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Minnows' shock goal voted best of 2026 World Cup
AP • July 28th, 2026 10:09 am
Cape Verde | Photo: AP
It was a goal that made the world sit up and take notice, and they still are.
Sidny Lopes Cabral's stunning goal against Argentina has won the public vote for goal of the World Cup finals.
The Cape Verde player's curling shot into the far top corner of the goal drew the unheralded African debutants level with defending champions Argentina at 2-2 in extra time in Miami Gardens.
Cape Verde would eventually lose the last-32 knock-out 3-2.
Lopes Cabral's goal was voted best of the 308 goals scored at the tournament, ahead of Eldor Shomurodov's delicate lob for Uzbekistan against Congo and Wilson Isidor of Haiti scoring with a powerful rising shot against Morocco.
FIFA drew up a shortlist of 12 goals for public voting, which included All White Elijah Just's spectacular volley against Iran.
Lopes Cabral's celebration also entered World Cup lore as he broke free of teammates reaching to grab him before climbing into the tribune to hug his girlfriend and look for his mother.
"Before the game, I'd told my mum and my girlfriend that if I scored, I'd run over to them," he said.
"When I got there, I saw my mum crying. She hadn't even realised I was right there. Everyone was busy tending to her because she had fainted when I scored."
Cape Verde defied both World Cup finalists in their four games, after goalkeeper Vozinha's standout display saw his team open with a 0-0 draw to stun eventual champions Spain.
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