Amid the happiness of their historic qualification for the Round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup and just days before their match against the Argentine National Team, the team from Cape Verde received news that shook the entire squad. Their captain, Ryan Mendes, is being investigated by the New Zealand police after being accused of an alleged rape that occurred during the friendly tour the African team undertook in March.
The complaint was filed by a Brazilian translator, residing in New Zealand, who had been hired by the New Zealand Football Federation (NZF) to serve as an interpreter and provide assistance to the Cape Verdean delegation during the FIFA Series.
According to the testimony of the complainant, the incident occurred on March 27, hours after Cape Verde's 4-2 defeat against Chile. The woman stated that she was summoned to a private room in the hotel where the delegation was staying because she believed she had to fulfill work-related tasks. Upon realizing it was a party, she decided to return to her room, where shortly after someone knocked on the door. Thinking it was another work-related request, she opened it and, according to her statements, Mendes forced his way in and assaulted her.
After receiving care at a clinic specializing in victims of sexual violence, a forensic examination was conducted that reportedly detected genital injuries, bruises in various parts of the body, and other injuries consistent with her account.
"The New Zealand police confirm that an investigation is underway regarding a complaint filed on April 10, 2026, in central Auckland", the authorities stated in a statement sent to the New Zealand Herald, without providing further details on the progress of the case.
