The unprecedented qualification of Cape Verde for the World Cup brought to light an unexpected connection point with Brazilian football. Part of the work developed by the African team is related to a period of observation conducted by coach Pedro “Bubista” Brito at Toca da Raposa II, in Belo Horizonte.
In July, Bubista spent about ten days at the Cruzeiro facilities, where he followed the training routine of the team led by Leonardo Jardim. In interviews given to ESPN, the Cape Verdean coach explained that he sought to understand methodologies used in high-performance centers and expand references to apply in his work with the national team. He also highlighted the impact of the Brazilian calendar, marked by consecutive matches, as one of the points that caught his attention during the visit.
Leonardo Jardim, also in statements to ESPN, emphasized the importance of initiatives that bring the club closer to foreign professionals and teams. For the Cruzeiro coach, hosting Bubista at Toca da Raposa reinforces Cruzeiro’s willingness to maintain technical dialogue with different realities of international football:
“It was with great joy and satisfaction that we saw Cape Verde qualify for the World Cup. We were very happy. We hosted Pedro here with us for some time, created a certain relationship, and we know well, as Portuguese, that Cape Verde is a brother country. We were very happy for it to be a team that speaks Portuguese, very satisfied. Cruzeiro, in turn, always opens the door to this type of initiative and has now created a bond with Cape Verde. This is important for the international level of our club, not only within the country but also outside the country.”
In July, when the exchange took place, Cruzeiro also received the Cape Verdean ambassador to Brazil, José Pedro Chantre D’Oliveira, on an institutional visit to Toca da Raposa II. On the occasion, Leonardo Jardim and the football director Paulo Pelaipe accompanied the delegation, reinforcing the diplomatic and technical nature of the meeting, which further strengthened the ties between the Minas Gerais club and representatives of the African country.
