{"id":3549,"date":"2026-06-25T12:34:23","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T12:34:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=3549"},"modified":"2026-06-25T12:34:23","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T12:34:23","slug":"a-history-of-living-on-hope-cape-verdeans-ready-to-watch-their-team-surprise-the-world-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=3549","title":{"rendered":"A history of living on hope: Cape Verdeans ready to watch their team surprise the world \u2014 again"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n

PAWTUCKET, R.I. \u2014 Joe DaMoura is always looking for way to introduce the world to Cape Verde, a small nation of 10 volcanic islands off the coast of Africa.<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more Kylian Mbapp\u00e9 vs. Erling Haaland: Sizing up the striker showdown when France faces Norway on Friday<\/a><\/p>\n

And in the last few weeks, the national soccer team has made his job a whole lot easier, he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the most exciting time in Cape Verde history, and we\u2019ve had some pretty exciting times,\u201d DaMoura, the executive director of the Cape Verdean Museum, said Wednesday. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

With little more than 500,000 residents, Cape Verde arrived at the World Cup as a \u201csevere underdog,\u201d DaMoura said. It was ranked 67th in the world and was the third-smallest country by population to ever compete in the world\u2019s greatest sporting spectacle. <\/span><\/p>\n

The team played its first-ever World Cup match on June 15 against mighty Spain, which ranked second in the world before the tournament. They ended up in a 0-0 draw.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n
\n
Get Rhode Map<\/span><\/div>\n
A weekday briefing from veteran Rhode Island reporters, focused on the things that matter most in the Ocean State.<\/span><\/div>\n
\n