Roberto Lopes, a 33-year-old footballer born in Dublin to an Irish mother and Cape Verdean father, is representing Cape Verde at the 2026 World Cup [1, 2]. Lopes was recruited to the national team in an unusual way when Cape Verde’s head coach Rui Aguas messaged him on LinkedIn in 2017, initially in Portuguese. Lopes ignored the message for nine months because he didn’t understand the language at the time. "When I realized what opportunity was on the cards here, I jumped at it," Lopes said [1, 2].
Before going full-time professional in football with Shamrock Rovers in 2017, Lopes worked as a mortgage adviser and bank employee in Dublin while playing part-time soccer. He said, "I was not enjoying the work." Lopes made his international debut for Cape Verde in 2019 and has been a regular player since then [1, 2]. Previously, he played for the Republic of Ireland Under-19 team in 2011 but never for its senior squad [2].
Cape Verde qualified for their first-ever World Cup in 2026, becoming the third-smallest country with a population of roughly 530,000 to reach the tournament [1, 2]. On Monday, September 1, Cape Verde played their opening 2026 World Cup match against former champions Spain in Atlanta, earning a 0-0 draw [1, 2]. Lopes made a significant defensive contribution in the match by blocking three shots and clearing the ball 11 times [2].
Goalkeeper Vozinha was named man of the match and gained more than 7 million Instagram followers after the game [2]. Lopes also celebrated becoming a father days after helping Cape Verde secure World Cup qualification [1].
Cape Verde’s next matches at the 2026 World Cup are scheduled later in the group stage, as the team aims to build on their strong start.
