After a default last spot (32nd) at their debut IHF Men’s World Championship – Egypt 2021 – following a withdrawal due to covid, Cape Verde followed it up with a 23rd-place spot at Poland/Sweden 2023.

That spot inside the world’s top 25 was thanks to a preliminary round win over Uruguay and better goal difference than Islamic Republic of Iran once the main round had concluded.

In 2025, the African side have a chance to improve on that spot, a win against Argentina in their second match of the second stage ensuring that, but also history, with the first main round win for the country.

“It's very important for us, we know about it (the history) and our main goal, of course, is to do better than we did last time and then keep on improving at the next and next ones,” says Cape Verde’s Haffstein Ramos Rocha to ihf.info.

“We want to do our best and beat the last ranking of 23rd place, so it's a very, very big game for us to win against Argentina. People at home are rooting for us to win that game, but you have to go super-motivated into games.

“It's going to be a good game but hard to play, super-hard,” added the Iceland-based player for Íþróttafélagið Grótta (Grotta Sporting Club). “It's just one game at a time for us, but we are focussed on this game. All the players know it's a very important game, the biggest game for us and a very important two points.”

Last time out, Cape Verde played co-hosts Croatia in the 15,200-capacity Arena Zagreb, filled with many home fans, but with tiredness evident throughout the team, playing their fourth games in under two weeks, they went down by 20 (44:24).

“It was a great experience to play against the home team with many people watching, and you can just feel the atmosphere and the support the Croatian team has from their fans, it was lovely to see,” said the 24-year-old. “As a handball player, to play against many in the crowd was a nice experience for me and for the team, but they are a great team. 

“They had more focus than us, and did fewer mistakes – we did way too many mistakes. We need to learn to hold the ball better and play the ball, not just go one-on-one and jump and shoot. Croatia play the ball very good, make openings for the players. We need to learn to play the ball, not ourselves.”

Officially on the squad list as Haffstein Ramos Rocha, his full name is Hafsteinn Óli Berg Ramos Rocha, a perfect mix of his Icelandic-Cape Verdean heritage, which saw his Cape Verdean father present against Croatia.

Citizenship for the African nation was granted last summer and the player made his debut in a friendly preparation tournament in Kuwait in November.

Having been called up to the final squad due to a late injury just before the event after being in a larger, training squad, he had then had a dream debut world championship start, playing a few minutes against Iceland in Cape Verde’s first game, ahead of playing in their next three – against Slovenia, Cuba – where he scored his first goal as he helped his team qualify for the main round – and then Croatia, coached by Icelandic legend Dagur Sigurdsson.

“I spoke to him right now in the post-match media conference,” he said about Sigurdsson. “It’s always an honour and fun to see Icelandic people doing well in the European world. There are many Icelandic players around the world, coaches too, as you see in this tournament.

“It's always fun to meet Icelandic people. Playing Iceland in the group was big for me personally and emotionally. When I came on court the Icelandic people rooted for me, and I felt a lot. I will always love Iceland no matter what.

“It's been moving so quick,” he added about the experience of playing for his father’s country. “I don't speak Portuguese or Creole, so it's been a little bit hard at first, but it's good to have (coach Jorge) Rito to help me, plus Paulo (Moreno) and Ivo (Santos). They're helping me translate and get into Portuguese.

“They’ve been helping so much. I wouldn't be able to do it without them. It would probably be twice or even three-times as difficult to be here if it wasn't for them. It's very good to have people like these to help me and trust.”

Ramos Rocha revealed to ihf.info that he will be looking to swap shirts with Iceland’s players – Gilsi Kristjansson is a friend – when Cape Verde finish their campaign, one which the player hopes will end with that record position, something that he will remember for a long time.

“It's huge. I don't want to go over myself, but it's very huge for every player and we all have it at the back of our minds that we can make history for our nation,” he said. “I'd be the first generation to do that for Cape Verde so it would be a great honour if we manage to do it, but we have to finish the job first.”