Cape Verde Captain Faces Sexual Assault Allegations; Investigation Launched Amid Argentina Fixture

Cape Verde's preparations for their historic FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match against Argentina have been overshadowed by allegations of sexual assault against team captain Ryan Mendes. According to Brazilian news outlet Globo, Mendes has been accused by a Brazilian woman of sexually assaulting her during the FIFA Series tournament held in New Zealand between March 27 and 30. The allegations surfaced just days after Cape Verde became the smallest nation by population and size to qualify for the FIFA World Cup knockout stage.

According to the report, the complainant worked as a translator with the Cape Verde national team during the tournament in New Zealand. She alleged that Mendes entered her hotel room in Auckland and physically and sexually assaulted her. The alleged incident was reported to local authorities, and the woman subsequently underwent a sexual assault examination. The report also stated that she informed three Cape Verde team officials about the alleged assault, but they did not respond to her complaint.

FIFA acknowledged the allegations in a statement, saying it takes any claims of misconduct seriously and is in contact with New Zealand authorities regarding the matter. However, football's global governing body declined to comment further while the matter remains under investigation. As of now, no official findings or charges have been announced publicly, and the allegations remain under investigation by the relevant authorities.

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The 36-year-old Ryan Mendes has played a key role in Cape Verde's remarkable World Cup campaign. The experienced forward featured in all three group-stage matches and has been an integral part of the national team for several years, earning more than 100 international caps and scoring 22 goals. At club level, Mendes has previously played in France and the United Arab Emirates and currently represents Turkish second-division club Iğdır FK.

Cape Verde's qualification for the knockout stage has been one of the standout stories of the expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup. The island nation finished second in Group H to secure a place in the Round of 32 in its debut appearance at the tournament, becoming the smallest country ever to reach the World Cup knockout rounds. Their achievement has attracted widespread praise from football fans around the world.

Despite the off-field controversy, Cape Verde is scheduled to face defending world champions Argentina in the Round of 32 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Friday. It remains unclear whether the investigation will have any immediate impact on Mendes' availability for the match. Both FIFA and the relevant authorities are expected to provide further updates as the investigation progresses, while the allegations remain unproven at this stage.

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