Cape Verde captain Ryan Mendes investigated over alleged rape in NZ | OneFootball

Just days away from the historic match against the Argentina national team in the 2026 World Cup round of 32, Cape Verde’s camp is going through a deep institutional crisis. Its captain and biggest star, Ryan Mendes, has become the focus of a serious criminal complaint for sexual assault in New Zealand.

According to reports from the news outlet O Globo, the 36-year-old forward, who currently plays for Igdir FK in Turkey’s second division, is under formal investigation by Oceania’s judicial authorities. The alleged incident reportedly took place at the end of March during a friendly triangular tournament the African national team played in Auckland alongside Chile and the local side.

The complainant is a Brazilian translator living in New Zealand, who had been hired to provide interpretation services for the Cape Verde squad. According to her statement to police, after a work dinner she was invited to a private event at the delegation’s hotel; when she realized it was a party and began feeling unwell, she chose to leave immediately to rest in her own room.

Minutes later, according to the accusation, Mendes showed up there, forced his way in after pounding on her door, and sexually assaulted her. The episode allegedly took place on March 27, just hours after his team’s defeat to Chile, and the formal legal complaint was filed at an Auckland police station on April 10.

Official medical examinations supported the victim’s testimony after she was treated at a clinic specializing in victims of gender-based violence. The forensic report detailed the presence of multiple bruises on her breasts, neck, lips, scalp, and buttocks, as well as wounds and specific circular injuries in the genital area that were painful to the touch.

Given the seriousness of the situation, the New Zealand Football Federation officially notified FIFA of the investigation in May, before the start of the World Cup. The Oceania body’s chief executive, Andrew Pragnell, confirmed that the international federation was already aware through other channels and is closely following the legal process, which carries severe penalties of up to 20 years in prison under New Zealand law. For its part, the Cape Verdean Football Federation chose to remain silent and avoided giving any institutional response to the victim’s complaints.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.