Sidny Lopes Cabral from the Cape Verde national team won the Hyundai Award for Goal of the Tournament at the 2026 World Cup this Monday, an accolade given by FIFA at the end of each World Cup for the most spectacular goal of the tournament, selected by public vote among the 308 goals scored in the competition.
The awarded goal came in the 103rd minute of extra time during the Round of 16 match between Argentina and Cabo Verde on July 3 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, when the "Blue Sharks" were trailing 1-2.
Lopes Cabral received the ball on the left flank, cut inside past Alexis Mac Allister, and shot with his right foot, curling the ball into the far corner, out of Emiliano Martínez's reach, to equalize at 2-2.
"I saw the space and aimed for the angle," the player himself explained while describing the execution of the shot.
Despite the stunning goal, Argentina won the match 3-2 thanks to an own goal by D. Borges in the 111th minute, advancing to the round of 16. Cabo Verde was eliminated, but Lopes Cabral's goal became the most outstanding legacy of a historic participation.
Upon receiving the award, the player did not hide his emotions: "I don't know how to thank you. I'm very excited and very honored."
One of the most striking details he revealed was that the former Brazilian defender Marcelo personally wrote to him to inform him that he had voted his goal as the best of the tournament. Lopes Cabral's reaction was one of absolute disbelief: "I can't believe it!"
The personal story of the player adds a dimension of resilience to the award. Born on September 18, 2002, in Rotterdam, Netherlands, to Cape Verdean parents, Lopes Cabral was developed in the youth academies of Feyenoord Rotterdam and FC Twente before moving on to German football. According to reports from outlets like Los Andes and El Español, in his early days in Germany, he lived in very poor conditions, using garbage bags as curtains. In July 2025, he signed on a free transfer with Estrela da Amadora in Portugal.
The collective context of the achievement is significant. Cabo Verde was one of the major surprises of the 2026 World Cup, finishing the group stage of Group H undefeated with three draws: 0-0 against Spain in Atlanta, 2-2 against Uruguay in Miami, and 0-0 against Saudi Arabia in Houston.
With those three points, the African archipelago of just 600,000 inhabitants ranked second in the group and, for the first time in its history, advanced beyond the group stage of a World Cup, marking its debut in the competition.
The goal by Lopes Cabral against Argentina, chosen as the best of the tournament by fans in the official FIFA vote, encapsulates the spirit of the entire Cape Verdean campaign in one single shot: a small team, mostly made up of players from the African diaspora in Europe, that stood up to the giants and left an indelible mark on the World Cup.
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