Cabo Verde manager Bubista said he was proud of his players after they pushed defending champion Argentina to extra time in a dramatic 3-2 World Cup round of 32 defeat on Saturday (Finnish time), reported Xinhua.
The African team twice came from behind – one in regular time and the other in extra time – before an own goal ended the tournament debutant's historic World Cup run on 111 minutes.
"First of all, I feel enormous pride in my players and what they did," Bubista told a post-match news conference. "They played with dignity and courage. I also want to congratulate our opponent because they showed why they are world champions.
"We knew how difficult this match would be because of Argentina's quality, but I believe we did our best and played with bravery. We never stopped being true to our identity, and that's why I'm so proud of this team.
"I don't think many teams could score twice against Argentina and take them to extra time. Coming back to equalize twice showed our character and spirit."
With a population of little more than 500,000 people, Cabo Verde became the smallest country to reach the World Cup knockout stage.
It reached the last 32 by holding European champion Spain to a goalless stalemate in the opening match before drawing with Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.
"We can leave this tournament proud of what we achieved," Bubista said. "These performances will go down in our country's history.
"For nations like ours, where qualifying for a World Cup is already difficult, we've shown that with organization, character and focus, it is possible to achieve great things."
"We wanted to compete with the best teams on equal terms. We arrived here with little experience, and experience often makes the difference, but we were able to play 120 minutes against Argentina and create chances in their penalty area.
"Everyone should thank these players for what they did. More than just playing football, they showed what our country is all about."
He added that the tournament represented a first step in the country's football development and talked down suggestions his team could be considered among the world's best.
"We are experiencing the growing pains of a team playing in this tournament for the first time," Bubista said. "I don't think we have earned the status of being among the world's best teams. We still have a long road ahead before we can consistently compete with them.
"But we showed in most of our matches that we can challenge some of the best teams in the world. It's also a good opportunity to thank our fans, who supported us with so much enthusiasm and passion throughout the tournament.
"We may be a small country, but we showed we can compete against the best."
He praised Argentina, noting that Lionel Scaloni's team had shown why it is the defending world champion.
"Argentina is always among the favorites to win the World Cup because of its history, the way it plays and the players it has," the head coach said.
"Seeing the stadium almost full of Argentine supporters also showed the size of this team and its football tradition. Even after we equalized, their fans kept pushing them forward.
"We are grateful for the opportunity to play against the world champions. We showed our resilience for 120 minutes against one of the giants of world football."
He described a feeling of disappointment in Cabo Verde's dressing room after the match, having pushed Argentina to the limit.
"The feeling in the dressing room is one of sadness. We're disappointed because we're leaving the tournament and because we came so close," he said.
"But the players should also be proud of what they achieved representing our country. They were hugging each other and crying, and that's part of growing. It shows this team has a soul, and we are very proud of them."
- Cabo Verde
- World cup
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
