“Si se puede! Si se puede!” (“Yes, you can! Yes, you can!”)
This phrase, chanted repeatedly by the Mexican crowd at Guadalajara Stadium on Thursday, sums up the impression New Caledonia made in their narrow 1-0 loss to Jamaica in the semi-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup™ Play-off Tournament.
Starving for success, Les Cagous gave their all, proving they were exceptional ball handlers, at times pulling off stunning combinations. It was enough to completely captivate the more than 40,000 supporters in attendance.
Angelo Fulgini, who was making his New Caledonia debut and is one of the few professional players in the squad, could hardly believe it. “Honestly, it was extraordinary—a huge thank you to the Mexican people,” he said to FIFA. “We were welcomed like royalty here. From the moment we arrived at the start of the week, we could feel the excitement building around us. We knew they’d be rooting for us tonight.”
“The fact that we’re a team made up of amateurs probably helped us win some sympathy,” said coach Johann Sidaner. “We could feel the crowd cheering us on, and we wanted to reward them. The boys played the way they always do, with a lot of fluidity and technical skill. There’s a real foundation of skill in New Caledonia. They’ve been playing like this since they were little. But we also know there are those famous set pieces and that athletic aspect, where we know we can’t compete.”
Despite the crowd’s enthusiastic support, the Cagous saw their World Cup dream shattered by Bailey Cadamarteri’s goal in the 18th minute. Fatigue also played a role as the match wore on, causing the talented New Caledonian playmakers to lose their sharpness.
“I started getting cramps around the 60-minute mark, which never happens to me,” Fulgini explained. “I could barely move forward; it was tough. If we’d had a little more energy, we could have done better. But hey, we all fought hard tonight.”
“We played with heart,” agreed Joseph Athale, who stole the show in midfield. “We had a chance. We didn’t come here just to make up the numbers. We believed in our little star. But that’s how it is; that’s football. It can be beautiful, just as it can be cruel. In the end, we’re very proud. We showed the whole world that New Caledonia exists. That’s the most important thing.”
