Cape Verde are taking a gamble on the fitness of centre back Logan Costa, naming him in their 26-man World Cup squad on Monday despite a long-term injury.
The Paris-born defender ruptured his ACL in a pre-season friendly last July and only returned to action on Sunday, featuring as a late second-half substitute for Villarreal in their 2-0 loss at Rayo Vallecano in the Spanish league.
Costa’s 13-minute LaLiga cameo, however, was enough to convince coach Bubista to include him with the 25-year-old widely regarded as his country’s best player.
There were no other surprises in the squad announcement as the coach stuck with the core of players who ensured a first World Cup appearance for one of Africa’s smallest nations.
Cape Verde’s population of some 600 000 makes it the third-smallest country to compete at a World Cup, but the team's players are almost all drawn from the country’s large diaspora.
Players born in France, Ireland, the Netherlands and former colonial power Portugal dominate the squad, while American-born goalkeeper Carlos dos Santos was picked as back-up to 39-year-old Vozinha. Dos Santos had previously been in the US squad and had a switch of allegiance approved by FIFA last week. He is the only uncapped player in the selection.
Cape Verde announced they will take on Serbia in a World Cup warm-up match in Lisbon on 31 May and Bermuda in East Hartford on 6 June.
They play in group H at the World Cup, starting with former winners Spain in Atlanta on 15 June before facing Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.
🚨 OFFICIEL : LA LISTE DU CAP-VERT POUR LA COUPE DU MONDE 2026 ! 🇨🇻🦈🏆 pic.twitter.com/PyKuWyxXWq
— 🏆 Actu Foot Afrique (@ActuFootAfrique) May 18, 2026
CAPE VERDE SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Carlos dos Santos (San Diego), Marcio Rosa (Montana 1921), Vozinha (Chaves)
Defenders: Sidny Cabral (Benfica), Diney Borges (Al Bataeh), Logan Costa (Villarreal), Roberto Lopes (Shamrock Rovers), Steven Moreira (Columbus Crew), Wagner Pina (Trabzonspor), Kelvin Pires (SJK Seinäjoki, Finland), Stopira (Torreense)
Midfielders: Telmo Arcanjo (Vitoria Guimaraes), Deroy Duarte (Ludogorets), Laros Duarte (Puskas Akademia), Joao Paulo Fernandes (Oțelul Galați), Jamiro Monteiro (PEC Zwolle), Kevin Pina (FK Krasnodar), Yannick Semedo (Farense)
Forwards: Gilson Benchimol (Russia), Jovane Cabral (Portugal), Dailon Livramento (Casa Pia), Ryan Mendes (Igdir), Nuno da Costa (Istanbul Basaksehir), Garry Rodrigues (Apollon Limassol), Willy Semedo (Omonia Nicosia), Helio Varela (Maccabi Tel Aviv).
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