From Curaçao To Cape Verde, The Small But Mighty Nations Made The World Cup Special

When we look back at the 2026 World Cup decades from now, what will we remember most? There will be plenty. Spain’s triumph over defending champion Argentina. Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland’s race for the Golden Boot. Scotland’s Tartan Army drinking Boston dry. Norway’s supporters introducing the world to the Viking Row. We’ll remember that this was the biggest World Cup ever — the first with 48 teams — and how, for 39 glorious days, the tournament captivated billions around the globe. We’ll remember that, even though the U.S. men’s national team fell short of the deeper run many envisioned, it reignited interest in soccer in America. The full impact of this group won’t be known for years, but in time we’ll see how it inspired the next generation of players and fans. There are countless storylines that will define this summer, and we could talk about them forever. But one that resonated most was the way smaller nations seized the moment and put on some of the most special performances. There was skepticism when FIFA expanded the field from 32 to 48 teams. Critics wondered if those teams would dilute the quality of play and whether fans would tune in for those games. Turns out, this gave the World Cup some fresh energy. New countries introduced us to their cultures, their stars and memorable moments. Sure, the biggest blowout of the tournament was when Germany crushed debutant Curaçao 7-1 in their group stage opener. But this experience was monumental for Curaçao, the tiniest nation at this World Cup. The island’s population is around 158,000 and has a total land mass of 171 square miles, which is seven times smaller than Rhode Island. They’re a soccer-loving country and thousands of fans were at this match against the four-time World Cup champs. Germany took a 1-0 lead six minutes in, but in the 21st, Curaçao midfielder Livano Comenencia made history by scoring his nation’s first-ever World Cup goal. And for the next 17 minutes, the game was tied. “We fought so hard to be here,” Comenencia said after the match. “It’s just beautiful my dream actually came true.” Then there was the game goalkeeper Eloy Room made 15 spectacular saves to lead Curaçao to a 1-1 draw against Ecuador and secure their first-ever point in the tournament. Room’s performance was legendary and goes down as the second-most saves in a single World Cup game behind Tim Howard’s 16 against Belgium in 2014. Telling the story of Curacao’s journey to the World Cup was one of my all-time favorite pieces as part of our coverage. It was fascinating to learn that the entire team except for one player was born in the Netherlands, and how each of them made a conscious decision to build something in their homeland. The work paid off, and they’ve inspired future generations to keep it going. There was also Cape Verde’s remarkable and improbable run in its first World Cup. While on the way to a USA training in Seattle, my Uber driver told me he was from Cameroon and had never even heard of Cape Verde. By now, of course, everyone has. Cape Verde tied all three of their group stage matches, including holding eventual champion Spain to a scoreless draw. Goalkeeper Vozinha became an instant folk hero, making seven heroic saves in that game. The Blue Sharks were the only team that La Roja did not beat. Later on during the round of 32 match against Argentina — because yes, Cape Verde made it to the knockout stage in their first-ever World Cup — Vozinha was magnificent again. He repeatedly denied some of the world’s greatest players, including Messi. And when Sidney Lopes Cabral scored a stunning equalizer in extra time, the cameras cut to a section of their supporters who were all losing their minds. For a few minutes, it felt like things were heading towards a penalty shootout until an own goal gave Argentina the 3-2 victory. The entire team was a joy to watch and Vozinha in particular — who, by the way, is 40 years old and saw a surge of some 20 million followers on social media — reportedly swapped jerseys with Messi afterward. Curaçao and Cape Verde made the most headlines, but other nations left their mark, too. DR Congo tied Portugal in its opener and made England nervous in the round of 32. Egypt advanced to the round of 16 by upsetting Australia on penalties before pushing Argentina to the brink in a 3-2 loss. Paraguay beat Germany in a penalty shootout in what was considered one of the biggest upsets in the knockout stage, before narrowly losing 1-0 to France in the round of 16. And so while we’ll think of Spain winning its second-ever World Cup title and maybe seeing Messi on this stage for the last time, we’ll also remember the countries who made significant strides and delivered unforgettable performances.