Africa Cup of Nations 2023: Former Man United youngster Bebe the heartbeat of Cape Verde

The delighted shout of recognition comes from a few rows back in the aircraft. “Manchester United!” shouts a passenger.

Tiago Manuel Dias Correia, universally known as Bebe, turns to smile. His Manchester United days were a long time ago, but people still recall Bebe as a United player partly because of all the diverting stories around him.

We are on board last Thursday’s packed flight from Casablanca to Abidjan, and the most purposeful travellers are set apart by their livery, tracksuits bearing the emblem of the Cape Verde Islands.

They embark on their fourth Africa Cup of Nations finals this afternoon and it is a measure of their rise that they were Afcon debutants only 11 years ago, yet would regard not reaching the knockouts, even from a group including Ghana, Sunday’s opponents, and Egypt as falling short.

But Cape Verde are still minnows in some respects. The squad are in economy class en route to Ivory Coast – other, wealthier national teams would be seated at the front end of the cabin – but evidently relishing the adventure.

There’s no disguising that Bebe, enjoying a successful eighth season at Rayo Vallecano of Spain’s top division, is the squad’s figurehead. He speaks to eagerly curious passengers in fluent Spanish and English. Younger teammates direct their banter, in Portuguese, at him, seeking his approval.

His nickname, meaning ‘Baby’ and given to him as a child, has certainly outlasted its logical lifespan. Bebe, at 33, is very grown-up, a man who has known hard extremes on the way to a top-flight club career and now the added, late bonus of a first major international tournament.

Like most of the Cape Verde squad, he was born outside the islands to parents with Cape Verdean heritage. It’s a typical