Africa’s impressive start to the FIFA World Cup 2026 continued on Monday night as debutants Cape Verde produced one of the tournament’s most memorable performances, while Egypt secured a valuable point against Belgium.
The Blue Sharks became the talk of the football world after holding reigning European champions Spain to a remarkable 0-0 draw in their first-ever World Cup match. Ranked 64th in the world and making their tournament debut, Cape Verde defied expectations against a Spanish side ranked third globally and considered among the favourites to lift the trophy.
Spain dominated possession from start to finish and camped deep inside Cape Verde’s half for long periods, finishing with 27 attempts on goal, seven of them on target. Yet they found no way past veteran goalkeeper Vozinha and a disciplined Cape Verde defence that produced a defensive masterclass.
The 40-year-old goalkeeper delivered a performance that will be remembered for years, making a string of crucial saves to frustrate the European giants. He denied efforts from Pedri, Mikel Oyarzabal, Ferran Torres and Aymeric Laporte as Spain grew increasingly frustrated throughout the encounter.
Despite the relentless pressure, Cape Verde remained organized and resilient. In fact, the debutants nearly completed one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history when Diney Borges rose to meet a late corner, only to direct his header tamely at the Spanish goalkeeper.
The result sparked celebrations across Africa and beyond, with Vozinha becoming an overnight internet sensation. Reports indicate the goalkeeper gained more than four million followers on Instagram following his heroic display against the 2010 world champions.
Later in the evening, Egypt ensured Africa’s unbeaten night continued after battling to a deserved 1-1 draw against Belgium.
The Pharaohs started brightly and were rewarded midway through the first half when Mohamed Salah’s intelligent pass found Emam Ashour, who unleashed a powerful strike into the corner to give Egypt the lead.
Egypt continued to threaten on the counterattack and looked comfortable for large periods as Belgium struggled to break down their organized defensive structure. The Europeans improved after halftime and began creating more clear-cut opportunities, with Kevin De Bruyne and Youri Tielemans both going close.
Belgium eventually found an equalizer through Romelu Lukaku, who finished from close range after a dangerous delivery into the penalty area. The closing stages saw Belgium push for a winner, but Egypt held firm, with goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir producing key saves to secure a valuable point.
With Morocco drawing against Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire defeating Ecuador, Cape Verde holding Spain and Egypt sharing the spoils with Belgium, Africa’s representatives continue to demonstrate that they are capable of competing toe-to-toe with some of football’s biggest names on the world’s grandest stage.
