For much of his childhood, Diney Borges lived in Tarrafal, a city in the north of the island of Santiago with just over 6 thousand inhabitants. He left Cape Verde early to pursue his dream of being a player in Portugal. Now, the defender finds himself at the center of the biggest campaign in his country’s football history at this World Cup.
After drawing with Spain and winning 2-2 against Uruguay, Cape Verde reaches the final round of the World Cup group stage with a real chance of qualifying for the knockout stage in its first participation in the tournament. For those watching from the outside, the trajectory has been treated as one of the greatest stories of the competition. Within the cast, however, the surprise is less.
“For the group, none of this is a surprise. We have always been well aware of our real value. We came knowing that we weren’t at the World Cup to hang out. It’s the opportunity of a lifetime and we can’t do less than give our lives”, he told Sheet.
With just over half a million inhabitants, the African archipelago secured a place for the first time after finishing ahead of Cameroon in the African Qualifiers.
Diney sees the performances in this World Cup as a consequence of an identity built over the last few years.
“We were cohesive to defend, but we never hid, and we were bold to attack one of the best teams in the world. We never showed fear and we were faithful, once again, to ourselves and our game philosophy,” he said.
The next match will be against Saudi Arabia. A victory could put the African team in the knockout stage — there are chances even with a draw. Despite the favorable scenario, the discourse remains cautious.
“Nothing changes. The preparation for the match is the same. We know that the responsibility is greater, people expect great things from us, the fans already follow us and have some expectations, but we are shielded from external noise.”
“We have a very big dream of qualifying. We know that it depends on us, but we are not going to enter the field alone”, he stated.
The campaign also brought Cape Verde even closer to the Brazilian public. In addition to the Portuguese language, the two countries share cultural references that appear in everyday life in the archipelago. Diney cites Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Rivaldo among the players he admires.
“There is a predominance of Brazilian and Portuguese culture in Cape Verde. Through music, through soap operas, through some expressions, through some trends. We are brotherly peoples.”
After the draw against Spain, goalkeeper Vozinha became the biggest story of the World Cup, took over social media and now has more than 15 million followers.
“It’s good to feel that our matches are being appreciated by fans all over the world. Vozinha is a great goalkeeper, a great leader and, above all, a person who deserves everything that is happening. We are more focused on our national team than on individual careers”, he pointed out.
According to him, the support from Brazil has been noticeable throughout the competition.
“There is a great proximity to the Brazilian people and we have felt a lot of support, including from Brazilian fans throughout the competition.”
The defender says he frequently receives messages from Brazilians on social media.
“I find it very funny because, sometimes, I receive private messages and comments from fans saying: ‘Come to my club’. It’s a huge pride to have this affection. I would like, one day, to play in Brazilian football. I appreciate the championship.”
Today at Al Bataeh, in the United Arab Emirates, Diney built most of his career away from home, where he left in his early teens. It passed through Portugal and Morocco before arriving in the Middle East. He says he learned resilience in his formative years in Portuguese football, but he has a special affection for the Moroccan period.
“Morocco was where I was happiest. Being champion, the way I was, is something unforgettable. There are no words to describe everything I experienced.”
Still, the current moment seems to occupy its own place in its trajectory. At 31, he avoids setting limits to what Cape Verde can achieve.
“I maintain the same stance. We have to think game by game. Now we have a final ahead of us against Saudi Arabia and that’s all we’re focused on,” he said. “But from game to game, we’ve seen the responsibility increase. People are following us, people want to see what we’re going to do next.”
