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Thousands of ecstatic fans lined the streets of Praia on Sunday, escorting Cape Verde's Blue Sharks in a celebratory parade following their narrow, hard-fought loss to Argentina in an unexpected World Cup matchup.
The route, which began at the airport, carried the football team through the capital's main districts as throngs of supporters played music and cheered, making forward movement difficult at times.
The team capped its return with a visit to Cape Verde's presidential palace Sunday evening, where President Jose Maria Neves declared that “Argentina won, but Cape Verde triumphed."
The West African archipelago nation progressed to the knockout stages in its first World Cup, thrilling supporters back home and gaining fans abroad as it confounded expectations.
In an epic last-32 contest in Miami on Friday, Cape Verde pushed Argentina to the brink but the reigning world champions snatched a 3-2 win in extra time. "If the Cape Verde vs. Argentina match was the most-watched game of the World Cup, you can be sure it wasn't because of Argentina," Neves said.
The team's arrival back home coincided with Independence Day in Cape Verde, a nation of just 500,000 people, which was liberated from Portugal in 1975 after being ruled by the country for almost 500 years.
"After the heroes who fought for our independence, we now have these heroes, the Blue Sharks," fan Edmilson Correia, 28, told AFP at the airport, where he had gathered with others, many carrying flags and dressed in blue.
Ahead of the parade, goalkeeper Vozinha told reporters that he believed his team had "achieved something magnificent" even if he had not yet "fully grasped the magnitude of what we've just accomplished."
When asked by AFP about his future plans, he said, "Right now, I'm just thinking about getting some rest, and we'll see what happens next." The Blue Sharks had to cancel a stop on the parade route at the National Assembly after it became too difficult, given the enthusiastic crowd. The team will visit the legislature on Monday.
The parade ended at the Kebra Kanela beach, the city's main seaside area, where thousands more fans celebrated the team with prolonged applause and drums.
Cape Verde head coach Bubista told reporters that the team's historic tournament run proved their qualification was no fluke. He emphasized that their performance was built on grit and dedication, adding that the squad returned from the United States with their dignity fully intact.
Supporters strained to catch a glimpse of their heroes, such as Sidny Lopes Cabral and Vozinha, as they left the airport. Twelve-year-old Ivan Goncalves said he was on the lookout for Cabral in particular because of his "fabulous goal against Argentina."
Minister of Culture and Sports Antonio Duarte commended the Blue Sharks and their coach for "cementing Cape Verde's status as a great nation." The president of the Cape Verdean Football Federation, Mario Semedo, meanwhile, said their performance had raised the bar.
"The challenges will certainly be greater," he said, "but I think we will all be motivated and up to the task."
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