The main highlight is clearly Pelé, who plays for England’s Southampton and who is participating in the Cape Verdean National Selection for the first time. The player is expected to arrive Wednesday in Praia to join the other 18 players called upon by Zé Rui. The Cape Verdean athletes playing in Portugal were scheduled to arrive by Mondya evening, while today, August 29, Nando (Tunisia), Cafú (Freiburg, Germany), Zé Piguita and Caló (Qatar), Nelson Veiga (Cyprus) and Mendes (Angola) are expected to arrive.

The team will head to Banjul, the Gambia on Friday, where it will go up against a team avid for victories. Cape Verde will have to win this opening game to go on to the October 8 match against the Republic of Guinea in the second round in Praia. Group 8 is made up of Cape Verde, the Gambia, the Republic of Guinea and Algeria.

The players called upon to take part in the game are: Veiga (no team); Ernesto (Estoril, Portugal); Nelson Veiga (Cyprus); Loloti (Sporting da Praia); Pelé (Southampton, UK); Zé Piguita (Qatar); Nando (Tunisia); Lito (Naval 1º de Maio); Emerson (Beira-Mar); Néné (Desportivo das Aves); Sandro (Vitória de Setúbal); Moreno (Vitória de Guimarães); Tubola (Derby); Rodolfo Lima (Portimonense); Mendes (1° de Maio de Benguela, Angola); Caló (Qatar) e Cafú (Freiburgo,Germany).