Telmo Arcanjo interview: Cape Verde’s unity in World Cup success as they plan to surprise the opposition | Football news

The presence of Cape Verde in this World Cup where they will face Spain in the opening game, is one of the legends of this tournament. But it has been coming. “I believe we can surprise people again,” said Telmo Arcanjo Sky Sports.

Their attacking midfielder has a point. Cape Verde is far from the lowest ranked country in this World Cup. In fact, they are currently ahead of a Ghanaian team that includes many familiar names in the Premier League. They finished well past Cameroon in the qualifiers.

Those who followed their exploits in the Africa Cup of Nations will be able to advance to the quarter-finals when they first appeared in the final in 2013 and repeat this at the beginning of 2024. This small island nation has found a way to succeed.

“The secret is unity,” Arcanjo explained. This is a group of players of different ages, based – and indeed born – in various different countries. “But whenever we come together for the national team, we put the country above everything else.”

Cape Verde joined FIFA in 1986 and did not enter the World Cup qualifiers until the beginning of this century but with help from outsiders, their true potential is being realized. A look at the team’s composition highlights that.

Although the majority of the team was born in Cape Verde, there are six players born in the Netherlands, three from France and three others, including Arcanjo, from Portugal. Roberto ‘Pico’ Lopes was born in Ireland. Goalkeeper CJ dos Santos was born in Philadelphia.

All their stories are different. For Pico, a Shamrock Rovers defender who is eligible for his father’s name, finding out more about his heritage has been a journey in itself. For Arcanjo, it has always been an important aspect of his life. “It’s part of who I am,” he explains.

“I was born and raised in Europe, but I have always been very close to Cape Verdean culture through my family. Cape Verde means representing my roots, my history and the people who came before me. It is something I carry with great pride and commitment.”

Indeed, although Arcanjo may have been born in Lisbon, his ties to Cape Verde are such that his older brother represented the country before he did. “My family has supported me in all stages of my career and has a strong connection to Cape Verde.”

Is this to them like him? “Without a doubt. To be able to represent the country at such a stage is something for them as well. It is a reward for all the dedication they have made and the support they have given me over the years.”

The sense of pride is palpable. “It means more than soccer. Cape Verde is a small country, but it has a strong identity and has many people scattered around the world.” Perhaps it means more to migrant communities. A chance to give back.

“Being in the World Cup is an opportunity to show who we are, our culture, our history and the talent of our people,” said Arcanjo. “It is a source of national pride and something that unites the people of Cape Verde wherever they live in the world.”

That was certainly evident when looking at the scenes against Eswatini in October. As they were looking forward to the World Cup prize, it was tense until they won 3-0. “The feeling when the final whistle blew, when we realized we had qualified,” Arcanjo recalled.

“It was a difficult moment to put into words. We knew what it meant to the country and to all the people who believed in us. Seeing the joy of my teammates, the coaching staff and the fans is something I will live with forever.”

Arcanjo is likely to start in one of the attacking positions in coach Bubista’s 4-2-3-1, after an impressive season with Vitoria Guimaraes where they won the Taca da Liga with a stunning victory over rivals Braga. He says: “It’s a special time.

“It’s been a great season. On a personal level, I see each season as an opportunity to keep improving and improving. I grew as a player and, above all, as a person. We also managed to achieve something historic that will always be part of the club’s history.”

But if it’s history that Arcanjo follows, the Cape Verde prize could be even sweeter. This is the biggest division and the draw pits them against European champions Spain in their opening match before facing two-time World Cup winners Uruguay.

“We know the level that Spain has and the challenge that awaits us, but we also know what we can do if we are united and focused. Our aim is to compete at a high level in all sports and represent Cape Verde in the best possible way.”

The purpose? “To create historic moments in our country. To show the world the level that exists in our football,” he said. “It was also a lot of hard work, planning and always believing that we could achieve something historic.”