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Steven Moreira gets a hero's welcome in Cape Verde
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Steven Moreira's World Cup adventure is over, but he and his Cape Verde teammates became the world's second-favorite team this summer.
Catch up quick: The tiny island nation of just over 500,000 qualified for its first ever World Cup this year, and came into the tournament just happy to enjoy the experience.
- Moreira, who has played with the Crew since 2021, was born in France to Cape Verdean immigrants.
The intrigue: Cape Verde stunned the world by drawing all three group stage matches to qualify for the knockout rounds.
- There, they took Lionel Messi and reigning champion Argentina to extra time in a dramatic, back-and-forth match that the Argentines won at the very end.
- Moreira played the full 120 minutes in the heartbreaking final match, and a total of more than 300 in the tournament.
The big picture: The team captivated the globe, putting the small nation on the map in a way that only the World Cup can.
🙌 Fans thanked them at a celebration when they returned to Praia Sunday.
- Moreira posted the scenes to Instagram.
