‘Only Cape Verde’ could do that to ‘absolutely knackered’ Argentina… | OneFootball

Cape Verde coach Bubista felt huge pride in his team after they took Argentina to the wire before losing a thrilling last-32 clash at the World Cup.

The 67th-ranked Africans have been the surprise package of their first finals, drawing with former champions Spain and Uruguay in the group phase before going down 3-2 after extra time against the holders.

Former centre half Bubista was the architect of the project and he thought the reaction to the loss by his players, most of whom do not play in elite leagues, showed how far they had come.

“The feeling in the dressing room is one of sadness,” he told reporters. “We’re sad, of course, we’re sad because we’re leaving the competition and because we got so close, so close.

“Even though they are sad, the players were hugging each other, they were crying. This is part of growing. This helps us grow, and also shows that the team has a soul.

“I feel pride in my players, and what they did. They did it with dignity and courage.

“I think Argentina showed why they are world champions.

“I don’t think any other team could have scored two goals against Argentina and taken the match into extra time. I think that shows the character of our team, how skilled our team is.

“They did it with bravery and never did we lose our identity.”

Bubista said throughout the tournament that Cape Verde’s first World Cup campaign was not just about football but also about the spirit of the island-nation.

“More so than just playing this was about showing the world our identity,” he said.

“Ours was a team that throughout the entire tournament, for as long as we were here, we wanted to play and we wanted to play against the best teams in the world.

“We played fairly and we stayed on a level playing field with our opponents.

“I think everyone should thank the players for their tournament, because they showed what our small country is about.”

Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni said the breathless win was a reminder that no knockout match is easy, after the holders were twice pegged back by the tiny African nation before scraping through.

“That was for those who said we had an easy run in the draw,” Scaloni told reporters after Friday’s match.

“Sure, we deserved to win and go through, but it was an extremely difficult match.”

“They finished the match absolutely knackered,” Scaloni said of his players.

“There are areas for improvement, but they’ve shown resilience. The players are tired because of extra time – too many minutes – and some cramps. But when they play with their hearts, they can overcome anything.

“The team showed their character and their worth today.

“Everyone thought it would be a walk in the park, but we knew it wouldn’t be.”

For Scaloni, the match was also a neat summary of Argentina’s footballing condition.

“What does it mean to be Argentine? To suffer,” he said.

“Cape Verde gave 200 percent, and in football that levels things out. The fans are the first to understand that this is Argentina and nothing for us is easy.

“There is something special to this jersey. We will keep going forward and there is no way we haven’t come out of this stronger and will be moving forward.”