Cape Verde pulled off a surprise 2-2 draw against Uruguay in Miami at the 2026 World Cup, a result that leaves the African side in a strong position to reach the knockout stage. Uruguay led after Nicolas de la Cruz opened the scoring, but Cape Verde stayed in the game and earned a point against one of the tournament favorites.
Maccabi Tel Aviv midfielder Hélio Varela scored the equalizer, giving Israeli football a visible presence on the World Cup stage. The match also featured a turnaround by Uruguay, with Maxi Araujo and Agustin Canobbio scoring after De la Cruz’s opener, before Varela restored the balance.
The Hebrew report framed Cape Verde’s performance as part of the tournament’s pattern of underdogs shocking the world, and noted the team’s remarkable achievement against the “Celeste.” It said the draw puts Cape Verde in an excellent position to advance, while Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa is under pressure after the setback.