Years in the making

How Cape Verde utilised its diaspora to become the second-smallest country to qualify for the World Cup

- Words: Mark Gleeson

Cape Verde's historic success in reaching the World Cup is a direct result of the diaspora, dipping into the country's large emigrant community.

The impact of using players born or raised in Europe, especially those who were capped by European countries at junior level, has been a boon for African nations. FIFA's change of the rules regarding footballing nationality back in 2003 was a watershed, and it was around that time that Cape Verde's fortunes began to change.

The island nation won its independence from Portugal in 1975, but unlike other new African countries, it took a while to organise its football association and national team. Cape Verde only joined FIFA in 1986, and made their debut in international competition at the Amilcar Cabral Cup, a regional tournament for West African nations. In the early years the team was exclusively home-based and up until 1992 the regional finals was the only international exposure that they got.

A first qualifier for the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations was a two-legged preliminary round knockout game against Lusophone rivals Guinea-Bissau in 1992, which they lost 4-1 on aggregate. Former Portugal international Alberto Fonseca, born in Bissau and who played at Benfica, was the coach.

Cape Verde did not bother to enter again until the 2000 Cup of Nations qualifiers, and their first World Cup participation was for the 2002 finals. By then they were able to call upon a handful of players from Portuguese clubs, but were still briskly eliminated by Algeria over two legs in the preliminary rounds.