Sal celebrates its football heroes at the Festival of Santa Maria

The Lagoon Resorts joins the island in celebrating the Blue Sharks and the success of Cape Verde’s regional football team.

Music, football and Cape Verdean pride came together on Santa Maria Beach on 11 and 12 September for the 34th Festival of Santa Maria. Under the motto “De Mundo pa Dja D’Sal” – “From the world to the island of Sal” – this year’s festival included a tribute to the Blue Sharks, Cape Verde’s national football team.

The Municipality of Sal announced the tribute as part of a programme celebrating the island’s music, culture and identity. Across two nights, performers from Cape Verde and beyond took to the beachfront stage, bringing residents and visitors together for one of Sal’s biggest annual celebrations.

For The Resort Group Plc, the football tribute had a personal connection. The Lagoon Resorts recently hosted Bubista, the outgoing head coach of Cape Verde’s national side. The resorts also welcomed the double-winning regional football team for its celebrations, giving the players and those close to them a place to enjoy their achievement together.

“Football brings people together across Sal, and it has been a pleasure to welcome people who have contributed so much to the game here,” said Lisa Kellett, Chief of Staff for The Resort Group Plc. “Hosting Bubista and celebrating with our regional team gave us a chance to recognise their achievements in person. Seeing the Blue Sharks honoured at the Festival of Santa Maria was another wonderful moment for the island.”

The festival’s tribute recognised the Blue Sharks’ journey and their place in Cape Verde’s history and identity. For supporters on Sal, it was an opportunity to celebrate the people behind the national team as well as the excitement they have brought to the country. The Lagoon Resorts’ recent gatherings reflected that same spirit on a more personal scale: people coming together to thank a coach and cheer on local players.

Regional football is an important part of that story. A double-winning season takes commitment from players, coaches and everyone who supports a team through the year. Hosting the team’s celebrations was a chance for The Lagoon Resorts to share in a proud moment for the local community. Their success deserves recognition alongside the national achievements that captured the festival’s attention.

The setting for that celebration could hardly have been more fitting. Santa Maria’s beachfront has long been a gathering place, and the festival filled it once again with music and people from across the island. This year’s line-up included Ludmilla, Apollo G, Djodje, Lura, Ferro Gaita and many other artists. Together with the tribute to the Blue Sharks, their performances made the two-day event a celebration of the talent and character that Sal shares with the world.

“Our colleagues live and work in these communities, so these are moments we feel connected to,” added Kellett. “We are proud to play a part in celebrating the people whose hard work gives Sal so much to cheer about.”

As the music ended and Santa Maria Beach returned to its familiar rhythm, the festival left a clear reminder of what makes a celebration memorable: the people who take part in it. The Resort Group Plc congratulates the regional team on its double-winning success and joins Sal in recognising Bubista and the Blue Sharks for their contribution to Cape Verdean football.