In this World Cup, the newly promoted Cape Verde team has become the biggest "dark horse", attracting widespread attention from Chinese fans.
On July 2nd, the WeChat public account "Yongzhou Release" published an open letter to the Cape Verde national men's football team on behalf of all fans in Yongzhou, Hunan. In the letter, it was stated, "Looking at that unyielding and relentless spirit, it's like seeing us from a year ago."
On the 19th, “Yongzhou Release” updated its news. On the 17th, Alindo Dorosariou, Ambassador of the Republic of Cape Verde to China, wrote a personal letter in Chinese and English. The letter was stamped with the official embassy seal and was sent specifically to all fans in Yongzhou. The full text is as follows:
Dear fans from Yongzhou, Hunan, China:
We have received your letter dated July 2, 2026. The sincerity and enthusiasm conveyed in every word of your letter deeply moved all of us, our staff members, and we have been reflecting on it repeatedly.
"Watching you all, it's like I see ourselves" - this sentence touched us deeply. The Yongzhou team and the Buddha-Dar Team, though separated by thousands of miles of mountains and seas, shared a similar tenacity of "grassroots rise" and a sincere spirit of "never give up". Your unity and perseverance in the Xiangchao arena's battles, your "never backing down" spirit, are akin to the "Blue Sharks" spirit on the world stage. The "Blue Sharks" and the "never giving up" spirit of the Buddha-Dar National Team, are truly expressions of the purest love for football and the most authentic representations of it. The spotlight at the World Cup may belong to the big clubs, but the soul of football belongs to every person who dares to dream.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Cape Verde. Over the past half century, the two countries have maintained sincere friendship and equal treatment, achieving fruitful results in fields such as infrastructure, healthcare, talent cultivation, and cultural exchanges. Football is a language that transcends borders, and sports are a bond that connects people's hearts. We deeply value this resonance and friendship that spans mountains and seas, and hope to take this as an opportunity to further strengthen the bonds of civil friendship between our two nations.
Here, we solemnly and sincerely respond: subject to appropriate conditions, we hope that in the near future, we can organize a team composed of Cape Verdean players. This team will travel across thousands of miles of mountains and seas to Yongzhou, Hunan, China. There, they will engage in friendly matches and skill exchanges with your renowned Yongzhou team, which is the champion of the Hunan Super League. This way, the saying "Yongzhou is not far away" will become a reality. At the same time, we sincerely wish for Yongzhou to continue to uphold the spirit of unity, hard work, and perseverance in the 2026 Hunan Super League, achieving even greater success. Let this grassroots strength inspire more people with dreams. Football has no boundaries; love is the bridge that connects us. We hope our friendship will last forever, and the future holds promise!
On June 15th, Cape Verde teamkeeper Vozinha after the match. Xinhua News Agency
In the 2025 Hunan Provincial Football League ('Xiang Super League'), Yongzhou team defeated Loudi team, Changsha team, and Changde team in the knockout stage, and as a 'dark horse', they lifted the championship trophy.
In the 2026 World Cup in Mexico, Cape Verde played two matches. They drew 0-0 with Spain, and played 2-2 against Uruguay. They also drew 0-0 with Saudi Arabia. With three draws and three points, Cape Verde finished second in their group and advanced to the round of 32. However, they lost 2-3 to Argentina in the quarter-finals.
Previously, all the fans in Yongzhou wrote in a letter to Cape Verde: "You will face the defending champion Argentina in the 1/16th final. Last year, we fought hard against a veteran team in the Hunan Super League semi-final. Both of us are grassroots players, both were underestimated, and both were at a disadvantage on paper. However, we have the strongest determination and most eager hearts. Despite being separated by thousands of miles of mountains and seas, our situations are similar. We fight in the same way, and our stubbornness is identical. Perhaps this is one of the rare companions on the green field."
Recently, the Ambassador of Cape Verde to China, Alindo Dorosarió, told the “Ideas Open” program on the Observer Network that the embassy has received invitations from several provinces in China and is making every effort to arrange a friendly match between the Cape Verde national team and China. At the same time, they are planning a video conference between the Cape Verde Football Association and the players with Chinese media. Goalkeeper Vencese might also participate in the connection, and discussions will be held specifically regarding the team’s visit to China.
