Cape Verde Qualifies for the 2026 World Cup

by Elsie Husted ’28 on October 23, 2025

Sports

Monday, Oct. 13, Cape Verde’s men’s national soccer team beat Eswatini 3–0 to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. This might not sound newsworthy to a lot of people—after all, the World Cup is still seven months away. However, for the small nation of Cape Verde, this is cause for celebration.

Cape Verde’s victory against Eswatini secured their Group D victory and punched their ticket for the 2026 World Cup. Their qualification can be attributed to FIFA expanding its World Cup format to include 48 countries instead of the previous 32. This increases the number of African spots from five to nine, giving smaller countries like Cape Verde a chance to play on the world’s biggest stage. The island nation is located in the central Atlantic Ocean, just off the coast of West Africa. The nation, consisting of 10 islands, has a population of less than 600,000 people. This makes them the second smallest country to ever qualify for the World Cup, Iceland being the smallest, which qualified for the 2018 World Cup with a population of around 350,000.

Cape Verde was a Portuguese colony until 1975, celebrating 50 years of independence this past July. Not only is the country new, but its national team is only 43 years old. The Cabo Verdean Football Federation was founded in 1982 and became a FIFA member in 1986. The national team has players from all over the globe, with players from France, Ireland, the Netherlands, and of course, Cape Verde. Dailon Livramento scored the first goal of the game in the 48th minute. Livramento, originally born in the Netherlands, usually plays for Casa Pia in Portugal. Willy Semedo, born in France, scored in the 54th minute. Ianique dos Santos Tavares, born in Praia, secured the win with a goal in the 91st minute.

The game took place at Estádio Nacional de Cabo Verde in Praia, the nation’s capital. There were 15,000 people officially in attendance. Tickets sold out in record time, with people from all over the world coming to watch. The game was so highly anticipated that the government declared a half-day holiday. The coach of the team, Pedro Leitão Brito (better known as Bubista) said that this win is important for the nation’s self-esteem. He said, “We’re a small country, but it’s only small on the map… a small country with a big heart.” To build team camaraderie, coach Bubista encourages the players to talk in Creole, the official language of the national team. Bubista believes it keeps “our Cape Verdean identity intact.”

Monday’s victory is more than a World Cup qualification; it’s a symbol of Cape Verde’s unity and culture. The team earned 10.5 million dollars from the Cape Verdean Football Federation, which will help improve the team’s scouting and continue to build talent. Cape Verde’s World Cup schedule will not be decided until the drawing on Dec. 5. The team will play at least three games in the 2026 World Cup.

Son Heung-Min Premieres in the U.S.

by Pippa Jones ‘28 on October 23, 2025

Sports

The renowned soccer player, Son Heung-Min, 33, from South Korea has recently made his debut in the U.S. by signing with Los Angeles FC in Major League Soccer (MLS). As an extremely talented player, Son has proven his skillset with nine goals and three assists in just ten league outings. He has been dominating MLS and rapidly making his way into the hearts of American soccer fanatics.

Son’s father, Son Woong-Jung, is a retired soccer manager who played on South Korea’s B team. Building on his father’s success, Son has had an impactful influence on the sport. Son now plays for South Korea’s national team and is the captain. Son has remarkable technical skills, thus the coined nickname “Silky Son.” His quick feet and ball control stem from his proficiency at using both feet rather than being dominant in just one.

Son started his professional soccer career in the Bundesliga, the German soccer league. At the age of 16, he began playing for Amburger SV in 2010. He then transferred to Bayer Leverkusen. Son is trilingual, fluent in Korean, English, and German. He became fluent in German during his time there to show his dedication to his career. After the Bundesliga, Son signed with the North London Premier League team, Tottenham Hotspur FC. Spurs fans immediately adored him with his technicality on the pitch and his compassion off the pitch. Son helped Tottenham become the runner-up in Champions League in the 2018–19 season. Son later became the first Asian to be awarded the Golden Boot in the 2021–22 season, scoring 23 goals. Finally, Son gained his captaincy in 2023 and went on to be a strong leader for the Spurs throughout his remaining seasons. In his final season with the club in 2025, Son led the team to win the European League Title. This was Son’s last gift to the club before leaving for Los Angeles.

As a winger, Son was skilled both at scoring and assisting others to score. Son and his former teammate Harry Kane, a striker, worked very well together with the blend of their technical skills. Son had a very impressive career with Tottenham with his goals and assists. In the 2016–2017 season, he had 14 goals and six assists. In the 2020–21 and the 2023–24 seasons, he had 17 goals each. In the 2021–22 season, he had reached 23 goals and seven assists. In his entire career with the Premier League, he had 127 goals and 71 assists.

Considering the lack of many South Korean professional soccer players, Son is viewed as a national pride in South Korea for his immense success and contributions to his country. Son also increased South Korean Spurs views and has created new attention to soccer in South Korea. Tottenham fans have speculated (and are hoping) that he may return to the club for a short loan. Although this has been mentioned in the soccer community, it is also highly unlikely considering his commitment to the MLS and his demanding schedule. Although fans are upset about his absence, the Spurs fans are following his success from afar. It will be interesting to observe the next page for Son and watch him continue his amazing career in the U.S.