Who Is Kevin Pina? 29-Year-Old Midfielder Scores Cabo Verde’s First-Ever FIFA World Cup Goal In Uruguay vs Cabo Verde Match

By Samira Vishwas On Jun 22, 2026

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has written the latest chapter of its fairytale at the Miami Stadium on 21st June, thanks to a magical moment by the defensive midfielder of Cabo Verde, Kevin Lenini Pina. In the 21st minute of a fiery Group H clash with two-time world champions Uruguay, the 29-year-old etched his name into footballing folklore forever by hammering home Cabo Verde’s first ever goal in a FIFA World Cup tournament.

The Historic 25-Yard Strike

The historic breakthrough came when Uruguayan midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur made a reckless challenge to stop a surging Cabo Verde counter-attack, earning a yellow card and conceding a free-kick. Pina took the set-piece, stepping up from about 25 yards out.

The midfielder stayed calm and drilled in a low shot. He took full advantage of a critical defensive mistake from the Uruguayan wall, threading the ball cleanly between the knees of two jumping defenders who failed to stick together. The unexpected trajectory completely wrong-footed veteran custodian Fernando Muslera, rustling into the back of the net to spark absolute delirium among the Blue Sharks’ bench and travelling fans.

Kevin Pina: From Praia to World Cup History

The jaw-dropping set-piece sent millions of viewers around the world scrambling to ask one immediate question: Who is Kevin Pina, exactly?

Born and bred in Praia, the capital of Cabo Verde, Pina’s journey to the very top of world football is a tale of sheer perseverance. His dreams of football were thrown into serious doubt at a young age, when he moved to the United States and thought his route to a professional sporting career was over. But a chance encounter with former Blue Sharks captain Carlos “Caló” Morais completely reignited his path.

KEVIN PINA’S INSANE FREE KICK FOR CAPE VERDE FROM THE STANDS 🤯🚀 pic.twitter.com/KrXaayEuXa
– amounzz (@amounzz_) June 21, 2026

Pina eventually forged a very respectable European career, moving through the lower leagues of Portuguese football before earning a big move to Russian Premier League giants FC Krasnodar in 2022. The 27-year-old, lauded for his aggressive ball-winning, physicality and tactical discipline as a deep-lying defensive anchor, enjoyed a stellar domestic season in Russia to solidify his undisputed place in the national team lineup. Pina’s stunning goal against South American royalty seals Cabo Verde’s status as the tournament’s giant-killers. They denied European champions Spain a win in their opening match with a 0-0 draw.