This change has sparked Cape Verde's resurgence, and we could surprise everyone at the World Cup.
Few sides enjoy facing Cape Verde, and these assets will be crucial.
Saudi Arabia remain an "unknown quantity", but we will still go all out for victory.
We will exploit the spaces against Spain, because football is not decided by market value.
We'll play freely because we have 'no history'... and Bobista is one of the secrets behind our success.
Before Cape Verde made its World Cup debut, Sandro Mendes had already worn the national shirt, giving him a unique perspective on the nation's journey from obscurity to the global stage.
Born in Portugal and originally a youth international there, the former defensive midfielder switched allegiances at the start of the millennium and went on to wear the Cape Verde shirt, giving him a unique perspective on the nation's footballing journey from modest origins to the world's biggest stage.
During a 1995–2012 playing career in Portugal and Spain, he left his mark in Europe with Villarreal and won the Portuguese Cup and League Cup with Vitória de Setúbal. After hanging up his boots in 2012, he moved into coaching in 2014, picking up experience in Portuguese football before taking charge of Comércio e Indústria last summer.
A few days before the 2026 World Cup kicked off, Koora sat down with Mendes to discuss Cape Verde's historic debut at the tournament.
The former star discussed the secrets behind the national team's resurgence and the reasons for its rise to become one of the most prominent emerging sides on the African continent. He also spoke about the role of coach Bobista and the technical stability that has underpinned this success.
Mendes also discussed Cape Verde's chances in Group H, where they will face Spain, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay. He believes his nation can spring a surprise, pointing to a potential edge over Saudi Arabia in certain scenarios and even an outside shot at upsetting Spain, despite vast disparities in squad value and individual talent.
He also analysed the strengths and weaknesses of Saudi Arabia's "Green" side and Cape Verde's chances of making history on American soil. Here is the full interview:




