This story is part of a series celebrating soccer cultures around the world—and the communities shaped by them. Read more 2026 World Cup coverage here . In the late afternoon, when the air cools and work ends, Leonardo Lopez and his friends gather at Santa Maria beach in Cape Verde to play soccer. They pick out a flat patch of white sand beyond the tide’s reach, and set up black volcanic stones to mark the goals. Fishing boats float by on the shimmering horizon. Giggling teens leap off the pier into the turquoise shallows. Barbecue smoke wafts in the ocean breeze. The games start small, growing as more people trickle in from town. Regulars have little more than a towel in hand—usually, they’re locals with jobs at the hotels, restaurants, and bars along the shore. Sometimes tourists join the games, playing alongside the people who may have served them during the day. Soccer and sunbathing go hand in hand on Cape Verde's Santa Maria Beach.…