back Pico Lopes, while players signed football tops for fans.

A historic debut for the Blue Sharks

Cape Verde, ranked 67th in the world, entered the tournament as the second-smallest nation ever to qualify for the World Cup. They had never played in the tournament before but held their own against football giants. In the group stage, they secured three draws, including a 0-0 stalemate against European champions Spain in their opening match and a draw with Uruguay.

Their performance set up a monumental round-of-16 clash against Argentina. The Blue Sharks fell behind to a Lionel Messi goal but equalized to force extra time. After falling behind again, a stunning strike from Sidny Lopes Cabral leveled the score once more. However, a cruel deflection off Diney Borges from Cristian Romero's header gave Argentina the win, ending Cape Verde's run just 10 minutes short of a penalty shootout.

Pride and celebration

Goalkeeper Vozinha, whose real name is Josimar José Évora Dias, drew global attention with his performances. Speaking to the BBC while wearing a white T-shirt emblazoned with his country's name, he said: "It is a very great moment for us to be here with our people. We wanted something bigger but we didn't go to the next stage. Now we just enjoy the moment and celebrate with our people."

One supporter told the BBC she attended the homecoming to show gratitude to the team for representing the nation with pride. "They held their own against giants like Spain and Uruguay," she said.

The homecoming coincided with Cape Verde's independence day, marking 51 years since the end of Portuguese colonial rule.

Coach proud of team's achievement

Cape Verde manager Pedro Leitão Brito, also known as Bubista, expressed pride in his team's performance. "We showed that we may be a small country but we can play against the best teams in the world," he said. "That's a reason for pride. We made history for our country. They can be proud for representing our country."