By Nick Mulvenney
MIAMI, July 4 (Reuters) - Cape Verde's sensational debut World Cup campaign ended on Friday but not until they had taken world champions Argentina down to the wire and become the sentimental favourites of millions of fans around the world.
A collection of 10 volcanic islands with a population of some 500,000 off the coast of West Africa, Cape Verde did not play a World Cup qualifier until the start of the century and were ranked 67th in the world coming into the tournament.
The band
of journeyman professionals and raw youngsters assembled by coach Bubista defied the odds from the start, though, holding former champions Spain and Uruguay to draws to finish second in their group.
Their reward was Friday's last-32 tie against Lionel Messi's Argentina in which they twice came from a goal down in a pulsating and highly competitive contest before finally going out 3-2 to an own goal in the second period of extra time.
Applauded off the Miami Stadium pitch by the notoriously partisan fans of the Albiceleste and lauded by Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni as well as Messi, the Blue Sharks had achieved their ambition of making an indelible mark on the tournament.
"Today we fought Argentina on equal terms. We fought for the result. We didn't manage it, but that's football," said Vozinha, the 40-year-old goalkeeper who became a social media sensation with his exploits during the tournament.
"We managed to qualify and to make a dream come true, not only for me, not only for the national team, but for all the Cape Verdean people.
"To be here, to compete, to play and fight on equal terms against these teams — we have to be full of pride."
While Cape Verde's qualifying campaign was strong enough to have perhaps earned them a spot at a World Cup with a smaller field, their defiance of Spain, Uruguay and Argentina also made a compelling case for FIFA's expansion to a 48-team World Cup.
"WE'VE SHOWN A WAY"
The performances at the World Cup were the result of a long-term project masterminded by Bubista, who recruited players with Cape Verdean heritage from around the world and forged them into a squad with incredible resilience and an effective game plan.
The six players born in the Netherlands, four in Portugal, three in France and one each in Ireland and the United States joined seamlessly with the 11 from the islands to make up a team that was much more than a sum of its parts.
Bubista also gave them a clear mission and identity -- they were at the tournament to put their country on the map and show the world the qualities of the people of Cape Verde.
"One of the pleasing things that has come out of this World Cup is that nobody has to ask what Cape Verde is anymore," said Dublin-born Pico Lopes, a tough 34-year-old central defender who was recruited via a message on LinkedIn.
"They know where we are on the map and they know what we're like as a team.
"I think all Cape Verdeans around the world who aspire to be footballers — we've shown a way today, and I'm hoping the new generation is watching the stars we have out there and wants to be on that stage."
(Reporting by Nick Mulvenney, editing by Ed Osmond)
