26 June 2026; A Cape Verde supporter celebrates after the 2026 FIFA World Cup Group H match between Cabo Verde and Saudi Arabia at Houston Stadium in Houston, Texas, USA. Photo by Richard Callis/Sportsfile
Bubista told Cape Verde to write history not just make it and be a part of it and boy did they deliver
Cathal Dervan, Editor
No matter what happens against Lionel Messi in his most recent home patch of Miami on Friday night, there is a simple beauty about the Cape Verde story that makes it so essential and there’s a wonderful joy to the Pico Lopes World Cup journey that makes it so, so endearing.
In the space of eight months, the Shamrock Rovers captain has qualified for the World Cup finals with his father’s homeland of Cape Verde, for the first time ever in their footballing history.
Since October, Pico has made his World Cup debut at the age of 33, celebrated his 34th birthday at the 2026 edition of the biggest sporting event on the planet, starred against Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia and booked his place against the reigning World Cup champions in Miami on Friday night.
That game will be played at a venue normally known as the Hard Rock Stadium, home venue to the Miami Dolphins and the Miami Hurricanes of American football fame. No matter what happens on Friday night, it will forever be part of Cape Verde folklore as the host venue for their incredible 2-2 draw with the Bielsa Boys from Uruguay and the scene of their first World Cup goals.
When Pico talked to Cathal
Not for reproduction, all rights strictly reserved
On the back of that game with the South Americans and the sensational scoreless draw with European champions Spain on their tournament debut, Cape Verde dismissed any claims they were one game wonders in this sort of company.
The Saudi game, as it was always going to be, was nervy and tense as Pico and his team-mates drew a game they should have won and his lap of honour included the tricolour of his Irish place of birth and the flag of his father’s land and the country he was representing.
Now Pico is preparing in Tampa to take on Messi and some of the greatest players in the world in Friday’s last 32 clash, a game nobody outside of their own camp will give them the slightest chance of winning.
That suits Cape Verde just fine. They have proven they are in the World Cup on merit already and have nothing more to prove on their return to Miami.
They have also played with a composure, bar five minutes of madness before half-time against Uruguay, a confidence and a belief that would be the envy of most international teams and their supporters.
Much of that belief comes from their underdog status at this World Cup, the third smallest nation in the competition’s history to play at this level. But so much of it clearly comes from their manager Bubista, a 56-year-old who won 21 international caps over six years from 1989 and played for smaller clubs in Spain and Portugal as well as on his native Cape Verde.
The manner in which Pico and so many others have taken to this World Cup like ducks to water is a testament to Bubista and his ability not just to get the best out of players, but also to keep them calm and allow their dreams the space to breathe.
A natural born leader in his own right, Pico thrives under strong managers as his transformation over a decade at Shamrock Rovers with Stephen Bradley as his boss will testify.
Bubista, an absolute unknown before this tournament, appears to be of the same vein. And one story, as told by Pico in the interview (watch it above) for the Irish media hints at the inspirational vision of the man.
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Dunphy doubts it’s coming home
Tommy’s claim, the bigger the game
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Sugar’s hairy claim
So long Steve
As Pico explained, Bubista got his players together in their Houston hotel before Friday’s make or break game against Saudi Arabia and told them not just to make history and be a part of history but to start writing it.
The Cape Verde players took his advice against the Saudis and did just that. They rewrote the record books with a dogged performance and the result they needed to become the smallest nation to ever make it to the second phase of the World Cup finals. They set up another big night out against Argentina in Miami on Friday
No matter what happens in that game, they have written history. Just as Bubista told them to.
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Our resident English football expert Rob Shepherd looks back at the Panama win, discusses Jude Bellingham’s revival and dismisses Cathal Dervan’s suggestion that Declan Rice can fill the hole at right-back v DC Congo.
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The key stories developing today
The World Cup is now into the knockout stages and Eamon Dunphy has finally given his verdict on England’s chances - surprise, surprise he says the trophy is not coming home after 60 years of hurt.
Dunphy writes in his Irish Daily Mirror column that England under Thomas Tuchel are simply not good enough to win the tournament and live with the elite when the going gets serious.
England boss Thomas Tuchel has insisted that his side will be ready to rise to the toughest challenges now that they are through to the last 32 of the World Cup and a knockout game against DC Congo.
Sky Sports reports that Tuchel has vowed that ‘the bigger the game, the bigger England will be’ after they laboured to a 2-0 win over Panama to win Group L.
Egypt are sweating over the fitness of star man Mo Salah after he was replaced early in the second-half of their 1-1 draw with Iran with an apparent hamstring injury.
Talksport reports that the Liverpool legend, currently without a club after his release from his Anfield contract, is a serious doubt for the round of 32 clash against Australia on Friday.
It’s one of the most bizarre stories of the World Cup to date but Apprentice star and enterprise tsar Alan Sugar has sensationally claimed Roy Keane is wearing a WIG at the World Cup according to the Irish Sun.
The paper reports that the former Tottenham owner, 79, asked the question on social media, Sugar wrote: “Does anyone think the triangular section of hair on Roy Keane’s forehead is a wig as it looks a different colour?”
Scotland manager Steve Clarke has followed his team out the World Cup exit door and quit as manager - despite signing a new four-year contract before the tournament began.
Clarke walked once Scotland’s exit was confirmed as one of the worst placed third teams after Ghana lost to Croatia on Saturday night with a statement issued soon afterwards by the Scottish FA.
