Racing
League
Rugby
Football
Cricket
Golf
Olympics
Motorsport
Netball
Combat Sports
Basketball
Tennis
Other Sports
Sport Nation
LISTEN: NZ lead Iran 1-0FIFA Live: 27 shots denied as minnows stun World Cup favourites
SEN • June 16th, 2026 8:25 am
- Cape Verde 0-0 spain FT
- Belgium 0-1 Egypt
- Saudi Arabia v Uruguay 8am AEST
- Iran v New Zealand 11am
World Cup daily news. We will bring you the latest from around the world as the FIFA World Cup 2026™ finally gets under way (All times AEST).
Spain came to the World Cup as out and out favorites. Safe to say they have been humbled by tournament debutants Cape Verde.
The tiny nation, the second smallest in this year's World Cup, has a population of just 526,000, will be hailed as national heroes back home after holding the reigning European champions to a goalless draw in Atlanta.
The Spanish had 27 shots on goal forcing relentless saves from veteran goalkeeper and man of the match Vozinha.
The result and stats give Spain an unwanted record of the most shots on goal at a World Cup without scoring.
Moreover, stats show Spain completed 734 passes vs Cape Verde's 205 and 593-22 in the attacking half. They will be fuming they didn't win!
"The greatest in sport and in football lies in the intangibles and there was something inside those Cape Verde players that wasn't going to let them yield today," Ange Postecoglou said on commentary.
"We sat here and analysed the teams and you say, well, Spain should really win this comfortably, but we don't have what they have inside them, in their hearts.
"There's a small nation of people now who proudly say, 'I'm from Cape Verde,' and there's a recognition from everyone in the world of who they are."
Vozinha paid an emotional tribute to his family afterwards.
"I cried after the game because I grew up with my grandparents when I was a kid, and they could not be there," he said. "They passed away a few years ago.
"My mum could not be here either for a VISA issue, and the money we had to pay for it. We did not manage to do this in time."
