Cape Verde is one of those African Cup of Nations participants from whom it's entirely uncertain what to expect. The team can't boast of outstanding achievements or well-known names, yet it has the potential to surprise.

In this material, we will analyze the preparation of the Cape Verde national team for this year's tournament and attempt to objectively assess the team's prospects. By mostbet.az indir, a bettor gets the opportunity to place bets on the African Cup matches directly from their smartphone.


Team Outlook for the Tournament

On January 19, 2013, in Johannesburg, South Africa, a historic event took place. The Cape Verde national football team played its debut match in a major tournament. Approximately 50 thousand fans, mostly supporting South Africa, the tournament host, gathered at Soccer City Stadium. Although the match ended in a 0-0 draw, it was a breakthrough for Cape Verde in experiencing real football. A few days later, Cape Verde scored a historic goal in a match against Morocco, finishing that game in a 1-1 draw. In the final match, they went even further, securing their first historic victory by defeating Angola 2-1. The debut was fantastic, but in the quarterfinals, Cape Verde lost to Ghana 0-2 and exited the tournament.

In Praia, where 1/5 of the island's population resides, anticipation is building for the fourth African Cup of Nations tournament in the history of the local national team. The country, located on islands and significantly distant from the continental part of the continent (the nearest state being Senegal), boasts incredible landscapes and ample resources for tourism development, helping compensate for the almost complete lack of natural resources.


Squad and Coaching Staff

If we focus on football, most players choose Portugal for their development, where they play in both the elite division and lower leagues.

One of the most talented players, Logan Costa, a 22-year-old defender trained at Reims, moved to Toulouse in 2021 and played 17 matches in Ligue 1 this season. The D'Almeida brothers, playing in the Netherlands for Groningen and Fortuna Sittard, significantly strengthen the team. Brian Teixeira, playing for Sturm in Austria, is one of the most promising players, although he noticeably lacks regular playing time in the current season.

The team is coached by former national team player Bubista. He took charge of Cape Verde in 2020, and this is not his first similar tournament as head coach. The 54-year-old coach, a former defender, brings valuable experience, especially in clashes with Egypt and Ghana.

It's also worth noting players who declined the national team call-up. One of them is Joao Correia, a 27-year-old defender and captain of Chaves in Portugal, actively defending the club's right to play in the Portuguese elite. Another "rebel" is Helio Varela, a 21-year-old player for Portimonense, who scored 4 goals in 16 matches this season and is the club's top scorer. Varela made his debut symbolically but decided to stay in Portugal and focus on club matters.

For the Cape Verde national team, a realistic goal in the upcoming AFCON could be finishing third in the group. A victory over Mozambique in the second round looks realistic, and a draw in the match against Egypt or Ghana might even lead to advancement thanks to the ranking of the best third-placed teams, as it happened in 2022.

Prediction: 3rd place in the group with the possibility of reaching the playoffs.