New Zealand Police are investigating Cape Verde national football team captain Ryan Mendes over allegations of assault and rape involving a Brazilian interpreter in Auckland.
The incident reportedly occurred on March 27, 2026, at the team hotel during the FIFA Series tournament after Cape Verde played against Chile.
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The woman, hired by FIFA as an operational worker because Portuguese is Cape Verde's official language, filed a formal complaint with Auckland police on April 10.
According to reports from the New Zealand Herald and O Globo, the complainant stated that Mendes forced his way into her hotel room.
A subsequent medical examination documented multiple physical injuries, including bruising on her neck, lips, and breasts, alongside genital trauma.
In May, the interpreter and her husband formally requested FIFA and the Cape Verdean Football Federation to exclude the 36-year-old Igdir FK forward from the World Cup squad.
Both organizations remained silent, and Mendes subsequently started all three group stage matches as Cape Verde qualified for the knockout rounds.
Coach Avoids Questions
During a press conference ahead of Friday's knockout match against Argentina in Miami, head coach Bubista refused to answer multiple questions regarding the ongoing investigation.
The tournament moderator had explicitly requested journalists not to ask about the legal situation.
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"Our main goal is to play a good match and try to advance to the next round," said Bubista.
