Underdog joy is the heart of this World Cup

Since it began in 1930, the World Cup's most memorable moments are rarely the ones that end with a team lifting a trophy. And the 2026 FIFA World Cup is no exception.

So far, this tournament has been defined by its underdog celebrations: Curaçao fans erupting after their team walked away with a draw, Cape Verde exploding into a global fan favorite team in just two games, and lesser soccer powers like DR Congo, Haiti, Uzbekistan, and Egypt hitting milestones they've awaited for decades.

To bring you up to speed, here are our picks of the best underdog moments from this World Cup so far.

Curaçao celebrates its first World Cup point like a win

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In Willemstad, Curaçao’s capital city, fans gathered to watch their national team play Ecuador in its first-ever World Cup. The match ended 0-0 — but for Curaçao, a draw still meant history. The team had earned its first point in the tournament standings.

That point mattered even more because of how the match played out. Curaçao had opened the tournament six days earlier with a 7-1 loss to Germany. Ecuador controlled most of the team's second game, finishing with nearly 30 shots and more than three expected goals.

But goalkeeper Eloy Room kept Curaçao in it, making 15 saves and helping the team hold on for the draw.

By the final whistle, Curaçao had not scored, but it had done enough to give fans something to celebrate. The country has a population of about 156,000, making it the smallest nation ever to play at a World Cup, so its presence at the tournament was already historic. Its first ever point made the moment feel even bigger.

Cape Verde becomes everyone’s favorite debut story

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Cape Verde has been one of the easiest teams to root for at this World Cup, and not just because it is making its tournament debut.

The team, nicknamed the Blue Sharks, arrived with a fanbase already ready for the moment, with Cape Verdean communities around the world watching a small island nation see its name on soccer’s biggest stage.

But the games gave everyone even more reason to pay attention. Cape Verde held Spain to a 0-0 draw in its first-ever World Cup match, then followed it with a 2-2 draw against Uruguay. Kevin Pina scored the country’s first World Cup goal with a long-range free kick from 31 meters out, and Hélio Varela came off the bench to score the second-half equalizer.

The team has also found a breakout star in Vozinha, its 40-year-old goalkeeper. After helping shut out Spain, he became one of the viral names of the tournament, with his Instagram following jumping from around 50,000 to more than 15 million.

Vozinha's virality also brought attention to one of the tournament’s most touching off-field stories. The keeper revealed he was crying after the Spain game because his mother could not attend because of visa costs. But with some help from the State Department and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, she was able to get a visa in time for Cape Verde’s match against Uruguay in Miami.

That's not the only amazing underdog story in the Cape Verde team. Another player, an Irishman with dual nationality, found himself in the squad after being recruited by its coach on LinkedIn — via a DM he initially thought was spam.

With a final group match against Saudi Arabia still ahead, the Blue Sharks now have a chance to turn one of the tournament’s best stories into something even bigger, and potentially make it into the final 32 teams.

Iran left Los Angeles with a handwritten thank-you note

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Not every touching moment has looked like fans running into the streets.

After Iran’s 0-0 draw with Belgium at SoFi Stadium, the team’s most-shared moment came from the locker room. Before leaving, Iran left behind a handwritten note thanking Los Angeles for its hospitality and thanking Iranian fans who gave their “heart, voice and soul.”

“We came to Los Angeles with pride, competed with honour, and leave with dignity,” the note reads.

The message stood out because Iran’s tournament has unfolded under unusual circumstances. The team has been based in Tijuana, Mexico, and traveling into the U.S. for matches because of restrictions around its stay, with some staff and officials reportedly banned from entering the country. Iran arrived in Los Angeles the night before the Belgium match, played at midday, and was expected to leave again that night.

On the field, Iran still managed to hold Belgium scoreless and leave Los Angeles with a point. Off the field, it left a note that gave the result a different kind of weight, turning a 0-0 draw into one of the tournament’s more human moments.

Uzbekistan lost, but still made history

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Uzbekistan’s World Cup debut did not end with a win, but that was not the only thing people were watching for.

The game against Colombia marked the country’s tournament debut and the first-ever World Cup appearance by a Central Asian nation — and its first goal. The game drew public screenings and early-morning crowds, and gave fans a debut they had waited years to see, even with a 3-1 loss.

Haiti returned after more than five decades

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Haiti is back at the World Cup after a 52-year absence, and its return this year has been about more than just soccer.

The team also qualified despite playing every match away from home, which has made its presence in the tournament feel especially meaningful for Haitian supporters.

For fans, the World Cup gives Haiti a chance to be seen through football, pride, and family, rather than the crisis narratives that often surround the country in international coverage.

Egypt finally got its first World Cup win

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Egypt is not a tiny newcomer in the same way Curaçao or Cape Verde is, but its victory against New Zealand still belongs in this roundup — because the country has been waiting 92 years to win at the World Cup.

Mohamed "Mo" Salah, star of mighty club team Liverpool FC, helped Egypt beat the Kiwis 3-1, handing the African team its first-ever World Cup victory. Reuters reported that celebrations continued in Vancouver and in Cairo, where fans went into the streets even though the match ended around 6 a.m. local time.