Ryan Mendes: Captain of World Cup 2026 Dream Debutant Cape Verde Accused of Sexually Abusing Team Translator Months Before Tournament
Cape Verde captain Ryan Mendes is reportedly under investigation after being accused of raping a team translator earlier this year. The 36-year-old winger is currently captaining Cape Verde at the World Cup, where the African side has surprised many by advancing to the knockout stage.
Mendes has featured in all of the team’s group-stage matches and is being investigated by authorities in New Zealand. Brazilian news outlet Globo reported that Mendes was accused of sexually assaulting a Brazilian woman while Cape Verde was in Auckland in March. The alleged incident is said to have taken place on March 27, the same day Cape Verde suffered a 4-2 defeat to Chile.
Bombshell Allegations
Three days later, the team faced New Zealand in a match that ended in a draw before Cape Verde won in the penalty shootout. The woman who made the allegation reportedly told police she had been hired by the New Zealand Football Federation to work as a translator for the Cape Verde team during its tour.
Mendes allegedly entered her hotel room, where he strangled, punched, and bit her before allegedly raping her as she tried to defend herself, according to Globo.
The outlet reported that a medical examination noted bruises on several parts of her body, including her neck and lips, as well as other areas of tenderness.
The report added: “The genital examination revealed “two circular lesions, painful to the touch, at the base of the labia minora.”
“The clinic’s examination results were sent to the New Zealand police on April 10th, and the Brazilian woman filed a police report, undergoing a forensic examination at the police station.”
New Zealand police have confirmed that an investigation is ongoing but have not identified the person under investigation, citing the country’s privacy laws.
Embarrassment for the Nation
The woman and her husband asked both the Cape Verde Football Federation and FIFA to block Mendes from playing at the World Cup, according to the report. The Cape Verde Football Federation reportedly declined to comment on the allegations, while FIFA released a statement on Saturday.
“FIFA takes any allegation of misconduct extremely seriously and has a clear process for anyone in football who wants to report an incident,” a FIFA statement read.
“As a general rule, it is important to understand that independent judicial bodies do not comment on allegations they may or may not have received, nor on whether or not there are ongoing investigations into the alleged cases. Any information they wish to share will be communicated at their discretion.
“FIFA is in contact with the New Zealand authorities. Please understand that we cannot comment further at this time.”
Cape Verde has been one of the surprise teams at the World Cup, with the tournament debutants advancing from a group that included Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia.
The African side drew all three of its group-stage matches to finish second behind Spain and secure a place in the round of 32.
Cape Verde will now take on defending champion Argentina on July 3.
