Cape Verde’s remarkable FIFA World Cup campaign has been overshadowed by a serious off-field incident, with captain Ryan Mendes currently under investigation by New Zealand police following allegations of rape by a Brazilian woman.The allegation was first reported by Brazilian newspaper Globo Esporte, which said the complaint related to an incident that allegedly took place in March 2026 during Cape Verde’s participation in the FIFA series in Auckland. New Zealand police have confirmed that an investigation is ongoing, although no criminal charges have been laid against Mendes at this stage. While the investigation continues, Mendes is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
What is stated in the complaint
According to the complaint reviewed by Globo Esporte, the woman is a Brazilian citizen living in New Zealand who was hired by New Zealand Football as a translator and operational liaison for the Cape Verdean delegation during the FIFA series. She claims that after Cape Verde’s friendly against Chile, she attended what she believed to be a business-related meeting at the team hotel. After discovering that it was a social gathering, she returned to her room. The lawsuit alleges that Mendes later entered her room without permission, physically assaulted and raped her.The woman reportedly submitted a detailed statement to the police along with photographs of her injuries and medical records. Globo Esporte also reported that she underwent forensic examinations and received medical and psychological support following the alleged incident.
Police investigation ongoing
New Zealand police confirmed that the report, filed in April, remains under active investigation. Authorities have secured CCTV footage from the Auckland hotel and are awaiting the results of forensic tests as part of the investigation. Police have not publicly identified any suspects, and no arrests or formal charges have been announced.FIFA respondsFIFA acknowledged the matter in a statement, saying it was treating allegations of misconduct “extremely seriously” and was in contact with New Zealand authorities. Meanwhile, FIFA issued a statement on the matter, saying it takes “any allegation of misconduct” seriously and is in contact with New Zealand authorities. “Please understand that we cannot comment further at this stage,” FIFA was quoted as saying in a statement to USA TODAY.
The World Cup campaign continues
Despite the ongoing investigation, Mendes remained in the Cape Verde squad and captained the team during its historic FIFA World Cup campaign. Cape Verde made it to the knockout stage for the first time in history and will face defending champions Argentina in the round of 16.
