Cape Verde fans celebrate historic World Cup debut after draw against Spain

Cape Verde supporters packed FIFA FanFest at Boston City Hall Plaza and erupted in celebration after their nation earned a historic result in its first-ever FIFA World Cup match.

The island nation held soccer powerhouse Spain to a scoreless draw, securing its first World Cup point and delivering one of the tournament’s biggest surprises so far.

For many fans, the result felt like a victory.

“A lot of people don’t have faith in us, but it’s 0-0, so for us we won,” one Cape Verde supporter said after the match.

Fans gathered at FanFest cheered, sang and celebrated throughout the match as supporters from around the globe joined in the festivities.

“You know, they played a really good game,” said Cape Verde fan Jaylen Gomez. “Spain was being said to be one of the finalists. The fact that they played defensive all game and didn’t let Spain have any chance to get a score was amazing to see.”

The atmosphere at City Hall Plaza reflected both the significance of the result and the diversity of the World Cup experience, with fans from multiple countries celebrating alongside Cape Verde supporters.

“We fought our hearts out,” said Quevin Gomes. “We’re meant to be in the World Cup. We’re going to surprise everybody. We’re going to make it out of the group.”

For many in attendance, the match carried personal and cultural significance beyond the final score.

“People from Scotland were dancing with my family. It was just fun,” said Kayci Resende-Abbott. “I mainly felt really happy seeing my mom just so happy and excited and emotional.”

The draw was particularly meaningful for Cape Verdeans, many of whom said they were proud to see their country recognized on the world stage for the first time.

“There’s people that didn’t even know that it was a country,” Resende-Abbott said with a laugh. “I’m like, ‘You know it’s a country today.'”

The celebration resonated strongly in Massachusetts, home to one of the largest Cape Verdean communities in the United States. Brockton, in particular, is known for having the largest Cape Verdean population of any U.S. city.

With Cape Verde earning a point against one of the tournament favorites, fans said the excitement is only beginning.

Cape Verde’s next World Cup match is scheduled for Sunday at 6 p.m. against Uruguay, with supporters across the Boston area expected to gather once again to cheer on their team.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW