Roberto Lopes’ LinkedIn route to Cape Verde and the 2026 World Cup | OneFootball

Roberto Lopes embodies one of the World Cup’s most amusing stories, the 33-year-old Shamrock Rovers defender joining Cape Verde after a LinkedIn message from then coach Rui Aguas in 2019. Born in Ireland and with one under-19 cap there, he is now set for a first World Cup with his father's homeland.

"I thought it was spam," he said to BBC Sport Africa. Nine months later, after Aguas persisted, Lopes replied, adding, "I was buzzing. I said, of course, 100% I would love to be part of the team."

Since then he has learned Portuguese, featured at two Africa Cup of Nations, and earned 44 caps. His father left Cape Verde at 16 as a ship's cook and later settled far to the north for an Irish woman he loved.

Cape Verde open the group stage on Monday 15 June at 18:00 against Spain at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. They then face Uruguay on Monday 22 June at 00:00 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, before playing Saudi Arabia on Saturday 27 June at 02:00 at NRG Stadium in Houston.

In the last five World Cups they did not qualify, in 2022, 2018, 2014, 2010 and 2006.

Source: L'Équipe