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The story of Cape Verde has been one of the many feel-good tales of this surprisingly joyous World Cup. A collection of 10 islands off the west coast of Africa, it was already one of the smallest nations ever to play in the competition. It’s now making history as the smallest nation ever to reach the knockout stage of a men’s World Cup, set to face Lionel Messi’s Argentina on Friday at Hard Rock Stadium (temporarily rebranded Miami Stadium) in Miami Gardens.
But ahead of Friday’s match, the team’s remarkable run has been marred by a serious allegation against its captain.
According to the New Zealand Herald and Brazilian TV network Globo, New Zealand police are investigating Cape Verde captain Ryan Mendes over allegations that he raped a Brazilian woman in late March after a FIFA Series game in Auckland, New Zealand. The Herald, which first identified the player through extensive documentation and sources, broke the story.
The woman — who reportedly lives in New Zealand and was hired by the New Zealand Football Federation as an interpreter for the Cape Verde national team — accused Mendes of forcing his way into her hotel room and raping her after the first game in the series against Chile.
According to Globo, the woman reported to police that after the game, she was invited to a meeting in one of the rooms reserved for the national team at the hotel, believing she would need to act as an interpreter. Instead, she told police, it was a social gathering, and she returned to her room when she felt “physically unwell.” Shortly after, she heard knocking on her door and opened it, thinking it was a work-related request for assistance.
It was then, she said, that Mendes forced his way into her room, assaulting her with “strangulation, punches, and bites as she tried to defend herself” before raping her, according to Globo.
The Brazilian network also reported that the woman was later treated at a clinic that helps survivors of sexual violence and underwent a forensic exam. A medical report identified multiple bruises on her breasts, neck, and lips; a genital examination revealed “two circular lesions, painful to the touch, at the base of the labia minora.”
The Athletic reported on the investigation in May, though the player’s identity was not revealed at the time.
Mendes, who is 36 and the team’s all-time top goal scorer, has not been charged with a crime.
The allegations come just days before his team is set to take on Argentina in a Round of 32 clash at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. As of Wednesday afternoon, the cheapest available tickets for the game appear to be around $2,000.
A spokesperson for FIFA did not immediately respond to New Times‘ request for comment via email. In a statement to the Miami Herald and other media outlets, FIFA said it “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,” the statement reads. “FIFA is in contact with the New Zealand authorities. Please understand we cannot comment further at this stage.”
