CAPE VERDE

Home 2004/06

Matchworn/matchprepared Janício (game unknown)

Manufacturer: Tepa

Source: Collector

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THE TEAM

Despite being the fourth smallest member of the CAF, the “Tubarões Azuis” (Blue sharks), as Cape Verde’s national team is nicknamed, have attained some more than respectable achievements in African football. The small Portuguese-speaking island archipelago off the coast of Senegal has just over half a million inhabitants, thus making it difficult to assemble a competitive squad to hold against Africa’s big players. Yet, Cape Verde managed to qualify for the African Cup three times and advanced from the group stages twice: in 2014 they progressed to the quarter finals where they lost 2-0 to the “black stars” of Ghana and, more recently, in 2021 (well, 2022) they lost 2-0 to eventual champion Senegal in the Round of 16.

Currently ranked 72th (as of December 2022) in the FIFA rankings, the team miraculously climbed to the 27th place in 2014.

THE SHIRT

Cape Verde has always been blessed with fantastic shirt designs and this effort by Portuguese manufacturer “Tepa” is no exception. Kept in the country’s national colors and adorned with ten oversized stars, the shirts is certainly a looker! It’s also the last model that came with the country’s coat of arms – that bares resemblance to the Illuminati symbol from afar – before Cape Verde switched to their federation badge.

It was worn (presumably in various matches) by defender Janício who – like many of his countrymen – spent most of his career in Portugal.

The Cape Verdian squad in 2006.