Stopira

Stopira is Cape Verde's most enduring defensive servant — a 38-year-old centre-back who spent over a decade at Hungarian side Fehérvár FC, becoming an institution there after earlier stints at Deportivo La Coruña and Feirense. His longevity at international level is remarkable; he has been a fixture in the Blue Sharks' backline through multiple Africa Cup of Nations campaigns and World Cup qualifying cycles. Now at Portuguese lower-league side Torreense, his club football is winding down, but his experience and leadership in the Cape Verde dressing room remain genuinely valuable at a tournament of this scale.