Hope is as big as the ocean,” says a journalist who watched Cape Verde participate in the World Cup.

It’s a small piece of land, but it’s very lively. The national anthem already says, “Hope as big as the sea.”

The vast Atlantic Ocean encompasses something imperceptible to many who look at a map of Africa… something unforgettable to those who live, feel and identify with “Nya Tera”, or “My Land” translated from Creole. From there, the first thing we do is turn our heads a little to the left on the map and notice something shiny in the Atlantic Ocean. Greenery, plantations, beaches, crystal clear water, fire, and the grandeur of volcanoes. Ten islands. I noticed from the 11 sharks that are representatives of the family.

These were the first words that came to mind when I first stepped outside Praia Airport. The name of the capital defines the space by the sea.

I didn’t expect to be greeted by 40 people when I first arrived in their country, but I knew the time would come for this visit after two years of covering soccer in Portuguese-speaking Africa. I knew the strength and love of the audience. But it went beyond that. They welcomed me into their home.

Cape Verde is not just a country for these people. It’s home. That’s why they greeted us at the door. That’s why the atmosphere was so… cheerful. It reminds me of childhood holidays spent in Frio, another cape in the lake region.

Naive and from Botafogo, I imagined a tense scenario for the match. I might have been the most nervous person inside the National Stadium that afternoon. Not because I care anymore, but when I think about it, I’m far from ignorant. But when I looked into the stands, all I saw was laughter. Graça. It looked more like a sapucay than a maracanã.

On the field, the offense made inroads in the first half, trying to break through the defense and Esatini’s anti-game. Light on the outside. It was like a school game.

Maybe it was. Friends, siblings, relatives…all cheering on the 11 friends and family members on the field.

Everything was light. And when we timed the opponent’s goalkeeper’s fall and his pocket, which could have been quite heavy in a Cameroonian suitcase… Cape Verde’s weight was truly light. From all the smiles in the stands. Each horn sounded more like music than noise pollution. Each song sounded more like a carnival than a crowd roar. The cries of “Nubai” (“Let’s go” in Creole) were “Let’s go” with far more subterfuge than anxiety.

A new country, only half a century old, has much to teach us about meeting challenges. He overcame many battles he never dreamed of. For example, their language comes from a mixture of wounded people who need to understand each other. And they had their way. Perhaps that’s why the football was just a detail there.

It will go away. The release of tension with the first goal, the attack of “Semmed” to expand the score… and the trigger of Stopira, who does not retire for the purpose. The little voice became like a child crying in its mother’s arms, and all the people of Cape Verde turned the blue of the sea into an endless sky. stamp. Passport to America.

Brone, Vitoria, Felipe, Zé, Patrick. Brazilians, accustomed to the synergy of soccer, will cheer you on one of the most special days of your life. The people of Cape Verde smile like it’s another day of life and struggle.

That’s what classification is all about. Joy was not the result there. That was the cause.

They are fire, lava, salt water, and forest. Cabo da Mata Verde.

And why doesn’t the flag have a name color?

The reds of battle, the stars in the sky, and the blues of the vast Atlantic Ocean that surrounds Nya Terra predominate. Size is not necessarily determined by area. But that’s because of the breadth that spreads through the stories you write.

Cape Verde shouts “joy” to the world! And I can tell you that I was right next to you watching that handshake. I had just met him too. Personally. Despite the ocean distance, a connection already existed.

But no! we have already learned. It’s in the national anthem! The size of the ocean is not a distance. That’s hope.

Nouvai! With eternal love.