Goalkeeper Vozinha (right) of Cabo Verde makes a save during the Group H match against Spain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the US on June 15, 2026. Photo: Xinhua

The surprising result of World Cup debutants Cabo Verde holding Spain to a goalless draw during the ongoing tournament became a trending topic on Chinese social media on Tuesday. 

During the Group H opener in the US on Monday, although title favorites Spain dominated the match with 27 shots throughout the match, Cabo Verde secured their first point at the global showpiece thanks to heroic performances from veteran goalkeeper Vozinha, in what marked the biggest upset of the tournament so far. 
 
The 40-year-old keeper turned emotional after the final whistle. Vozinha told Fox that “I work hard all my life for this, for this moment, for this dream. A lot of generations in the past were dreaming of this, they didn't achieve it, many ex players from our national team ... And now the dream has come true.”
 
The shocking result has sparked discussions on Chinese social media. “Perhaps this is what makes football so captivating. Like many fans, I had never heard of this country before the World Cup,” said a Weibo user from East China’s Zhejiang Province. 
 
Never take any team lightly at the World Cup, said another Weibo user. 

The beauty of football, and of competitive sport more broadly, lies in the fact that no player and no team is ever guaranteed victory. The human spirit of striving against the odds is an inseparable part of human civilization itself, said a Weibo user from Southwest China’s Sichuan Province. 
 
Before the match against Spain, Vozinha, who was named player of the match, had just 100,000 followers on his personal social media account. Ninety minutes later, that figure had surged to more than 3.6 million.
 
With a population of just over 500,000, Cabo Verde wrote a grassroots football fairytale through a resilient defensive display.
 
The World Cup debutants punched their ticket to the tournament by emerging from the African qualifiers after the competition's expansion from 32 to 48 teams.

The combined market value of Cabo Verde's 26-man squad stands at just €55.95 million. Vozinha, who plays for Portuguese second division side Chaves, is valued at a mere €50,000, according to the China Youth Daily.
 
In stark contrast, Spain's squad is worth a staggering €1.26 billion, while teenage star Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona alone carries a market value of €200 million, said the report.