Speaking exclusively with BOYLE Sports , former Premier League centre-back and ex- Cabo Verde international Pele has called on his countrymen to take the nation deep into the World Cup this summer after their dramatic opening game against Spain .
The Portugal -born defender has hailed goalkeeper Vozinha as a player who could stop anyone, backed the Cabo Verde heroes to earn big moves, and explained why fans around the world are adopting the islanders as their second team.
Pele has also discussed the remarkable story of Roberto Lopes , set out his hopes of a dream final against Portugal , and explained why he believes even more players will choose Cabo Verde over Portugal after this tournament.
Vozinha
Did Vozinha's Display Against Spain Surprise You?
If you are the goalkeeper of a national team, you have to be one of the best in your country, but when you play against a big team like Spain, you expect you're going to have a lot of work to do, and you're hoping your goalkeeper is going to help you.
I heard of Vozinha when I was still playing for Cabo Verde , and some of the players obviously spoke about him, so I heard little bits about him. As a defender myself, I always expected my goalkeeper to be there if I got beat, and you've got to have that because you need to trust your teammates, and Vozinha will have that trust now more than ever for what he did against Spain .
Could Vozinha Play in the Premier League in His 40s?
We always see some players get big moves after a World Cup , but of course you are going to look at Vozinha and his age and think maybe it's a little bit late for him? But I don't think so. It's never too late for anything. Age is just a number. If you can play like he did against Spain , that's not luck. He can do a job somewhere. I'm sure a few clubs are taking a look at him now.
The Squad
Which Other Cabo Verde Heroes Could Earn a Move?
I think Cabo Verde have a good mixture of experienced players, but it's still a young squad, and many of the players already play in Europe and in Africa . I don't believe anyone in the national team still plays in the islands, but obviously this World Cup , after a game like Spain , will put the country in everybody's eyes. Everybody will know that game and the players, and a lot of people now will know about the talent Cabo Verde have, who might play for a smaller team now but have a chance now to move on and better their careers next season.
Should Ireland Fans Get Behind Cabo Verde?
Roberto Lopes came into Cabo Verde when I had stopped playing, but I was still following his progress. I had my injury, and I had to slow down my football because I was a little bit older too, but I did know about him and his story, how he was approached and thought it was all a scam because he didn't speak the language. I think that's amazing, and for my son, who was born in England , he now feels like it could happen for him too one day.
He understands a little bit of Portuguese , but he doesn't speak it yet. He might need it one day, so he says he'll learn the language because he wants a story like Roberto Lopes . It's fantastic. Everybody, all the players, I'm really happy for all of them.
Can Ireland fans adopt Cabo Verde as their second team at this World Cup ? I don't think it's just Ireland . I think a lot of people are doing that now because even at club level, no matter who you support, a lot of people always have a second club, and a small team like Cabo Verde give people so much hope. That travels far and far away.
Tournament Hopes
Who Would You Want in the Round of 16?
Cabo Verde will want any of the big teams. Argentina ? France ? England ? Obviously, we'd love to make the final and see Cabo Verde play Portugal ! We would love that.
It's fantastic for the country and fantastic for everybody, but first we need to get there and get out of the group stage. If we do, we've got Vozinha , and he can stop anyone. He could stop Cristiano Ronaldo , even.
How Long Until Cabo Verde Can Compete For AFCON?
The main thing is that Cabo Verde can compete at AFCON . We can compete with anybody in Africa , but we showed against Spain we can compete with anyone around the world too.
The aim has to be to keep playing at the World Cup and get to a point where you can compete and then win something like AFCON , but I'm already very happy with where the country is right now and the progression from all these years to where we are today. Hopefully, things will keep going, and we'll get there.
Will More Players Choose Cabo Verde Over Portugal?
Would Nani feel he could have chosen Cabo Verde over Portugal if he was playing today? I think, in a way, because of how the country is doing now as a football team, it will be easier to attract players too who might have otherwise played for Portugal .
I remember myself at my time when I was first approached by Cabo Verde ; in my head I was still thinking I can play for Portugal . I was doing okay in Portugal too, and I had that chance to be called up by Felipe Scolari for his squad. But I never got the call, and I decided to go back to Cabo Verde and accept their offer.
Nowadays I think it will be a lot easier for a player to look at Cabo Verde and see it as a chance to be an international footballer and play at the biggest tournaments, which is a big thing when you are a football player. There is so much talent out that could play for Cabo Verde too, and more and more will be attracted to play for them after this World Cup .
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