World Cup Quick Hits: Cabo Verde Hero, Duck Sensation, and a Viral Player

Cabo Verde's incredible result against Spain brings with it no shortage of amazing stories, while a duck in a jersey is stealing hearts in Mexico.

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Here are today's quick hits from the World Cup.

1. Veteran goalkeeper becomes Cabo Verde hero

It took Cabo Verde goalkeeper Vozinha all of his 40 years on Earth to make his World Cup debut. The long wait was worth every second.

Vozinha recorded seven saves, holding Spain's star-studded line-up to a shocking 0-0 draw. The veteran keeper was everywhere as the Spanish team and its fans became increasingly frustrated, despite dominating possession and unleashing 27 shots.

As the final whistle blew, Vozinha hunched over near his net and cried before being embraced by his teammates.

Vozinha said he was overcome by emotions thinking about his loved ones who were unable to see his finest performance — his grandparents died a few years ago, and his mother had been unable to gather the money in time to secure a visa to enter the US.

"I work all my life for this, for this moment, for this dream," Vozinha said.

"A lot of generations in the past [dreamed of] this day but they did not achieve. And now the dream comes true."

2. Cabo Verde defender lucky he checked his LinkedIn

When Roberto Lopes was originally contacted by the Cape Verdean football association on LinkedIn, he did what many people do with unsolicited messages on the professional social media platform — he ignored it, almost costing him the chance to play at the 2026 World Cup.

The Irish-born central defender thought ​the message in Portuguese was spam and did not bother replying. It was only when he received a follow-up message in ‌English that he realised it was an offer to play international football for Cabo Verde.

"Nine months later they messaged me back in English asking if I had thought about the proposal, and it was only then that I did what I should have done originally and Google-translated the ​original message asking if I would be interested in declaring for Cabo Verde," Lopes said.

"It was a weird angle to come at.

"It was explained to me afterwards that they had difficulty ⁠contacting my club, but when I saw the opportunity was there in front of me, I was 100 per cent behind it from the minute one, and ​we got working on getting all the necessary documentation across."

3. Tunisia's manager sacked … or is he?

After a 5-1 defeat to Sweden in his opening game, it looked like the end had come quickly for Tunisia manager Sabri Lamouchi.

The Tunisian FA seemed to confirm his rapid removal on Instagram with a post in Arabic which, when translated, read "an agreement has been officially reached to dismiss coach Sabri Lamouchi".

But further reporting from ESPN and The Athletic seemed to suggest Lamouchi's fate remained in the balance, with an emergency meeting within the Tunisian FA scheduled.

"We have a problem with the coach," a source within the Tunisian FA told ESPN.

Things aren't looking good for Lamouchi, but given the muddled state of the communication and decision-making within the Tunisian FA, perhaps there are greater problems ahead.

4. Meet Merlin the Duck

Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez may have scored the goals, but a duck stole the show.

As Mexico celebrated its World Cup-opening victory over South Africa, Merlin, a two-year-old duck dressed in the national team's colours, became an unlikely internet sensation and the tournament's first unofficial mascot.

Images of Merlin parading through Mexico City, wearing a Mexican national team jersey — and socks — as thousands of fans celebrated, quickly went viral, racking up millions of views across social media. Overnight, and as if by the magic of the famous wizard who inspired his name, Merlin had captivated the internet.

"We want to see Merlin in the stadium," one user wrote. "This duck is already a national treasure," said another. "The best thing about the World Cup so far," declared a third.

In Mexico City, however, Merlin was already something of a local celebrity.

A familiar sight at fairs and events in the historic city centre, the duck regularly accompanies his owner, Carla Gómez, who sells water and soft drinks from a little cart each weekend.

5. The world-famous Tim Payne makes his World Cup debut

The most famous player at this World Cup has finally taken to the field.

Well, maybe not. But right now, New Zealand's Tim Payne is not far away.

In late May an Argentine influencer named El Scarso identified Payne as the least-known player at the World Cup based on his small social media following.

At that point Payne had about 4,700 followers on Instagram. By kick-off against Iran, he was up to 5.7 million.

"I didn't know what to feel, you know, because it's so foreign to me," Payne said last week.

"It's obviously good for myself and New Zealand football, too. It puts a light on us, which is a positive thing, but at the same time, for me, I don't change.

"I'm still the person I am. I just keep trying to do what I do, which is play football and trying to perform for my country."

Playing at right back for the All Whites, Payne played 78 minutes as New Zealand registered a thrilling 2-2 draw against Iran.