HOUSTON, United States (AFP) — Cape Verde say they have the quality, the heart, and the global football family behind them as they size up a seismic World Cup shock against Lionel Messi’s Argentina.

The debutants will play the reigning champions in Miami on July 3, and on paper Argentina are overwhelming favourites to saunter into the last 16.

But Cape Verde, the smallest nation to ever reach the knockout rounds, have already defied the odds in drawing with Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia.

Netherlands-born midfielder Deroy Duarte said, “Our first objective was to go to the World Cup, our second was to pass the group stage, and this is what we did.

“Everything is an honour and a reward, and we see Argentina as a game like this — another chance to make history.

“So why not? We will give everything, and then at the end of the game we will see.”

Cape Verde, an archipelago off the west of Africa with a population of just over 500,000, came into their maiden World Cup ranked 67th, and most people expected them to be on the first plane home.

But their success has been in the planning for a while, the country having targeted its large diaspora to recruit players.

Of the starting XI that were full value for their 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia in Houston on Friday, six were born outside the country. Three were born in the Netherlands, and the others in the Republic of Ireland, France, and Portugal.

Cape Verde served notice in their opening game of the competition when the 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha starred in a stunning 0-0 draw with European champions Spain.

Proving it was no fluke under their Coach Bubista, a former Cape Verde international who goes by one name, they then held two-time former champions Uruguay 2-2.

They headed into their final group encounter against the Saudis knowing that a third draw, coupled with Spain beating Uruguay, would see them into the knockout rounds.

They did their part, then had an agonising minute on the pitch crowded around a mobile phone to see if Spain kept up their end of the bargain.

They did so. The Spanish beat Uruguay 1-0, and the Cape Verde squad erupted as one in celebrating their feat. Some of the players and fans were in tears.

Back home in the capital Praia people stayed up into the early hours to see their heroes put their country on the map.

“From the very beginning we’ve said that one of the purposes we had was to show our country to the rest of the world,” Bubista said, draped in his country’s blue, white, red, and yellow flag.

Beating Argentina would go down as the biggest shock in World Cup history, but Vozinha said Cape Verde have “a big heart” — and talent to go with it.

“Maybe for many of you the Cape Verde players are not good enough,” he told reporters.

“But we came here to show that we have a lot of quality.”

Duarte said they feel they have the rest of football rooting for them.

“We’ve received a lot of support from people of different countries,” he said.

“But, also, this is how Cape Verde people are, we like to receive people and treat them like they are ours.”

Duarte, who was born in Rotterdam and plays in Bulgaria, said facing Argentina was “a dream come true”.

“What a match, I’ve always seen Argentina on the television when I was young,” the 26-year-old said, smiling.

“It’s a special moment, a special game.

“But still the ball is round. We played against Spain and Uruguay and drew, so why not?”