Cape Verde hero Steven Moreira: World Cup to MLS All-Star | OneFootball

By Justin Ruderman

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The 2024 MLS Defender of the Year, a two-time MLS All-Star, and now a 2026 FIFA World Cup breakout star with Cape Verde.

Columbus Crew defender Steven Moreira's growing résumé is the stuff of dreams.

His World Cup experience this summer was no different. A key piece of Cape Verde's historic Cinderella run, Moreira and the Blue Sharks captured the imagination of the entire globe with their unexpected tournament success as the smallest-ever nation to reach the World Cup knockout stages.

"It was amazing. All the fans were cheering for us," Moreira told MLSsoccer.com on Tuesday morning.

"Even here, all my teammates were cheering for me. I’m very happy to put Columbus and the league on top of the world.”

Matching up against the best

Before the tournament, few fans or pundits expected the 67th-ranked team in FIFA's World Rankings to advance from a group containing previous World Cup winners Spain and Uruguay.

But inside their own locker room, the African nation knew exactly what they were capable of.

“We finished first in our [World Cup qualifying] group in front of Cameroon, so we knew we had quality. Maybe the world didn’t know, but we believed in ourselves," said Moreira. "So we went over there [to the World Cup], we wanted to compete. And we did well.”

In truth, that might be an understatement.

During their tournament debut, Cape Verde put the world on notice, grinding out a 0-0 draw against eventual tournament champions Spain, with 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha rocketing to social media stardom behind a career-defining seven-save performance.

“It’s hard to pick a favorite. Everyone loved the last game against Argentina, but I would say the game against Spain," Moreira said of his tournament highlight. "That was the first game for us at the World Cup [and] we tied the champions.

"It was a really hard game. After the game, we were very tired. Spain are a different level, the way they play with the ball. So I would choose that game.”

As Moreira hinted, his side's performance against Argentina surely can't be far behind. The Blue Sharks' Round of 32 bout was nothing short of a David vs. Goliath matchup as the World Cup debutants faced off against the reigning champions, pushing La Albiceleste to extra time before bowing out of the tournament with a 3-2 defeat.

Not to mention, clashing with the man many consider to be the greatest player in the history of the game, Inter Miami CF megastar Lionel Messi, who Moreira knows well from their numerous MLS meetings.

“Before the game, my teammates were making jokes. Like, ‘You think Leo knows you?’ I was like, ‘Yeah, of course!’ Because we play against Miami a lot. I was like, it would be the same as, I don’t know, if you play in Spain, playing against [Lamine] Yamal a lot. Like, he would recognize you and stuff," shared Moreira.

"They were making jokes, and right before we took the field, Leo came to me and said, ‘Hi, congrats on your team’ in English. I was a bit surprised, but that was a nice moment.”

National hero

As for Moreira's most cherished memory? That one was easy.

“I would say just making my parents proud. They were very proud, and they cried almost every game. So, I would say that," said Moreira. "And after that, of course, putting your country on top of the world. Now, everyone knows Cape Verde. Hopefully you’ll travel there as well and enjoy some nice moments.”

Moreira and his teammates enjoyed raucous celebrations upon returning to their home country after their tournament exploits.

“It was amazing, honestly. When we went back, even the president of Cape Verde was there. Everyone was just so happy and proud," recalled Moreira.

"We partied a lot, honestly. I didn’t sleep a lot. It was amazing, something I will never forget.”

Now, Moreira will aim to make more unforgettable memories as a member of the MLS All-Stars when taking on the LIGA MX All-Stars at Charlotte FC's Bank of America Stadium on Wednesday night (8 pm ET | Apple TV).