This article aims to discuss ideas about the sport published in four Cape Verdian newspaper (Alerta!, Novo Jornal de Cabo Verde, Voz Di Povo e Terra Nova) in the early years of the independent country (1974-1977). We argue that this effort allows us to understand the role played by practice in the first moments of building the idea of nation in Cape Verde, an interesting case in order the late nature of this process and the uniqueness of identity formation in the archipelago. At the end, it is possible to realize that discussions involving the sport, including the nature of government interventions, expressed largely political tensions, social and cultural rights in the country at that time.
Sport history; identity; Cape Verde; policy