Cape Verde’s courage vs Messi leaves Scotland jealous

Cape Verde’s thrilling 3-2 extra-time defeat of Argentina sparked tears, hugs and heart-on-sleeve pride—emotions that were felt acutely by the footballing world. Back in Scotland, the tone has been harsher after group-stage exits, leaving one question hanging

A young boy with a mop of curls is captured on camera. tears streaming down his face as he makes a love heart with his fingers aimed toward the pitch. Just moments later. a slightly older girl appears clutching her glasses in one hand—her eyes watery. her heart submerged in disappointment that still somehow holds pride and defiance.

That’s the kind of emotional collision football trades in. It’s why supporters from Cape Verde—babes-in-arms through to ageing grandparents—can go from stunned joy to raw acceptance without ever losing themselves. It’s what they lived through in the aftermath of their national team’s heroic display against Argentina. a match that ended 3-2 to Cape Verde after extra-time.

On the field, the emotion didn’t hide. The players cried. They went into the stands to hug their families. And when the spectacle they’d just witnessed—those dark blue jerseys representing them—hits home, the feeling spreads. Here in Scotland, it felt close to jealousy. The kind that makes you start asking blunt questions: when was the last time Scotland felt that way about its own side at the top level?. And why did it stop?.

The comparison lands hard because the scene is set in the same stadium. Both Cape Verde’s moment at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami and Scotland’s own tournament ending at that arena nine days earlier are tied to the same venue. the same geography—yet the emotional geography is entirely different. Nine days before, Scotland had surrendered 3-0 to Brazil, and the atmosphere afterward looked stripped of fire. Stony faces. Dead eyes. Players clapping toward the fan base with very little expression. the kind of applause that feels more like a ritual than a release—an effort to bring an ugly chapter to an end.

For Scotland’s supporters, the feelings weren’t even in the same register. There was no visible frustration that came from thinking the team had gone for broke. There was no satisfaction that felt earned. Just resignation, with people looking like they wanted the night to move on.

It would be tempting to turn this into a rant—saying how can Cape Verde go toe-to-toe with reigning champions in the knockout stages while Scotland go home counting bills. That’s too easy, and it doesn’t do Cape Verde justice. The simple fact is that the African outfit. ranked 64th in the world. has shown bigger nations exactly what can happen when the belief is real and the plan has discipline.

In the immediate aftermath, Cape Verde’s head coach Bubista put it in plain human terms. “More than just playing, this was about showing the world our identity,” he said. “Even though they are sad, the players were hugging each other, they were crying. This helps us grow, and also shows that the team has a soul.”.

That’s the kind of language you feel more than you hear. It’s built for a team that doesn’t treat emotion as weakness. It’s built for players who carry a sense of togetherness into the moments that most squads try to forget.

The question for Scotland is whether that has ever been consistently possible under Steve Clarke. Euro 2020 was Scotland’s best of three under him. but it was undermined by a lack of composure at vital moments. Euro 2024. according to how the tournament is described here. was a disgrace—players looking scared of their own shadows. a collapse that should have led to Clarke’s removal. And the World Cup just gone?. Deeply depressing too.

Clarke’s negativity is singled out again as part of what went wrong this time. Fielding two left-backs against Morocco backfired. and the defeat became more infuriating in a way that’s hard to ignore: once Scotland finally tried to assert themselves. the North Africans lost impetus. Even the roster choices carry weight in the telling—Clarke played a 4-4-2 against Haiti. but big performers didn’t turn up.

Morocco may have been described as a tactical mess, but the line-up against Brazil met approval in its intent. The problem, in this account, wasn’t only tactics—it was cohesion and self-belief. Stupid mistakes. No-shows from influential figures. And hope extinguished before it ever had a chance to take hold.

There’s also the attitude toward how to talk about failure. Several players said they were determined to leave America with ‘no regrets’. The argument here is that they should have had regrets—because Scotland bowed out with a whimper.

Even the way the tournament was framed afterward matters. After getting back to America. Clarke talked about how punters should be saying thank you to the players for getting to the place in the first instance. A new manager can reset everything. But these performances—damp squibs that “stink out” big tournaments—are the kind of pattern that demands more than a fresh appointment.

The distinction is stark. Cape Verde didn’t have a ‘just happy to be here’ vibe. Their players have more pace than Scotland and, embarrassingly, look more comfortable on the ball. Yet the heart of it is team identity: Cape Verde play with their hearts on their sleeves.

Scotland’s World Cup had another corrosive element too. Any call for a more aggressive approach against Brazil was accused of asking for “gung-ho”. Even Clarke was at it. The result. in this telling. was dispiriting and silly—an atmosphere where courage was treated like a problem rather than a resource.

Cape Verde’s build, as described, came from solid coaching and discipline. They were organised. They defended for their lives. Aggression is framed as part of their make-up: they pressed fiercely. worked relentlessly. and accepted that they had to when facing better opposition. Still, there was a plan to get the ball up the park when openings came.

Scotland, meanwhile, delivered little quality with the ball across their three games, and they were “rotten without it too”. The suggestion is that Clarke’s risk-averse approach and downplaying of expectation may have restricted his players. The requirement placed on his successor is direct: encourage the good players to feel free to express themselves inside a solid. settled framework.

The future is already knocking. It looks almost impossible not to qualify for Euro 2028, which creates space to experiment. Younger players need to be looked at. Lennon Miller should make progress in Serie A. Kieron Bowie is expected to get a big move from Verona. Luke Graham has gone from Dundee to Stoke. Robbie Ure is rattling in goals for IK Sirius in Sweden. A Danish contact even asks why 24-year-old centre-back Luis Binks of Brondby hasn’t been considered.

These players may still not prove good enough, but the national squad needs new blood. It also needs a change of attitude.

There is a stubborn nostalgia in the final sweep of this argument. Older fans once cried as kids at World Cups, when beating eventual finalists the Netherlands wasn’t enough. When Graeme Souness’ equaliser against the Soviet Union left you hiding in the coal cellar afraid to come out. When Stevie Nicol missed an open goal against Uruguay. When Brazil keeper Claudio Taffarel’s late save denied Mo Johnston his place in history.

Those moments, for all their own complexities, created icons. What’s being lamented now is that iconic instinct—what’s missing from recent major competitions.

Cape Verde’s run doesn’t demand Scotland run Argentina all the way to the wire. The point is smaller and more personal: Scotland need a team that makes people believe. because the players look like they believe in themselves. A team with an identity that reflects Scotland’s spirit. A team you can be tearful with, dream big with, celebrate with, and identify with.

A team that goes out on its shield. That’s the feeling Cape Verde carried all the way through—right up to the moment the final whistle made everyone look at one another, hug each other, and keep going.

And in Scotland, after watching it, it’s the same question that lingers, sharp as ever.

Cape Verde Argentina Messi extra time Scotland Steve Clarke Brazil Hard Rock Stadium World Cup Euro 2024 Euro 2020