Everyone gears up for the FIFA World Cup with a favourite team in mind. More often than not, the team you pick is a major contender for the title, features your favourite player or boasts a storied legacy that you grew up admiring. But during the course of the tournament, there are less-heralded sides that make you sit up and take notice.
The ‘underdogs’, as we call them, form an essential part of sports fandom. They may not have the history or the flair to rival the favourites, but their unbridled team spirit and, sometimes, even a touch of charisma draw neutrals to them.
The 2026 World Cup was no different. An expanded 48-team tournament gave fans a chance to catch glimpses of sides that are often hidden from plain sight in their respective continental competitions. Take the case of Cape Verde. The little-known archipelago off the west coast of Africa gained global attention with a quarterfinal finish at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
The team went one better in the CAF qualification campaign for the 2026 World Cup, finishing top of the group ahead of Cameroon. The smallest country by land area to ever participate in the quadrennial event immediately captured the imagination of fans with a gritty stalemate against the reigning European champion, Spain. Goalkeeper Josimar Dias, popularly known as Vozinha, became an overnight internet sensation after pulling off a series of stunning saves against La Roja.
The draw against one of the tournament favourites wasn’t even the high point of the tournament for Pedro Leitao’s (commonly known as Bubista) side. Yes, it was a solid defensive performance that kept the well-oiled Spanish side at bay. But the more impressive display came in the first knockout round against Argentina.
Cape Verde exhibited immense fearlessness in the lopsided contest against the defending champion, fighting back from a goal down twice before eventually being edged out by an unfortunate own goal. It may have been a Round of 32 elimination, but this feat will no doubt inspire a fresh generation of footballers in the country of just over 530,000.
While Cape Verde emerged as one of Africa’s extraordinary stories, another astounding chapter was written by a nation that finally fulfilled its potential.
Egypt, the record AFCON champion, finally navigated its way out of the group stage in just its fourth appearance at the Finals, under the tutelage of head coach Hossam Hassan. In a fairytale return, the Pharaohs’ greatest hero of yesteryear took charge of the side in 2024 and converted them into a unit that played with discipline and confidence, even with talisman Mohamed Salah not at his brilliant best.
Historic breakthrough: While Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe lit up the World Cup with goals, Mohamed Salah leaves with just one to his name. Yet, numbers alone scarcely capture his influence, having led Egypt into the knockout rounds for the first time after the Pharaohs finally broke their group-stage curse in his second World Cup. | Photo Credit: AP
They went unbeaten in the group stage, holding Belgium and Iran to draws while also convincingly dispatching New Zealand to reach the knockout stage for the first time in their history.
But Egypt’s ambitions knew no ceiling. With Hassan and his twin brother proving a formidable presence on the sidelines, Egypt showed grit to edge Australia on penalties in the Round of 32, further elevating its legacy.
Its greatest statement, however, came on a night when luck and judgement went against it. Well aware of its limitations, for 78 minutes, Egypt had title-holder Argentina by the scruff of the neck with brilliant counter-attacking football, while custodian Mostafa Shobeir denied Lionel Messi from the spot. But then perhaps the lack of experience finally caught up as Argentina mounted a late comeback, which, according to the Egyptian players and staff, was aided by injustice.
The loss may have left a sour taste, but Egypt’s run is sure to reassure this crop of players that they truly belong on the world’s biggest stage.
In some cases, the impact of these teams proved to be buzzkills rather than examples of attractive football. Paraguay, for example, came with a solid game plan to prevent opponents from recreating their pre-planned routines. Despite a demoralising 1-4 loss against the USA in the first group game, one more goal in the next two games was enough for Gustavo Alfaro’s side to progress as one of the third-placed teams.
War of attrition: Having stunned Germany in the previous round, Paraguay refused to abandon its streetwise, confrontational approach against France, making Didier Deschamps’ side earn every yard in a tense Round of 16 encounter. | Photo Credit: AFP
The next two contests against two European giants saw the side embrace the role of the pantomime villain. The approach worked a treat against Germany, with La Albirroja’s physical game entirely disrupting the tactically sophisticated setup of Julian Nagelsmann. The defensive shutout, followed by Orlando Gill’s inspired performance between the sticks in the penalty shootout, helped the side set up a Round of 16 clash with France.
It was remarkable that the side was shown no yellow cards in comparison to France’s three despite incessant fouling and provocative behaviour. But Didier Deschamps’ side managed a 1-0 win to end Paraguay’s wild ride at the tournament. “France couldn’t find the answers, and it took a bit of individual skill and a penalty given by VAR to make the difference which their football had not been able to do,” a proud Alfaro said, insisting his side “fought like lions”.
Despite the numerous fairytales that emerged throughout the course of the tournament, no team was more deserving of the ‘dark horse’ tag than Norway. The Nordic nation had been a stranger to the “greatest show on Earth” for 28 years. In fact, more than half the squad were not even born when Norway last featured at the World Cup.
Nordic force: Few players have occupied football’s imagination quite like Erling Haaland. Already one of the game’s defining figures, he became the face of Norway’s long-awaited return to the World Cup’s grand stage. | Photo Credit: AP
But talent was aplenty. With the likes of Erling Haaland, Martin Odegaard and Alexander Sorloth in its ranks and a nothing-to-lose attitude, the Vikings swiftly became a fan favourite. Haaland was at the forefront as the Norwegians swept aside Iraq and Senegal before unapologetically resting 10 of their players in the loss against France to round off the group stage.
Each of Norway’s victories was celebrated emphatically with the rowing celebration, which was impossible to ignore and became a trend that swept across the globe. Its performances in the knockouts did everything to confirm that it was the real deal, especially after it sent five-time champion Brazil packing in the Round of 16, marking one of the biggest upsets of the tournament, once again thanks to a clinical brace from Haaland.
But even the most exciting tales run out of pages, and Norway met its match against England, specifically Jude Bellingham, in the quarterfinals. A historic maiden quarterfinal appearance will only be a first step for a side that is certain to be at the forefront of upcoming major competitions.
The expanded tournament may have been met with a lot of criticism, with the preference for the status quo outweighing the desire for a fresh narrative. But without this opportunity, some of these storylines might have remained unwritten in the journal of the global football carnival.
Comments
Published on Jul 13, 2026