Cape Verde Player Accused of Assault
The captain of Cape Verde’s national team, Ryan Mendes, is facing serious allegations of rape made by the team’s interpreter. Reports indicate that he allegedly entered her hotel room and assaulted her.
Mendes, 36, has participated in all three of the African island nation’s World Cup matches. The accusations involve a Brazilian woman who served as a translator during a trip to New Zealand for a match in March. According to a report from Brazil’s Globo news agency, the incident occurred while the team was abroad.
The unnamed woman stated she reached out to several officials from Cape Verde’s soccer governing body, but, it seems, her attempts went unanswered.
Currently, New Zealand Police are investigating the situation, having gathered CCTV footage from the hotel in Auckland. They are waiting for the results of a forensic examination before making a decision on whether to file charges against Mendes.
This allegation first emerged in New Zealand media the previous month, though Mendes’s name was not disclosed at that time—only that he was part of the Cape Verde squad.
In her statement, the woman explained that she was contracted for a FIFA match and was invited to a meeting in a hotel room used by the national team after their game against Chile. When she arrived, realizing that there was no need for translation, she returned to her room. Shortly after, she heard a knock at her door.
Upon opening it, Mendes reportedly forced his way inside, choking her, hitting, biting her, and ultimately raping her, as detailed in her account to the police.
She also provided images of her injuries—visible marks on her mouth, neck, legs, and side—which have been submitted as evidence to law enforcement.
Mendes, who captained a national team that made history by reaching the World Cup finals as the smallest country ever to do so, has not publicly addressed the claims made against him.
In response to the accusations, FIFA released a statement expressing that they are in touch with New Zealand authorities and that they take such allegations very seriously. However, they also noted that they are unable to provide further comments or confirm the status of the investigation.
