Cape Verde National Team Captain Investigated for Alleged Rape in New Zealand
Ryan Mendes, captain of the Cape Verde national football team, is under investigation in New Zealand following a rape allegation by a Brazilian woman. The alleged incident occurred in March 2026 at a hotel in Auckland where both the victim and the football team were staying. The woman reported severe violence including strangulation, punches, and biting before the assault, and provided photographic evidence of her injuries to the Brazilian media outlet Globo.
The victim and her partner sent formal warning letters on May 10, 2026, to the Cape Verde Football Federation and FIFA, demanding Mendes be barred from participating in the 2026 World Cup. Despite the seriousness of the accusations, the football federation reportedly downplayed the matter as a "personal issue" involving Mendes, according to leaked WhatsApp messages published by Globo.
The investigation in New Zealand is ongoing amid increasing public pressure regarding Mendes' participation in the upcoming World Cup tournament. Both the victim and her partner have so far declined to comment further on the case.
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