Africa-Press. Several players from the Cape Verde national team have captured attention not only for their performance on the field during the World Cup finals but also for their commitment to the teachings of Islam.
A video circulated on social media shows three Cape Verdean players who practice Islam, performing a prayer together with great dedication.
Muslim Trio in Cape Verde
The trio includes Logan Costa, a player for Villarreal in Spain, Steven Moreira from Columbus in the United States, and Gamiro Monteiro from Zwolle in the Netherlands.
In an interview on social media, Gamiro was asked who leads the prayer, to which he replied: “It is Logan (Costa), he is a good person. Sometimes he tells me to lead the prayer, but I ask him to lead as we are used to.”
Regarding their relationship, Gamiro stated: “I have been here for 10 years, and the bond I feel with my brothers is something I have never known before.”
Moreira added: “Since we are the three Muslims on the team, we stay together and pray together before matches.”
Cape Verde’s Surprise
Cape Verde’s national team made a significant surprise in their first appearance at the World Cup finals by successfully qualifying for the Round of 32.
The African team advanced from the group stage by finishing second in Group H behind Spain, having collected 3 points from 3 draws against Spain, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay.
Cape Verde’s Group Stage Match Results:
– Spain 0-0 Cape Verde.
– Cape Verde 2-2 Uruguay.
– Saudi Arabia 0-0 Cape Verde.
Match Against Argentina
Cape Verde will face a very challenging match in the Round of 32 as they clash with the defending champion, Argentina, next Saturday at 1:00 AM local time in Mecca and Doha.
Cape Verde’s national team has risen three places in the latest FIFA world rankings, currently holding the 67th position globally.
Muslim Population in Cape Verde
Cape Verde is located in the western part of Africa, with a population of 525,000, making it the second smallest country to participate in the World Cup after Iceland in the 2018 tournament in Russia.
The country consists of 10 main islands, with Portuguese as the official language, and approximately 2.8% of the population identifies as Muslim.
