Bebé: Cape Verde will challenge Spain; I'm confident we'll advance from the group

Bebé, the 35-year-old Cape Verdean forward who was not selected for the World Cup squad, recently gave an interview to COPE radio, in which he analyzed Cape Verde's group-stage situation.

The former Cape Verdean international, who currently plays for UD Ibiza and previously played for Man United and Rayo Vallecano, expressed regret at not being selected for the World Cup squad but firmly believes his teammates will give their all in the opening match against Spain.

Cape Verde will face Spain in the early hours of June 16th . Bebé admitted that he felt very "downcast" when he learned he had been excluded from the final World Cup squad, as he had considered it a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity. "It saddened me a bit not to be called up, because I had high expectations," he confessed.

Despite his personal disappointment, Bebé said he has moved on and is now focused on supporting the team from afar. He expressed his full backing for the national team: "Now I'm praying for everything to go well and wishing my teammates, coaches, and the entire country good luck."

Looking ahead to the World Cup debut against Spain, Bebé sounded quite optimistic. Although he admitted that Spain is "one of the favorites to win this World Cup," he firmly believes that Cape Verde has the strength to compete. "My teammates will definitely create huge difficulties for the opponents," he pointed out.

Bebé's confidence in the team is so strong that he has no doubt about their chances of reaching the knockout stage, despite being in the same group as strong teams such as Spain and Uruguay. "I am very, very sure that they can get out of the group," he stated firmly. The forward believes that even if they cannot pull off an upset against Spain, the team still has every chance of springing surprises against their other opponents.

The match against Spain is a "historic event" for Cape Verde. Bebé predicted that the entire country would come to a standstill for the match: "I think that day will be like a holiday for everyone." He described the people of Cape Verde as naturally happy and full of "positive energy," and assured that this energy would be transmitted from the stands to the field.

In the player's view, football is both an outlet and a source of pride for a "very small, poor, and low-key country" (as he described it). He emphasized: "Football brings immense energy and gives so much to the land of Cape Verde." He explained that it offers people an excellent opportunity to forget the troubles of life.

The match against Spain holds special significance for Bebé. Although he was born in Portugal, he has Cape Verdean ancestry and has spent most of his career in Spanish football. "It's a country that fills me with emotion, a country that embraced me and gave me the opportunity to show my football talent," he confessed emotionally. For this reason, he regrets even more that he cannot be there in person: "That's why I was so eager to go there before, to enjoy this game."