The Athletic is broadcasting live Argentina vs Cape Verde in the 1/8 finals of the tournament 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Cape Verdean captain Ryan Mendez is under investigation by New Zealand police for allegedly raping a woman in March.
According to multiple international reports, including the New Zealand Herald, which was the first media outlet to report the case and confirmed the player’s identity through extensive documentation and multiple sources, Mendes – his country’s all-time leading goalscorer – has been accused of raping a Brazilian woman who was hired to work with the team during a FIFA series competition earlier this year.
The woman, according to multiple reports, told New Zealand authorities that Mendes broke into her room before raping her.
Photos of the woman’s alleged injuries have appeared in various media reports related to the allegations, as well as on social media. Mendez remains under investigation and has not been charged.
Athletic Earlier in May, it was reported that New Zealand authorities were investigating an alleged incident involving a then-unnamed Cape Verdean player.
New Zealand police declined to comment when contacted Athletic but previously confirmed that the investigation was ongoing. The Cape Verdean Football Federation and the player’s representative did not respond to requests for comment.
Cape Verde took part in the FIFA Series event – FIFA’s vehicle for creating a series of “meaningful friendlies” around the world – which saw them face Chile on 27 March and New Zealand on 30 March.
In a statement released Athletic Regarding the allegations made against Mendes, a FIFA spokesman said: “FIFA takes any allegations of misconduct extremely seriously and has a clear process for all players who wish to report an incident.
“As a general rule, please understand that independent judicial authorities do not comment on allegations they may or may not have received, or whether investigations into alleged cases are ongoing. Any information they choose to share will be shared at their discretion.”
“FIFA is in contact with the New Zealand authorities. Please understand we are unable to comment further at this stage.”
Mendes, 36, is currently competing in the World Cup with his national team and has so far started each of the three matches, playing a total of 251 minutes.
After a draw with Spain in the team’s opening match, one of the most surprising World Cup results in history, Cape Verde quickly became the tournament’s Cinderella team.
After the draw in Spain, the team drew consecutive games with Uruguay and Saudi Arabia to reach the knockout stage, becoming the smallest nation to ever do so.
Mendes’ next opportunity to play will be in the round of 16 match against Argentina in Miami on July 3.
The allegations against Mendes, who is Cape Verde’s highest-scoring player, come as two other World Cup players face similar scrutiny. It looks at how football as a whole deals with such allegations made against its players or coaches, and at what point the duty of care comes into the equation.
As exclusively reported AthleticThomas Partey, who plays for Ghana, was denied entry into Canada, causing him to miss the first World Cup victory over Panama on June 17. The former Arsenal midfielder, who now plays for Villarreal in Spain, was charged by London Metropolitan Police in July 2025 with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.
He pleaded not guilty in September of that year. He was then charged in February this year with two new counts of rape, to which he pleaded not guilty in April.
On 24 June it was also announced that Achraf Hakimi, Moroccan captain and Paris Saint-Germain player, would stand trial in France on charges of rape at his home in Boulogne-Billancourt in February 2023.
Hakimi, who denies the charges, tried to dismiss the case and reacted to the fact that the case would go to trial by releasing a statement about X.
His post read: “Justice looked me in the eye and said, ‘If you weren’t famous, there wouldn’t be any case.’ I decided to remain silent for many years. I thought that maintaining my dignity, patience and trust in the justice system would allow me to make the right decisions.
“Today, a story that is not mine is being told at the expense of my family, my life and, above all, the truth. Sometimes I feel like I have become an easy target.
“I’ve been waiting for this trial since day one. And now I’m looking forward to it. Finally, I’ll be able to speak.”