For Cabo Verde's Willy Semedo, the tearful World Cup exit against Argentina was "a mix of two sensations" - the sting of elimination tempered by an overwhelming pride in how far his tiny island nation had come.
by sportswriters Dong Yixing and Zhao Yan
MIAMI, July 4 (Xinhua) -- Less than 24 hours after Cabo Verde's fairytale debut at the FIFA World Cup came to a cruel end, winger Willy Semedo sat down to untangle the emotions of a night that will forever define his tiny island nation.
Cabo Verde, ranked 64th in the world, had already defied all expectations by emerging from a group containing European champion Spain and two-time World Cup winner Uruguay.
In its epic round of 32 battle against defending champion Argentina, Cabo Verde fell behind to a Lionel Messi strike, but equalized through Deroy Duarte. After Lisandro Martinez restored Argentina's lead in extra time, Sidny Lopes Cabral's curling effort leveled the match once again, a moment when Semedo and his teammates dared to dream of a historic victory.
That dream was finally extinguished when Diney Borges deflected the ball into his own net from a corner, yet the mood inside the Cabo Verde dressing room remained anything but simple.
"It was a mix of two sensations," Semedo told Xinhua on Saturday. "At one point we were disappointed because we were eliminated, and at the same time we were happy because we were so proud of what we did during the tournament."
Head coach Bubista reinforced that feeling before his players had even removed their cleats.
"He just told us he was proud and really happy to be the coach of this national team," Semedo recalled. "He said we need to keep going like this because we are on the right path to achieve more things and write the story for our country."
Few moments captured Cabo Verde's refusal to yield more vividly than Cabral's equalizer, and Semedo was on the pitch when the ball nestled into the net.
"When he scored, it was a very important moment because we came back into the game, and of course we were sure we would be able to win it," he said. "But football is sometimes just like this. The match was decided by a set piece, and maybe we wanted to go to penalties, but we couldn't. That's the way it goes."
When the final whistle did arrive, that belief collapsed into raw heartache.
"The first feeling was sadness that we didn't manage to go through and qualify for the next round, so it was tough to accept," Semedo admitted. "But at the same time there was pride. Mostly, at that exact moment when the referee blew the whistle, we were just sad and disappointed with the result."
For a nation of just over 500,000 people spreading across a scattering of islands, simply reaching a World Cup was an act of defiance. Most of the squad, like Semedo, were born and raised in Europe, yet the bond they have forged is unmistakable.
"It's been maybe five years I'm in the national team, and the last two or three years it has been almost the same squad, just a few players coming in and a few leaving," he explained. "That's why we have a good group. We know each other very well, and that's why we can perform on the pitch."
His own journey with the Blue Sharks began on October 7, 2020, in a friendly against Andorra, a match he still remembers vividly.
"I was playing in France at that time. It was a very good moment, the first step of my international career."
Given the odds, Semedo rates the team's overall tournament performance a firm seven out of 10.
"People were giving us only one percent chance to qualify, and we managed to make that bigger and get through," he said. "We had a very good team and a very good competition."
The narrative that Cabo Verde was merely here to make up the numbers stung, and it fueled them.
"Of course we were angry. We didn't come here on holiday. We came to play the World Cup, to show ourselves and show that we are a small country but we have qualities," he said. "When people say that, you just want to come on the pitch and prove them wrong. That's what we did."
Semedo credits much of the team's composure to Bubista's temperament, describing a coach who leads with calm rather than volume. "He is very cool, a very good person first of all and a very good coach. He is not someone who likes to shout. He is always positive. As a player it is very important to have someone like that."
If Bubista provided the calm, it was 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha who provided the miracles. His 11 saves against Argentina, several from Messi, not only kept Cabo Verde alive but also turned him into a viral sensation.
"He had a very good competition, a very good World Cup. He is the oldest player in our national team, and everything that happened to him during this tournament he deserves a lot," Semedo said.
Watching that wall of resistance from the field gave the entire side extra belief. "He led us in the game. It's very important for a keeper to perform in these moments so we can stay inside the match, because if you concede two or three goals against them, the game is over. We know his quality, we know he is a top goalkeeper."
For a player born in 1994 who spent years climbing through the Cyprus League and French Ligue 2, the World Cup stage delivered lessons no club environment can offer.
"I learned a lot. From where I came, I never believed I would play a World Cup one day in my life," Semedo admitted. "You learn how the biggest stage in football works. It is completely different from playing at your club. Everything around the competition is just amazing. It was a top journey."
While he appeared in three of Cabo Verde's four matches, he was candid about his own contribution. "Of course I'm happy with myself, but I wanted to play more. I took what I had to take, and I think I did my best to help the team as much as possible. I'm proud of what I was able to achieve during this first World Cup."
Despite the surprising performance, Semedo stops short of calling his side one of the world's best.
"That would be too much. We are improving and trying to get closer to them, but we have to remember we are a small country. Every year we are trying to reach the best possible level, and that's all we want."
When asked to name the single most important ingredient for a footballer, Semedo's answer stretches beyond talent or hard work.
"I think it's a mix of everything, but the main thing you need is luck. You have to be at the right place at the right moment, with the right person looking at you. Many players have a lot of talent but never become professional footballers because they don't get that chance. All footballers are lucky, and I am lucky too."
With his World Cup adventure now complete, Semedo confirmed the next chapter of that fortunate career.
"I already signed a contract with a new team. I'm going to play in the UAE, in Dubai, for the next two years," he revealed, adding the club is Dubai United, where Italian legend Andrea Pirlo is the coach. "He is one of the best players ever, and I hope that I will learn a lot from him. So I'm very happy." ■
