Read 3 minutesUpdated: June 16, 2026 07:25 PM IST
Cape Verde According to the BBC, since 1996 – with records available for 30 years – it may be the fewest fouls committed in a FIFA World Cup match.
Number of fouls – 1. 18 from team tackles. He left Sidney Lopes Cabral with a yellow card. Can do this from his 5 clearances and 2 tackles.
Spain committed 9 fouls, 1 yellow.
The archipelago held off Spain’s dominating attack in a goalless 0-0, fending off waves of goal-breaking attempts – such was their organized clean tackling that saw 9 outfielders commit to eluding Spanish charges, many before they could reach Vozinha. He recorded 18 tackles and 15 interceptions, only being cautioned once.
Opta reported that Spanish designated forward Mikel Oyarzabal, their Euro hero in the final, was denied a touch for the full 30 minutes, the longest by any striker since 1996.
Cape Verde have recorded just 11 yellows through their 10-match qualifying campaign and only 1 red card to date – that too in an international friendly. They only had 3 yellow cards in 5 games when playing away in Qualis. They also have an impressive defensive record in the qualifying stages where they have kept 7 clean sheets, conceding just 8 goals in 10 matches.
Spain had 27 attempts, including 7 on target which were stopped by Leonin Vozinha. But Spain could not break down the Cape Verdeans, despite having 74% possession and completing 388 passes in the final third of the field.
At the heart of the defense in front of Vozinha for the heroic Cape Verde side was Dine Borges, 185cm – occupying the field until his glorious namesake, Addison Alberto Montero Sánchez Borges. A leader in the defensive line, the 31-year-old built a reputation for strong defensive physicality in Morocco and Portugal before playing in the UAE.
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Not only that, he went down the other end and terrorized Unai Simon with his aggressive headers.
Sky Sports reported that Borges won more duels with his various defensive headers and made more tackles than anyone else. According to MatchStats, Borges logged 5 tackles, 2 interceptions, 8 clearances and 3 blocks.
According to statistics from whoscored.com, his centre-back partner, 186cm Pico Lopes, completed 11 clearances and blocked one at the goalmouth. He won 2 aerials while Borges won 1. Forward Delon Livramento also dropped deep and won 2 aerial duels.
Forward Gary Rodriguez, a former postman, created a few occasions when the ball reached the other end and created definite excitement in the closing stages with two forays into the Spanish half.
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Even before Lamine Yamal turned 70, the Cape Verde tight pack operating in the trapezium faced threats from Pedri and Rodri, the creative founts for Spain. Pedri’s frustration was evident when he picked up a yellow in the 93rd minute, pulling off the Cape Verdean’s shirt.