FACTBOX-Soccer-Profile of Cape Verde Islands team for 2023 Africa Cup of Nations

- - - Coach: Bubista Pedro Brito Leitao, known as Bubista, played as a defender for Cape Verde for 14 years, captaining the national team, while playing club football in Angola and Spain, before moving onto a coaching career.

Factbox on Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers Cape Verde Islands. Africa Cup of Nations record:

Previous appearances in finals: (3) 2013, 2015, 2021 Best performance: Quarter-finalists 2013

Drawn in Group B with Egypt, Ghana and Mozambique. - - -

Coach: Bubista Pedro Brito Leitao, known as Bubista, played as a defender for Cape Verde for 14 years, captaining the national team, while playing club football in Angola and Spain, before moving onto a coaching career. He worked at local clubs Mindelense, Academica Mindelo, Sporting Praia and Batuque, winning regional and national championships, before taking over from Rui Aguas as national team coach in January 2020. At the last Cup of Nations finals in Cameroon, he was confined to his hotel room for his side’s opening two games because of a COVID-19 infection.

- - - Key player: Ryan Mendes. Age: 33. Forward.

Mendes has played in all three of Cape Verde’s previous Cup of Nations finals appearances and is both captain and the country’s most capped international, with 66 appearances since his debut in August, 2010 when he was 20-years-old. He moved from Cape Verde as a promising junior to France, where he played Ligue 2 football with Le Havre and then in Ligue 1 with Lille. The left winger’s club career has included time spent on loan at Nottingham Forest and also at clubs in Turkey and the United Arab Emirates. - - -

FIFA world ranking Dec. 2023: 73 How they qualified: Runner-up in Group B, behind Burkina Faso but ahead of Togo and Eswatini

Squad Goalkeepers: Marcio Rosa (Anadia), Dylan Silva (Sintrense), Vozinha (Trencin)

Defenders: Joao Correia (Chaves), Logan Costa (Toulouse), Diney (Al Bataeh), Roberto Lopes (Shamrock Rovers), Steven Moreira (Columbus Crew), Stopira (Boavista da Praia), Dylan Tavares (Bastia) Midfielders: Patrick Andrade (Qarabag), Cuca (Uniao Leiria), Deroy Duarte (Fortuna Sittard), Laros Duarte (FC Groningen), Joao Paulo (Sheriff Tiraspol), Kevin Pina (FK Krasnodar), Jamiro Monteiro (San Jose Earthquakes), Kenny Rocha (AEZ Zakakiou)

Forwards: Bebe (Rayo Vallecano), Djaniny (Al Fateh), Ryan Mendes (Karagumruk), Garry Rodrigues (Ankaragucu), Jovane (Salernitana), Willy Semedo (Omonia Nicosia), Bryan Teixeira (Sturm Graz), Helio Varela (Portimonense). (Compiled by Mark Gleeson; Editing by Toby Davis)