It's the embarrassment of the tournament — so far. Reigning European champions Spain, one of the title favourites, are held to a 0-0 draw by Cape Verde in their opener. Against a World Cup debutant. And Spain's fans are stunned.
As of 16 June 2026
27 shots, no goal
Spain dominated at will: 27 shots over 90 minutes, relentless pressure, chance after chance. None of it mattered. Cape Verde defended with everything they had — and had an answer to every Spanish idea.
The man of the match was 40 years old.
Vozinha, 40, the hero of Cape Verde
Goalkeeper Vozinha preserved the point with seven saves. His masterpiece came just before half-time, with a string of stops to deny Ferran Torres, Pedri and Aymeric Laporte. At 40 he becomes the viral figure of the matchday — and the face of the first World Cup point in Cape Verde's history.
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente was blunt: "We should have won today's match with everything that happened, with all the favourable situations we created, but we lacked freshness and a clinical edge."
What underdog tippers can learn
This is exactly where prediction rounds are won. Anyone who had the courage to back Cape Verde for a draw gained ground while everyone else picked the "obvious" Spain win. Upsets like this are why you shouldn't always predict the likely outcome — you read the games where the favourite wobbles.
Predict the next matchday · AI League: would the AIs have seen it coming?
How did Spain vs Cape Verde end?
0-0. Reigning European champions Spain were held to a draw by debutants Cape Verde in their World Cup 2026 opener, despite 27 shots.
Who is Cape Verde's goalkeeper?
Vozinha, the 40-year-old hero of the match: seven saves, including a string of stops just before half-time. He earned Cape Verde the first World Cup point in their history.
Why is the 0-0 a sensation?
Spain are reigning European champions and among the title favourites; Cape Verde are World Cup debutants. A heavy favourite failing to score with 27 shots ranks among the tournament's biggest surprises.
Sources: ESPN · Fox News · NBC News
Explore more: World Cup today: all matches & AI picks · AI League: 10 AIs predict the World Cup · WC 2026 prediction game: the guide
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