<p>Cape Verde are days away from making their World Cup debut.</p><p><br /></p><p>With a head coach nicknamed after the island of his birth and only seven full-time staff members, the tiny African archipelago are about to take on former world champions Spain and Uruguay as well as Saudi Arabia in North America.</p><p><br /></p><p>But what do you need to know about the Blue Sharks ahead of their maiden appearance on the greatest stage in international football?</p><p><br /></p><p>In the first of our four-part series on the debutants at the 2026 World Cup, we talk through the once Portuguese colony’s unique recruitment strategy – from LinkedIn DMs to Rotterdam recruits – and assess their chances of a Group H upset.</p><p><br /></p><p>Plus, New Zealand’s Tim Payne becomes an overnight viral sensation and Haiti’s Josué Duverger prepares to swap fifth-tier German side Cosmos Koblenz for World Cup duty.</p><p><br /></p><p>Get 10% off with Golaço Kits by visiting <a href="golacokits.com" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer">golacokits.com</a> and using the discount code SWEEPER10 at checkout.</p><p><br /></p><p>Chapters:</p><p>00:00 – Intro</p><p>01:57 – The coach: Bubista &amp; seven staff</p><p>03:05 – The players: Diaspora &amp; LinkedIn</p><p>07:54 – Qualifying: Windy win over Eswatini</p><p>11:04 – Group: Spain, Uruguay &amp; Saudi Arabia</p><p>13:30 – Our new partner: Golaço Kits</p><p>15:25 – Tim Payne: NZ’s overnight sensation</p><p>18:28 – Josué Duverger: Haiti’s fifth-tier keeper</p>