Philadelphia native CJ dos Santos has taken an unusual road to the World Cup with Cape Verde
The goalkeeper grew up playing for Union academy and U.S. youth teams. After moving from there to Portugal and back to MLS, he will represent his father's homeland at the Blue Sharks' World Cup debut.
Growing up in Philadelphia, CJ dos Santos dreamed of playing in the World Cup like countless soccer players do.
But the way the goalkeeper got there is unlike most.
A son of a Cape Verdean father and a Portuguese mother who emigrated here, dos Santos played for Fox Chase SC, Philadelphia Soccer Club, and FC Delco before joining the Union’s academy in 2013. His success there drew attention from Benfica, Portugal’s most famous club.
His family has supported Benfica for generations. So when an invitation came in 2016, dos Santos leapt at the chance. He then spent six years rising up the ranks.
Along the way, he made a series of U.S. youth national team squads, including the 2017 under-17 World Cup and 2019 under-20 World Cup rosters as a backup.
Alas, he didn’t advance any further. When an offer came from Inter Miami in early 2022, dos Santos returned across the Atlantic to play in MLS for the first time. Three seasons later, he was bought by San Diego FC, where he’s been ever since.
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There was no further progress with the U.S. program, either. But this year, a new door opened, and beyond it stood soccer’s biggest stage. Cape Verde wanted dos Santos on its World Cup team, and the 25-year-old happily accepted.
Now here he is, just a few weeks from helping the Blue Sharks make their debut on the world’s game’s biggest stage.
“I’ve dreamed about playing this sport professionally, believe it or not, ever since I was like 2, 3 years old,” dos Santos said. “It’s all I’ve ever wanted. So it’s an absolute blessing, an absolute honor, to be part of this group and to represent this country at a world stage — the first World Cup in the history of the country.”
The process started when he was invited to Cape Verde’s training camp in March. That came 19 years after his first trip as a child to the island archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, roughly 450 miles west of Africa’s mainland. He still has memories of the food, music, and time spent with family.
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“It’s an absolute blessing to represent this country and to be in touch with my roots and with my heritage,” dos Santos said. “Looking back at all the fond memories that I have with family, you know, going on that trip … and just being able to connect back with that almost 20 years later, with amazing people, with an amazing team, with an amazing staff.”
In the present, things were more prosaic: He had to do the change-of-nationality paperwork FIFA requires. Fortunately, it didn’t take long. Approval came through just over a week ago, in time for the Blue Sharks’ tournament squad announcement on Monday.
“It’s still pretty surreal,” dos Santos said. “It hasn’t sunk in yet just because obviously I’m still focusing on Saturday’s match [with San Diego]. But I’m sure after that, when I’m with the group and when I walk into the stadiums, I’m pretty sure that that’s going to set in.”
He gave a lengthy thanks to U.S. Soccer for the opportunities that helped serve as a launchpad.
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“I’m so thankful for all the opportunities that I’ve gotten from the U.S. youth national teams,” he said. “Thankful for all the coaching and the players that have been on this journey with me. … I was always pushing to be on the U.S. national team — that was always on my radar — but sometimes you just have to think about the big picture and think about the long-term goals that you set for yourself.”
Cape Verde’s program, he said, “welcomed me in with open arms. They were very warm and very welcoming when I was with them.”
Quite a few of dos Santos’ former Union academy and U.S. youth teammates might also be at this World Cup. Brenden Aaronson, Mark McKenzie, Tim Weah, Chris Richards, and Sergiño Dest are leading candidates for the American squad, and Julián Araujo and Richard Ledezma are in the running for Mexico’s roster.
Two other players on Cape Verde’s squad have ties to MLS: Columbus Crew defender Steven Moreira and former Union midfielder Jamiro Monteiro. Both players have offered support, dos Santos said.
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These threads show how the world’s biggest sport also functions as an insular community.
“It’s funny how football works, how one way or another, everybody’s connected,” dos Santos said. “Just being able to share the field with Mark McKenzie, Tim [Weah], Brenden Aaronson as well, all those amazing players, amazing individuals and men. … Being able to play with and against them growing up was an amazing opportunity and amazing memories as well. I wish them nothing but the best, and I hope we can all have an amazing tournament.”
Though it’s been a decade since Philadelphia was dos Santos’ full-time home, he still has ties to the city and fond memories.
“A lot of cold winters, a lot of cold preseasons playing in February and March, and playing in the snow,” he said. “It’s been an absolute blessing to be on this journey, ever since the beginning.”
He thanked friends who’ve sent “so many amazing messages, so many people reaching out from way back in the past, from my school days and even more recent history.”
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And, most poignantly, he thanked his family, from cousins who live in Cape Verde to a grandfather who died a decade ago.
“These were the types of things that he would tell me, about playing at a professional level and hopefully being blessed enough to play at a high level,” dos Santos said. “I wish that he was here to see me and to see this opportunity that I have. Everybody’s very happy for me, and especially for my grandmother as well, being Cape Verdean — all the aunts and uncles and family, all my cousins back in the Cape Verde islands as well.”
Cape Verde World Cup schedule
June 15: vs. Spain in Atlanta, noon (Fox29, Telemundo 62)
June 21: vs. Uruguay in Miami (6 p.m., FS1, Telemundo 62)
June 26: vs. Saudi Arabia in Houston (8 p.m., FS1, Universo)
Nine nations will compete in five group stage matches this summer, plus two more in a knockout game on July 4. Here’s what you need to know about those countries — and what those fans need to know about Philly. Click here for more.
