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Cachupa is the national dish of Cape Verde. It\u2019s a stew you can make a few different ways, but each way takes time. And regardless of how you make it, you\u2019re probably making a lot of it. It\u2019s a meal for families and parties. It\u2019s a meal made for coming together. It\u2019s Steven Moreira<\/a>\u2019s favorite.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The Columbus Crew<\/a> defender \u2013 who’s set to feature in his final MLS match before the 2026 FIFA World Cup<\/a> pause, when the Crew host Atlanta United<\/a> on Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire (5 pm ET | Apple TV<\/a>) \u2013 will play a key role in bringing the people of Cape Verde together this summer.\u00a0<\/p>\n In fact, he\u2019s already been a part of one of the biggest parties in the country\u2019s history. On Oct. 13, 2025, Moreira and the Cape Verde national team defeated Eswatini 3-0. The win earned the Blue Sharks a spot in the 2026 World Cup, their first-ever appearance at the sport’s biggest event.<\/p>\n With a two-goal lead for most of the second half, the celebrations started early. But Moreira didn\u2019t get a chance to take it all in until full time.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cYou think about everything,\u201d the 2024 MLS Defender of the Year and Best XI honoree said. \u201cYou think about your family, your background. When you grow up, that’s the dream to play in a World Cup, you know? You watch as a kid. So you think about everything.<\/p>\n “Your family, they grew up in Cape Verde. They sacrificed everything to come to France, and now I can give back. So that was just amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 18, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n Moreira, San Diego FC<\/a> goalkeeper CJ Dos Santos<\/a> and the Cape Verde national team will take the pitch<\/a> at the 2026 World Cup as the second-smallest nation to ever qualify for the tournament.<\/p>\n With a population of around 491,000, the archipelago off the west coast of Africa has roughly the same population as Omaha, Nebraska. Even in an expanded tournament, Cape Verde weren’t expected to make the World Cup. Their national team began playing in 1978. It took a long time for Cape Verde to even get close to something like this.<\/p>\n It took time for Moreira to join the national team, too. His parents left Cape Verde when they were young. Moreira, born and raised in France, played for French youth national teams up to the U-21 level. But despite growing up in a new country, Moreira\u2019s family carried the culture of home with them at all times.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAt my house, all the culture was about Cape Verde,\u201d said Moreira, who joined Columbus in 2021 after he played for Ligue 1 side Toulouse. \u201cThe music, the vibes in my house. I didn’t grow up there, but the way my parents raised me was more about Cape Verde than France.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Naturally, Moreira had plenty of close family members who insisted he\u2019d be better off playing for Cape Verde. Still, he didn\u2019t officially switch until 2023, a decade into his professional career.\u00a0<\/p>\n He wishes he had done it sooner. But now that he\u2019s here, Moreira\u2019s happy he gets to make his family proud.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThey were in Cape Verde, and they went to France. My parents were very young; they didn’t know anything about French. So they just worked a lot,\u201d said Moreira, who’s won MLS Cup, Leagues Cup<\/a> and Campeones Cup<\/a> titles with\u00a0Columbus.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cHonestly, they just make sure all the time me and my brother have everything. Food at home, clean clothes and everything. And I know they sacrifice a lot, like my mom would work a lot. And I was not like I would say focused on school too. I would be only soccer, soccer, soccer.<\/p>\n “So they believed in me. And I’m happy to give back, and everyone can call them in the country and be like \u2018I’m so proud of your kids.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Steven Moreira and Cape Verde are heading to their first-ever World Cup. \ud83d\udc4f\ud83c\udde8\ud83c\uddfb pic.twitter.com\/QOdhSmliPI<\/a><\/p>\nRepresenting his roots<\/h3>\n<\/p>\n
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