Cape Verde erupts as Blue Sharks return home to heroes’ welcome after World Cup run

Cape Verde exploded in celebration on Sunday as thousands of ecstatic fans welcomed the Blue Sharks back home after their historic 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign.

Supporters flooded the Praia airport, waving banners, singing, and cheering as the national team returned to the country after making history on football’s biggest stage.

The team’s arrival came on Cape Verde’s Independence Day, turning the homecoming into a powerful national celebration.

For many fans, the players were not returning as a defeated team.

They were returning as heroes.

“After the heroes who fought for our independence, we now have these heroes — the Blue Sharks,” 28-year-old fan Edmilson Correia told AFP from the airport crowd.

The Blue Sharks are expected to parade through the streets of Praia before meeting the president and other top government officials.

Cape Verde reached the knockout stage in its first-ever World Cup appearance, stunning football fans around the world and giving the small island nation one of the proudest moments in its sporting history.

Head coach Bubista said the team had proved that Cape Verde’s qualification for the tournament was no accident.

“We demonstrated that our World Cup qualification wasn’t down to luck. We showed hard work and resilience, and we left the United States with our heads held high,” he said.

Fans dressed in the team’s blue colours struggled to catch a glimpse of their favourite players, including Sidny Lopes Cabral and goalkeeper Vozinha.

Twelve-year-old Ivan Goncalves said he came hoping to see Cabral, whose goal against Argentina became one of the standout moments of Cape Verde’s campaign.

Minister of Culture and Sports Antonio Duarte praised the team and its coach for “cementing Cape Verde’s status as a great nation.”

Cape Verde, with a population of about 500,000 people, marked its 51st independence anniversary from Portugal on Sunday.

But this year, the celebration carried a different energy.

The Blue Sharks gave the country more than football.

They gave Cape Verde a moment of pride the nation will not forget.