Cape Verde captain under investigation for alleged rape as team faces Argentina
Cape Verde, one of the feel-good stories of this World Cup after endearing fans with 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha and becoming the smallest nation ever to advance to the knockout stage, enters Friday’s game against Argentina in Miami with a cloud hanging over the team camp.
Captain Ryan Mendes is under investigation by police in New Zealand over allegations he raped a Brazilian woman working as a team translator in March after a FIFA Series game against Chile in New Zealand, according to the New Zealand Herald and Brazilian network Globo.
The woman accused Mendes, Cape Verdes’ all-time leading scorer, of forcing his way into her hotel room in Auckland and then raping her. According to Globo, the woman had multiple bruises on her breasts, neck and lips. The woman provided police and Globo with photos of her injuries.
The alleged incident was reported to Cape Verde officials, according to the reports. Mendes, 36, has not been charged with a crime yet.
According to Globo, a decision on whether Mendes will be charged will not be made until the investigation and forensic analysis is completed by the New Zealand police.
The alleged rape was reported by The Athletic in May, though the identity of the player was not revealed at the time.
In a statement sent to the Miami Herald and other media outlets, FIFA said: “FIFA takes any allegation of misconduct extremely seriously and has a clear process in place for anyone in football who wants to report an incident.
“As a general rule, please understand that the independent judicial bodies do not comment on allegations they may or may not have received, or whether or not investigations are underway into alleged cases. Any information they may like to share will be communicated at their discretion.
“FIFA is in contact with the New Zealand authorities. Please understand we cannot comment further at this stage.”
In addition to playing for the national team, Mendes has played professionally in France, UAE and Turkey.
Mendes started all three of Cape Verde’s games so far at the 2026 World Cup, including a shocking 0-0 tie against tournament heavyweight Spain, a 2-2 tie against Uruguay and a 0-0 tie against Saudi Arabia that assured the Blue Sharks a spot in the Round of 32.