TOPSHOT - A referee gets ready ahead of the Praia Cup final football match between Desportivo da Praia and Sporting Clube da Praia at the Estadio da Varzea in Praia, on April 4, 2026. Both teams played the final for a chance to qualify for the Cape Verdean Cup, a knockout tournament that brings together the champions of each island. This archipelago of 10 islands is the smallest African nation ever to qualify for a World Cup with a population of just 550,000. The national team, known as the Blue Sharks, will compete in Group H against Spain, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay. Their World Cup qualification has inspired many players in the local leagues, who now dream of joining the national team and representing their country. (Photo by PATRICK MEINHARDT / AFP via Getty Images)