What do the Cape Verde team eat to possess the stamina to make Argentina sweat in the 2026 World Cup? The chef reveals a surprising secret.
Following their heartbreaking 2-3 defeat to Argentina, the identities of the Cape Verde players weren’t the only thing causing a global stir. The unusual diet that helped this relatively unknown team maintain their incredible stamina for 120 minutes also sparked public curiosity.
The dramatic Round of 32 match at the 2026 World Cup, held on the morning of July 4th (Vietnam time), saw a crazy back-and-forth battle, with defending champions Argentina exhausting themselves to defeat the less-expected Cape Verde team with a narrow 3-2 victory.
Despite their disappointing exit, the Cape Verde players’ “monster” stamina, running tirelessly for 120 minutes, astonished the world. Few knew that, just before this crucial match, head chef Lamine Medina had revealed details about the team’s nutritional regimen. This is perhaps one of the key factors contributing to the extraordinary energy of these players.
The dramatic clash between Cape Verde and the reigning champions Argentina on July 4th (Vietnam time)
The dish that restores both the physical and mental strength of the Cape Verde players
The team’s chef, Lamine Medina, revealed that one of the key factors supporting the endurance of the Cape Verde players is Cachupa, the national dish that embodies the soul of this island nation. It’s a particularly hearty stew, a blend of corn, beans, pork, green vegetables, carrots, squash, and sometimes even fish and morcela.
Two days before the knockout match against Lionel Messi, Medina shared that Cachupa provides a rich source of carbohydrates and protein, acting like a kind of “fuel” to boost energy. More than just a food, its value lies in its psychological aspect.
For players battling far from home in a demanding tournament, the taste of home from a pot of Cachupa is an invaluable source of morale, helping to relieve pressure, connect team members, and provide renewed motivation to compete.
Cachupa is a highly nutritious traditional dish from the island nation of Cape Verde.
However, due to its extremely high nutritional content and the long digestion time it takes, the players absolutely never eat Cachupa right before a match. Chef Medina usually prepares this stew about once a week, precisely four days before a match. If the team wins an important match, Medina will cook it again the next day as a therapy to help the entire team recover physically and boost morale.
A scientifically-based nutritional menu and special ingredients from home.
In fact, the entire optimal diet for the players nicknamed “Blue Sharks” is proposed by the team’s nutritionists and doctors, and then Chef Medina directly implements and strictly supervises it; he doesn’t create the menu on his own.
Just before the match against Argentina, Medina shared that he was waiting to receive a special batch of fresh amberjack fish shipped from the warm Atlantic waters of his hometown, Cape Verde, to grill on match day. This was quite unusual for him and the team, receiving ingredients imported directly from his homeland during the tournament. Besides the grilled fish with a taste of home, the match day menu also included grilled rib steak, steamed vegetables, pasta, and salad.
Amberjack, a familiar dish from their homeland, was also a staple in the Cape Verde team’s World Cup meals.
The team’s breakfast consistently featured plenty of oil-free boiled eggs; omelets with cheese, ham, and turkey for players who didn’t eat pork; pancakes, bread, fresh fruit, dried fruit, and nuts.
For lunch and dinner, meats like fish, chicken, and beef were always preferred, prepared by grilling to minimize fat, with grilled chicken breast being the players’ favorite. To ensure sustained energy release, sweet potatoes were a crucial ingredient, appearing daily on the menu. Other common starches like Basmati rice, Jasmine rice, and pasta were also used, mostly served with sauces to maximize glycogen storage for muscles.
The Silent Sacrifice Behind a Lean Family
Without a large logistics team of up to 16 people like the big teams from France or Morocco, the Cape Verde coaching staff brought maximum efficiency to North America. Throughout this historic journey, chef Lamine Medina and his colleagues had to personally handle everything from logistics and drinks to supplementing vitamins for the players.
Medina was the first line of defense for quality control, personally tasting every dish before serving. Since the “Blue Sharks” arrived in Tampa (Florida, USA) in early June, the entire team hasn’t eaten out once, even on days off, all for the absolute safety of the players against the risk of food poisoning.
Medina, who ran his own restaurant for 14 years before being invited to join the Cape Verde Football Federation by President Mario Semedo in 2023, emotionally shared: “Every morning when I wake up, I feel like I’m living in a dream. Taking care of each meal for the players, watching them bravely fight against the world’s biggest stars, makes us truly a family.”
Undeniably, nutrition played a significant role in the physical fitness and fighting spirit of the Cape Verde team when away from home.
The discipline from the kitchen, combined with the mental strength from their homeland’s cuisine, greatly supported the strength of the smallest nation in the tournament’s history, creating a proud epic that forced the reigning world champions Argentina to sweat profusely to secure their place in the next round.
