Cape Verde young guns ready to deliver against Uruguay

Cape Verde's young football stars are embracing their underdog status as they prepare to face Uruguay in their second World Cup match. Sidny Lopes Cabral, a 23-year-old defender recently signed by Trabzonspor, dismissed the idea that their goalless draw against Spain in their debut was just a "glimmer of hope." Instead, he stated that the result "gave us more power, more trust in ourselves" and reinforced their goal to advance from the group stage.

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Not hope. Before we came here, we had the goal. The goal is to go through the group phase. So this game gave us more power, more trust in ourselves.

Cabral, who previously played for Benfica and faced Real Madrid in the Champions League, expressed his personal preference for being the underdog. "For me personally, I like to be the underdog because then I can show up more," he said. He believes that many underestimate Cape Verde's quality, stating "Yes, 100 percent." The team is well-prepared for this perception, with players understanding that they may not be as widely recognized as those in top leagues.

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Yes, 100 percent.

Midfielder Telmo Arcanjo, also 23, acknowledged the historic nature of their World Cup debut against Spain. "It was a historic moment because it was the first time we'd played in the World Cup," he said. While slightly less bullish than Cabral, Arcanjo is anticipating a challenging match against Uruguay. "It's going to be a very intense match, with lots of duels," he noted, calling it "a good test" that he hopes will go their way.

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For me personally, I like to be the underdog because then I can show up more.