The International Football Federation (FIFA) has officially announced that the award for the best goal of the 2026 World Cup goes to Lopes Cabral of Cape Verde. Although the African team was eliminated in the round of 16 after a dramatic 2-3 defeat against defending champions Argentina, Cabral's moment of brilliance has left a lasting impression on football fans worldwide.
The moment Emiliano Martinez scored against Argentina.
The Round of 16 match at the 2026 World Cup between Cape Verde and Argentina unfolded in a highly dramatic fashion. When the game went into extra time, Lopes Cabral created the biggest moment of the tournament. Receiving the ball in a tight angle, the defender made a few decisive dribbles before unleashing a shot with the inside of his right foot. The ball curved perfectly into the top corner of the net, leaving goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez completely helpless and leveling the score at 2-2 for Cape Verde.
Cabral's spectacular strike not only gave Cape Verde hope during their courageous 120-minute performance but also topped the public poll organized by FIFA. The poll closed last Monday (July 27).
Overcoming a series of strong competitors.
The award for the best goal of the tournament was a fierce competition between 12 goals on FIFA's shortlist, selected from a total of 308 goals scored at the 2026 World Cup. Cabral's wonder goal beat out many other outstanding candidates, including Eldor Shomurodov's exquisite lob (Uzbekistan) against Congo and Wilson Isidor's thunderous long-range strike (Haiti) against Morocco.
Sharing his feelings after receiving the prestigious award, Lopes Cabral couldn't hide his emotion: "This is a great honor and recognition that every player dreams of. I am incredibly grateful to everyone who voted for my goal. Receiving this award at the World Cup makes this moment more special than ever; it will forever be etched in my memory."
The Cape Verde defender also revealed more about the situation leading to the goal: "It was the second time I'd scored a goal like that. Coincidentally, just a few minutes before I'd had a similar chance from a set piece in almost the same position on the pitch. However, doing it again on a big stage like the World Cup was truly a magical experience."
A touching story along the border.
Not only did Cabral impress with his individual skills on the field, but his celebration after scoring the equalizer to make it 2-2 was also deeply moving. Immediately after scoring against Argentina, he tried to climb into the stands to share his joy with his loved ones.
Cabral recounted the moment of ecstatic celebration: "Before the match, I promised my mother and girlfriend that if I scored, I would run straight to them. When I approached the stands, I saw my mother crying. She didn't even realize I was right in front of her because everyone around her was busy taking care of her, as she had fainted the moment the ball went into the net."
Although Cape Verde couldn't pull off an upset against Argentina, the individual award for Lopes Cabral is a well-deserved reward for his individual performance as well as the resilient display of the African representative at the 2026 World Cup.