Former Cabo Verde Football Association president Victor Adolfo Osorio called the country\u2019s first-ever World Cup outing \u201cmore than satisfactory,\u201d as thousands of ecstatic supporters filled the streets of Praia to welcome the Blue Sharks home after a narrow last-32 defeat to Argentina.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are very proud,\u201d Osorio said, reflecting on a tournament in which the small island nation reached the knockout stage on its World Cup debut.<\/p>\n
On Sunday, the celebration parade started at Praia\u2019s airport and then made its way through the capital\u2019s main thoroughfares. Fans packed the route so tightly that the players\u2019 movement was slowed at times, with songs and music carried by supporters throughout. A planned stop at the National Assembly was scrapped because of the crowd size, although the squad were still expected to meet the country\u2019s president later that evening.<\/p>\n
Cabo Verde\u2019s exit was decided in dramatic fashion in Miami on Friday, where the Blue Sharks pushed reigning world champions Argentina into extra time before falling 3-2. Their return home also coincided with Cape Verde Independence Day, marking 51 years since the archipelago won liberation from nearly five centuries of Portuguese rule.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter the heroes who fought for our independence, we now have these heroes \u2013 the Blue Sharks,\u201d fan Edmilson Correia, 28, told AFP at the airport, where supporters had turned out in blue and many waved national flags.<\/p>\n
Goalkeeper Vozinha had described the achievement ahead of the parade as \u201csomething magnificent,\u201d adding that he had not yet \u201cfully grasped the magnitude of what we\u2019ve just accomplished.\u201d<\/p>\n
The homecoming concluded at Kebra Kanela beach, where thousands more supporters applauded and drummed as the players arrived.<\/p>\n
Head coach Bubista said after landing in Praia that the run showed qualification \u201cwasn\u2019t down to luck.\u201d He added: \u201cWe showed hard work and resilience, and we left the United States with our heads held high.\u201d<\/p>\n
Midfielder Sidny Lopes Cabral received special praise from supporters, and 12-year-old Ivan Goncalves pointed to his goal against Argentina as the moment that won over fans.<\/p>\n
Cabo Verde Football Federation president Mario Semedo said the tournament \u201craised the bar\u201d for football in the country, adding: \u201cThe challenges will certainly be greater\u2026 I think we will all be motivated and up to the task.\u201d Minister of Culture and Sports Antonio Duarte credited the Blue Sharks and their coaching staff with \u201ccementing Cape Verde\u2019s status as a great nation.\u201d<\/p>\n
Celebrations began in Praia in the early hours of Saturday, immediately after the final whistle in Miami.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Former Cabo Verde Football Association president Victor Adolfo Osorio called the country\u2019s first-ever World Cup outing \u201cmore than satisfactory,\u201d as thousands of ecstatic supporters filled the streets of Praia to welcome the Blue Sharks home after a narrow last-32 defeat to Argentina. \u201cWe are very proud,\u201d Osorio said, reflecting on a tournament in which the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2838,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"Cabo Verde World Cup: Osorio Praises Argentina Exit","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Cabo Verde legend Victor Adolfo Osorio celebrates the Blue Sharks\u2019 historic World Cup run after their narrow Argentina exit in the","mma_seo_breadcrumb_text":"","mma_seo_breadcrumb_url":"","mma_seo_breadcrumb_hide_ui":"","mma_seo_breadcrumb_labels":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2839","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n