Cape Verde still dreaming big as Brito responds to UEFA chief

The Islanders’ head coach, Burbista Brito issued a statement yesterday signed by the football federations of Cape Verde, Curaçao, Uzbekistan, Congo, and Haiti, in solidarity with Algerian, Tunisian, Moroccon, Egyptian, Ghanaian, Senegalese, Ivorian, and South African football associations. 

The statement was directed at UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin’s comments about World Cup matches becoming uninteresting with the latest 48-team tournament. 

But for Brito, it’s about living their dream...

"I hardly read that statement but we are happy to be here and I think it's an opportunity for the smaller teams and countries to compete and participate in the World Cup - just like us. We are here on merit."

Heading into this opening game against Spain, Brito says the focus is not just to honour the fixture but to show their identity and play with courage as well...

"We really want to show what we did during our qualification, we want to compete with our own identity and play all three matches with courage and organisation. To be able to show the world that we are one as a team and country. 

"We know the quality of our opponents but the game is still played on the pitch."

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Cape Verde are also in a tricky Group H, that houses Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia, and Brito says it’s a perfect opportunity to showcase what the West African island nation has in store for global football.