Cape Verde full-back Sidny Lopes Cabral has laughed off the 1% chance his team were given to progress from their World Cup group, saying they have shown how big that small percentage can be. Speaking ahead of a last-16 clash against world champions Argentina and Lionel Messi, the 23-year-old defender told of his journey from Germany's fifth tier to the global stage.
Defying the Odds
"When we saw 1%, we just laughed," Lopes Cabral said. "They gave us a 1% chance of reaching the next round, but we showed how big 1% is." The left-back, the second-youngest player in the squad, has always believed in himself, even when playing in the fifth tier in Germany earning £850 a month and using bin bags as curtains. "I always told them, 'hey, I'm going to be a great football player: I'm gonna reach the top.' And I'm living in my dream now."
Facing Messi and Argentina
Now, Cape Verde—an island nation of 300,000 people—face Argentina and Messi. Lopes Cabral is focused but not overwhelmed. "Honestly, nobody is overwhelmed. If you're like 'oh, it's Messi', you're gonna lose your mind. We're focusing on our plan, our tactics. If Messi touches the ball, you will look at him like: 'Hey, I'm really playing against Messi.' But it's about our game." He hopes to get a picture with Messi after the match, but his priority is the team's performance. "I hope I get some nice pictures of me standing next to him," he added.
Growing Up in Rotterdam and Cape Verde Roots
One of seven squad members born in Rotterdam, Lopes Cabral explained his connection to Cape Verde. "My parents are from Santiago. They went to the Netherlands at 17. They met there. There are places in Rotterdam where it's almost only people from Cape Verde. Growing up there was nice, family and friends everywhere. We went to [the island] every summer. I always wanted to play for the motherland, because I love Cape Verde so much." The team's vibrant spirit is a key part of their success. "In the team the vibe is so nice: we're always dancing, having fun. It's like we're on vacation, you know?"
Holding Spain and Building Confidence
In their first ever World Cup game, Cape Verde held Spain to a goalless draw, eventually progressing through the group unbeaten. Lopes Cabral recalled the experience of facing Lamine Yamal. "Lamine Yamal comes on against us and the whole stadium is screaming louder than the whole game. You can feel these are great players. We came in at half time: 'guys, we're doing great.' We felt we could really do this. When Lamine came on it was like 'oh shit'. But I said to myself: Let's go, let's test myself.' I already had a yellow card so the coach changed me soon after. João Paulo came on and did great. We showed we're a great team. That gave us more confidence and against Uruguay we had a great, great second half."
Dealing with Racism
Lopes Cabral also spoke about racism in football, referencing the Vinícius Júnior incident and abuse faced by black Dutch players after their loss to Morocco. "Even this week when the Netherlands lost against Morocco: the three Netherlands players who missed were black players and they all get racist comments on their Instagram. It's so annoying that even in 2026 there's still racism." He shared his own experience after a shirt-swap controversy with Vinícius. "I had to after my situation with the exchange of shirts with Vinícius. It was a hard time. There are so many people commenting on my Instagram, messaging me, calling me black, calling me monkey. I had to turn off my phone. It's so sad."
Working with Mourinho and Future Dreams
Reflecting on his time working with José Mourinho, Lopes Cabral praised the coach's honesty. "He's the one who tells you that you played shit. He's the one who tells you that you played great. I think he's the most honest person I ever met. I believe that if I worked longer with him I could reach my top level." Mourinho even sent him a message after the Spain and Uruguay games: "Bravo! Keep going, believe in yourself." Looking ahead, Lopes Cabral dreams of playing in the Premier League and winning the Champions League. "My biggest is to play in the Premier League. And I want to win the Champions League."
Cape Verde's World Cup Spirit
Lopes Cabral described the team's close-knit atmosphere, highlighting goalkeeper Vozinha. "We play games, have fun, dance. If there's free time, we all go together. We are one family and we're so happy. Vozinha is a great guy. His personality is top. He always helps people, especially me. I'm one of the youngest. They say goalkeepers are crazy, and he is, always making jokes. But what he did against Spain was amazing." Asked for a percentage chance against Argentina, he declined. "I'm not going to give any percent. We're just gonna play, and we're gonna do a great game, I'm confident." And who will win the World Cup? "I hope we are. Cape Verde."
