Found Players on LinkedIn, Now Faces Messi — Bubista's Incredible World Cup Journey
Cape Verde coach Bubista transformed a small football nation into one of the biggest stories of FIFA World Cup 2026. Now, his side is preparing to face Lionel Messi's Argentina.
June 28, 2026: Long before Cape Verde became one of the biggest surprises of the FIFA World Cup 2026, a young boy named Pedro Leitao Brito dreamed of football on the small island of Boa Vista. In the village of Povoacao Velha, there was only one television where people gathered to watch the 1986 FIFA World Cup.
It was there that the young Brito watched Diego Maradona and decided that he wanted to become a footballer. Today, the man known as "Bubista" has turned that dream into the greatest football story in Cape Verde's history.
Under his coaching, the country of just over 500,000 people has reached the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup for the first time. The boy who once dreamed in front of a television has now become the coach behind Cape Verde's biggest football achievement.
Life was never easy for Bubista. His family could not afford a football, so his mother made one from old socks. He started playing with that homemade ball and slowly worked his way into the national team. Bubista later captained Cape Verde for 11 years.
Although he could not achieve his biggest dream as a player, he never stopped believing. After coaching clubs like Mindelense and Academica do Mindelo, he became Cape Verde's national team coach in January 2020.
Since then, he has changed the team's fortunes. He guided the Blue Sharks to back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations appearances and led them to their first-ever AFCON quarter-final in 2023. Now, he has taken the team to another historic milestone by reaching the World Cup knockout stage.
Cabo Verde coach Pedro Leitão Brito, popularly known as Bubista, is a man of few words. But he is tasked with explaining how one of football's smallest nations barged into the World Cup knockout rounds at the first attempt. They will now face Messi's Argentina.
Their 0-0 draw… pic.twitter.com/7PngpSIKzS
— TRT Afrika (@trtafrika) June 27, 2026
Bubista united players from around the world to build a dream team
Cape Verde's success has been built on belief and teamwork. The team earned draws against Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia to book a place in the Round of 32. Bubista always believed his players could compete with the best teams in the world. He trusted defender Logan Costa after a long injury break and gave opportunities to players who were ready to prove themselves on the biggest stage.
The coach also searched for talented players with Cape Verdean roots living in different countries. Jamiro Monteiro, Kevin Pina, Helio Varela and goalkeeper Vozinia have all played important roles in the team's success.
Bubista even used LinkedIn to find footballers with Cape Verdean heritage and convince them to represent their country. He brought together local talent and overseas players to build a strong squad that now believes anything is possible.
Cape Verde will now face defending champions Argentina in the Round of 32. For Bubista, the match is extra special because he first fell in love with football after watching Diego Maradona in the 1986 World Cup. Now, he will lead his team against Lionel Messi, another Argentine legend.
Despite the challenge, Bubista remains full of confidence. "There is nothing impossible for us. I am proud of what this team has done," he said. He also added, "Everyone has the right to dream. We also dream. Nothing is impossible in football." Those words perfectly describe Cape Verde's incredible journey at the FIFA World Cup 2026.
