Cape Verde Almost Breaks Nigeria's 1998 Record

Nigeria may not be in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but one of the Super Eagles’ best moments held strong this week. Cape Verde’s impressive group stage run almost broke a record Nigeria has held for 26 years, according to PUNCH Sports Extra.

Cape Verde, ranked 64th in the world before the tournament, surprised everyone by finishing Group H without a loss. They got three draws against Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia, ending up second with three points and advancing to the Round of 32.

This achievement made Cape Verde only the third-lowest ranked nation to reach the knockout rounds since FIFA started its ranking system in 1994. This is a big deal for a country with about 525,000 people making its first World Cup appearance.

But despite Cape Verde’s impressive run, they could not take Nigeria’s place in World Cup history.

The Super Eagles went to the 1998 World Cup in France ranked 74th in the world, which is ten spots lower than Cape Verde’s position now. They not only qualified from the group stage but also topped Group D. They beat Spain 3-2 in what many call one of the best performances by an African team in World Cup history. They finished ahead of Paraguay and Bulgaria.

At that time, Nigeria’s ranking was affected by a two-year suspension from the Confederation of African Football. Still, their skills on the field were clear. The Super Eagles are the lowest-ranked team ever to move past the group stage in the modern FIFA ranking era, a record now sitting alongside Cape Verde’s achievement.

Nigeria’s history at World Cups adds more weight to what they accomplished in France. In April 1994, after winning the Africa Cup of Nations and qualifying for their first World Cup, Nigeria rose to fifth in the FIFA world rankings. This is the highest ranking any African nation has ever reached.