Overview
- FIFA confirmed that fans selected Cabral's curled long‑range finish against Argentina as the Hyundai Goal of the Tournament following phased public voting.
- The goal came in extra time of the Round of 32 in Miami when Cabral curled the ball past goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez to make the score 2‑2 before Argentina ultimately won 3‑2.
- Cabral's strike had already won the Round of 32 bracket of the online vote before beating other finalists, including Eldor Shomurodov's and Wilson Isidor's efforts, to take the overall prize.
- The 23‑year‑old, who recently played in Germany's lower divisions, received public praise from his idol Marcelo and inspired an emotional reaction in the stands, with reports that his mother fainted after the goal.
- The award raises the profile of both Cabral and Cape Verde by locking the strike into tournament memory and could increase scouting and transfer interest in the player and attention on the debutant national side.