Goalkeeper questioned after making an incredibly amateur mistake in the World Cup qualifiers

One of the most unusual incidents in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers occurred during the 3-3 draw between Libya and Cape Verde, when the home team's goalkeeper made an unbelievably foolish error.

The match was part of the penultimate round in Group D, where Cape Verde, a country with only about 600,000 people, is crafting a fairy tale journey toward their first-ever World Cup qualification. However, their away trip to Libya turned into a breathtaking drama.

Cape Verde was surprisingly down 1-0 from the very first minute due to an own goal by Lopes. Although Ryan Mendes equalized, Libya pulled ahead 3-1 with goals from Eisay and Al Shalwi. Just when hope seemed lost, Libya’s misfortune began to unfold.

In the 76th minute, during what appeared to be a harmless moment, Libya’s goalkeeper received a back pass from a teammate. Instead of controlling it cleanly, he let the ball slip between his legs and roll straight into the net, leaving the spectators stunned. The blunder was so clumsy that international commentators described it as “one of the most unbelievable mistakes in World Cup qualifying history”. This gift goal allowed Cape Verde to reduce the deficit to 2-3, sparking an emotional comeback.

Just 6 minutes later, Willy Semedo scored the equalizer to make it 3-3, securing Cape Verde’s top spot in Group D with 20 points from 9 matches. Nevertheless, there was some regret as a last-minute goal was disallowed for offside in a very close call, which, if allowed, could have officially booked Cape Verde’s ticket to the 2026 World Cup.

On social media, the video capturing Libya goalkeeper’s “unbelievable” mistake quickly went viral, gaining millions of views within hours. Many fans questioned whether there was any subjective influence or external interference, but FIFA has yet to issue an official statement.

Although the draw was enough for Cape Verde to keep dreaming of a historic achievement, Libya’s goalkeeper’s “self-inflicted” error will surely be remembered as one of the most comical moments in World Cup qualifying history.