Cabo Verde Is a Breakout Star of the World Cup. So Is the Family-Owned Business That Designed Its Jerseys

Cabo Verde Is a Breakout Star of the World Cup. So Is the Family-Owned Business That Designed Its Jerseys Since 1998, George Altirs has attended every World Cup as a spectator. This summer, his company is on the field. You've likely seen his work over the past few weeks, alongside some of the most recognizable brands in the world, such as Coca-Cola, McDonald's, and Visa. That's because Capelli Sport, the sportswear manufacturer that Altirs founded and runs with his wife Liz, who serves as creative director, designed and produced the kits for the World Cup's biggest breakout stars: Cabo Verde. The African country, an archipelago of ten islands off the coast of Senegal, entered the tournament just like its jersey sponsor: virtually unknown to football fans. But that all changed last week when the nation of half a million people shocked the world and held Spain, the reigning European champion and one of the favorites to win the World Cup, to a 0-0 draw. Then the former Portuguese colony followed up that debut performance with a 2-2 tie against the two-time champion Uruguay. With one more group stage game to go against Saudi Arabia, Cabo Verde is on the verge of advancing to the knockout round of its first World Cup—a mindboggling, Disney movie-esque feat that has captured the sporting world's attention and drawn millions of eyes to the brand name stamped on the players' chest, shorts, and socks: Capelli. For Altirs—who grew up playing football in northern Lebanon before immigrating to the United States, where he started manufacturing accessories and apparel in New York City in 1990—seeing his company represented on the sport's biggest stage has been a dream, he says. “We want to do things that the big companies…do not want to do, cannot do,” says Altirs. “Nike, it's a giant. Adidas is a giant, but there's room for people to really do well and service their partners where they're probably overlooked or underserved or ignored by the giants.” Tap the link in bio for the full story.