Amid nerves, sacrifice, and dreams accumulated over more than three decades, Cuba once again celebrated qualifying for the U-17 World Cup, something that had not happened since 1991.
In Guatemala City, Guatemala, the team led by Sandro Sevillano secured their ticket to Qatar 2026 on Wednesday, marking Cuba's third qualification in the history of this category.
The Antillean team accomplished it with authority: they finished unbeaten in Group F of the Concacaf qualifiers, first overcoming a Curacao squad bolstered by players trained in the Dutch system, then a competitive El Salvador backed by American academies, and finally drawing against Belize in a match that secured their qualification.
Suspense until the end
The last match seemed like a formality: a draw was enough to secure the ticket. However, the pressure of being on the brink of a World Cup weighed heavily on the young Cubans.
Despite generating more than 20 shots on goal, the score never changed due to the rival goalkeeper's interventions and a lack of precision. Sevillano made substitutions before halftime in search of solutions, and although the dominance was evident in the second half, the score remained unchanged.
In the final minutes, the coach chose to prioritize the result. He instructed the team to slow down the pace and reinforce the defense, which responded once again as it had in the previous matches.
The balance speaks for itself: three matches, only one goal allowed. A great achievement for island football.
A historic feat
The final whistle unleashed euphoria. Sevillano, in disbelief, walked across the field amidst hugs and celebrations.
"This doesn't compare to anything I've done in football. It's my greatest joy," he excitedly declared to the portal JIT. "We worked really hard; these kids deserve it. They have a huge future ahead and they are already in a World Cup."
The qualification breaks a drought that dated back to Scotland 1989 and Italy 1991, the only previous participations of Cuba in this category.
Indeed, the Cuban leader Miguel Díaz Canel acknowledged the achievement on the social network X.
A new moment for Cuban football
Beyond the specific achievement, the qualification for Qatar 2026 confirms an unprecedented moment for national soccer. It is the third consecutive year that Cuba has qualified for a world event in different categories: futsal was in Uzbekistan 2024, the under-20 team in Chile 2025, and now the under-17 team.
Never before had Cuban football achieved so many international successes in such a short time.
In November, these young individuals will fulfill their World Cup dream and write a new chapter in the history of Cuban sports. What they celebrate today could merely be the beginning.
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