Cabo Verde
Cabo Verde looks compact and clearance-heavy without the ball, while its sharper attacking moments tend to come late and sometimes after substitutions.
Based on 3 reviewed matches through Jun 27, 2026.
What we keep seeing
Compact clearance defense
StrongThe sampled games show Cabo Verde defending compactly and relying on clearances to absorb pressure.
Late-second-half chance weighting
ThinThe Saudi Arabia match shows Cabo Verde's chance creation skewing heavily to the second half, with the sharpest xG arriving in 61-75.
Strengths
Clearance-heavy resistance
StrongAgainst Spain and Uruguay, Cabo Verde spent long stretches compact and clearance-heavy to absorb pressure.
Late bench lift
ThinAgainst Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, late entries lined up with immediate attacking lifts.
Weaknesses
Early attack can be quiet
ThinIn Saudi Arabia, chance creation was heavily second-half weighted, leaving the early phases comparatively thin.
Central progress gets squeezed
ThinSaudi Arabia limited Cabo Verde's central progress enough that many home shots were blocked or came from lower-value areas.
Opponent plan
Deny
Deny central progress.
Attack
Attack the early phases.
Avoid
We do not have enough reviewed evidence to suggest this yet.
Player spine
Laros Duarte
Finishing ThreatAgainst Saudi Arabia, he produced Cabo Verde's highest-value shot after coming on; against Uruguay, he had two stoppage-time attempts on goal.
Pico
Defensive AnchorAgainst Uruguay, he accounted for a large share of Cabo Verde's defensive interventions in a clearance-heavy display.
Game evidence
Jun 27, 2026 · World Cup 2026 · Saudi Arabia · 0-0
Jun 21, 2026 · World Cup 2026 · Uruguay · 2-2
Jun 15, 2026 · World Cup 2026 · Spain · 0-0
Spain Owned the Ground; Cabo Verde Made Them Pay for What They Couldn't Finish