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8 hours ago
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“When we saw 1%, we just laughed.” Cape Verde liked those odds, and so did Sidny Lopes Cabral. “They gave us a 1% chance of reaching the next round, but we showed how big 1% is,” the defender says. He has always known there was a chance however small it looked, in Rotterdam or anywhere: in Germany, where he froze in the fifth tier earning £850 a month, using bin bags for curtains, and in America too. His mates told him he was crazy; he told his mum not to worry. “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.”
Now, an island of 300,000 people, the story of this World Cup, face the champions. And Lopes Cabral, the left-back and the second-youngest player in the squad at 23, faces arguably the best footballer of all time. “I hope I get some nice pictures of me standing next to him,” Lopes Cabral says. “I have no words to describe how I feel, how we all do. Back in Cape Verde, every game there are parties. In the Netherlands, in France, everywhere Cape Verdean people live. In Rotterdam it’s crazy.”
One of seven squad members born in the Dutch city, more than were born in the island’s capital Praia, Lopes Cabral says: “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. And in the team the vibe is so nice: we’re always dancing, having fun. It’s like we’re on vacation, you know?” But there is work to do; the pictures can come later.
In their first ever World Cup game, Cape Verde held Spain, and eventually progressed through the group unbeaten. Have you shown the big teams and the big players are not so big after all? No, they are. They are big. 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. We like to be the underdogs. I hope we can continue that in the next game.
It’s Argentina, the world champions, and Messi. 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. The coach’s message is that we’re a family. It’s 11 men, not this man or that man … I need to focus on myself. If I think ‘I’m playing Messi’, I’m going to blow my mind. Afterwards I can enjoy that I played against him. I hope I get some nice pictures with him.
Can you enjoy playing, or is the concentration too much? The first two games I didn’t. The third I was in the stand [suspended] and I saw how nice everything was. I was almost crying. On the pitch you’re focusing too much. When I wasn’t playing I saw really that it’s a big stage. It’s amazing we can play here.
Better to sit this one out then! No! Also, in the stands I was so nervous. I’ve never been so nervous in my life, even when I played against Real Madrid in Santiago Bernabéu or the Spain game, my World Cup debut.
Was Messi an idol of yours as a kid? Honestly, I was more [a fan of Cristiano] Ronaldo, but I’m inspired by Messi’s talent. Nobody can do what he does. He’s the only one who can dribble [past] eight players and score. But my idol was Marcelo.
Have you spoken to him since you made it? No. My teammate Garry Rodrigues played at Olympiacos with Marcelo. Garry’s little brother is my best friend. I told him: ‘get me a Marcelo shirt.’ He got it and gave it to his brother, and his brother lost it. I was so mad. So mad.
Messi’s shirt wouldn’t be a bad consolation. No, I want Marcelo’s shirt. And I’m not the only one [in the Cape Verde team] who wants Messi’s shirt. I think they know they should ask after the game. They’ll have to be [quick]. I didn’t get Lamine’s: against Spain I didn’t swap. It was my debut shirt. I’m going to give one to my aunt and one I’ll keep.
Your story has parallels to Cape Verde’s: against the odds. You started in Twente’s academy then joined Helsingborg in Sweden. You went from Rot-Weiß Erfurt, in Germany’s fifth tier, to the Champions League with Benfica in two years. And now this, still only 23. I always told my mother: ‘I will be a professional football player and you won’t have to work. I will do everything for you.’ Even when I played in in the fifth league, I told my mother and father not to worry, I would take care of them. Football is my passion, my life, even in the hard days.
You left home at 19. What was that first year like? Honestly, I was crying. I wanted to go back to the Netherlands. I called my brother almost every day saying I didn’t like it. The first day it was winter, raining, and I had to train in shorts and a T-shirt. I was so cold. My first apartment was empty. I had to put up bin bags as curtains. I was crying. Luckily we won promotion and everything went better.
Did you think ‘I’m not going to make it’? Never. I was always working, doing extra. That season I only played eight games, I think. It was very hard but I always believed. Looking back it was a great time. Germany made me mentally so strong. That’s why I’m here, why nothing can break me.
That 1% again … That’s why I say anything is possible. I always knew. I always told my family, my girlfriend, my brother, friends: I’m going to reach the top. Back in the day my friends called me crazy. I was talking about training, they were talking about parties. Of course I went to parties, but if I was out until 3am, 4am, I’d be on the pitch at 10, by myself. Now they’re saying: ‘Bro, you did it. We called you crazy but you did it.’
There were other barriers … In Erfurt it was not such a big problem, but sometimes when you play away some of the fans are very, very racist. Sadly, yes.
What do you make of the Prestiani-Vinícius Júnior incident? I was on the bench, so I didn’t know what really happened, but what happened is never meant to happen. 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.
How do you deal with that? 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. The Dutch players: they play for your country and you’re talking like this against them?! It’s not possible.
What was it like working with José Mourinho? 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.
If he had signed you for Madrid … Maybe in the future.
Is Cape Verde’s Bubista a better coach than Mourinho? I don’t know who said that. I cannot answer that question. Mourinho sent me a message after Spain and Uruguay. ‘Bravo! Keep going, believe in yourself.’
What dreams do you have left? My biggest is to play in the Premier League. And I want to win the Champions League.
Did you grow up supporting a Premier League team? Manchester City. I love them. My favourite player? [Jérémy] Doku.
Tell us about the Cape Verde team. Your goalkeeper Vozinha has become one of the stars of the World Cup. 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. I’m so happy for him.
And the coolest? Calm, you mean? Me. I don’t speak so much. I’m always quiet.
What percentage chance do you give yourselves against Argentina? 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’s going to win the World Cup? I hope we are. Cape Verde.
