Hélio Varela’s Stunning Equalizer Puts Cape Verde and Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Spotlight
Hélio Varela, a Maccabi Tel Aviv midfielder, drew international attention after scoring a superb goal for Cape Verde in a 2-2 draw with Uruguay. The strike, scored in the World Cup, made him the first foreign player from Israel’s Premier League to find the net at a World Cup.
Spanish newspaper AS described the moment as one that made “Cape Verde turn the World Cup upside down,” while noting that Uruguay goalkeeper Fernando Muslera effectively handed Cape Verde a gift that Varela converted. The Guardian also highlighted the result, calling it another remarkable outcome for Cape Verde and praising Varela’s composure under pressure.
Varela said the goal meant everything to him. “I dreamed of this, but I never thought it would happen like this,” he said. “To score my first goal for the national team in my first World Cup match is just amazing. I have no words.”
The article says social media also reacted enthusiastically, with comments celebrating the “genius touch and finish,” Varela’s place in Cape Verdean history, and “a moment Varela will never forget.” The piece was published on June 22, 2026.
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