Cabral's goal against Argentina wins World Cup's best goal

Cape Verde's Sidney Lopes Cabral has made history by winning the FIFA World Cup 2026 Goal of the Tournament award. His stunning strike against Argentina was voted the best goal of the tournament by fans.

In an exhilarating Round of 32 match at Miami's Hard Rock Stadium, World Cup debutants Cape Verde faced defending champions Argentina. After Lisandro Martinez put Argentina 2-1 ahead in the 92nd minute, Cabral curled a long-range shot from the left flank past goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez in the 103rd minute, levelling the scores at 2-2.

The match seemed destined for a penalty shootout. However, an own goal by Diney Borges in the 111th minute handed Argentina a 3-2 win, ending Cape Verde's fairytale run. Cabral's strike, nevertheless, remained one of the tournament's most memorable moments, earning widespread acclaim.

FIFA said Cabral's goal received the most votes from fans across the world. It had already won the Round of 32 vote for Goal of the Tournament by a large margin before topping the final vote to be named the best goal of the entire tournament.

Cape Verde had qualified for their first-ever World Cup finals last October with a 3-0 home win over Eswatini. The island nation with a population of approximately 600,000 became the second smallest country, after Iceland, to play in a World Cup. They advanced to the second round from Group H alongside Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.

With this award, Cape Verde's debut World Cup campaign has become even more memorable. A major achievement has been added to the country's name in their very first appearance.