Cape Verde’s Sidny Lopes Cabral: ‘If you’re like “oh, it’s Messi”, you’re gonna lose your mind’
A Cape Verde squad member, one of seven players born in Rotterdam, is approaching this World Cup campaign with measured determination as the team prepares to face Argentina and Lionel Messi.
The player, whose parents are from Santiago and settled in the Netherlands at age 17, has embraced his international call-up with genuine passion. "I always wanted to play for the motherland because I love Cape Verde so much," he reflected. Describing the squad's atmosphere, he noted the unique team dynamic. "The team the vibe is so nice we're always dancing having fun. It's like we're on vacation."
Throughout the tournament, Cape Verde has demonstrated impressive resilience. When facing Lamine Yamal, the player acknowledged the striker's impact. "When Lamine came on it was like oh shit. But I said to myself Let's go let's test myself," he recalled. Despite receiving a yellow card that prompted his substitution, he praised his team's collective response. "Joao Paulo came on and did great. We showed we're a great team."
As the knockout stage approaches against Argentina, the player maintains composure about confronting Messi. "If you're like 'oh, it's Messi', you're gonna lose your mind," he cautioned, emphasising the importance of tactical focus over individual matchups. "We're focusing on our plan our tactics. If Messi touches the ball you will look at him like Hey I'm really playing against Messi. But it's about our game."
His team's approach emphasises unity above individual talent. "The coach's message is that we're a family. It's 11 men not this man or that man. I need to focus on myself."
Despite historically preferring Cristiano Ronaldo, the player expressed profound respect for Messi's abilities. "Nobody can do what he does," he stated. As Cape Verde embraces underdog status heading into their historic knockout fixture, this measured perspective reflects both respect for the opposition and confidence in the team's potential.