Ryan Mendes, the captain of Cape Verde’s national football team, is currently under police investigation in New Zealand for an alleged rape that reportedly occurred in March of this year, reported by Givemesport. The serious allegations have emerged as Mendes leads his nation in a surprising run to the Round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup.
The alleged incident took place on March 27 in Auckland, New Zealand, where the Cape Verde team was staying for two friendly matches against New Zealand and Chile as part of the FIFA Series. The alleged victim is a Brazilian woman residing in New Zealand, who had been contracted by the New Zealand Football Federation to serve as a translator for the Cape Verde team and staff during their visit.
Allegations and medical findings
According to the complaint, Mendes allegedly entered the woman’s hotel room, where he proceeded to strangle, punch, bite, and rape her while she attempted to defend herself. A subsequent medical report noted bruising in various areas of her body, including her neck and lips, along with areas of tenderness. A genital examination reportedly identified “two circular lesions, painful to the touch, at the base of the labia minora.”
The alleged victim and her husband sent extrajudicial notices, including evidence and her detailed account of events, to both the Cape Verde Football Federation and FIFA on May 10. While they reportedly received no reply from the Cape Verde Football Federation, screenshots of earlier conversations with federation officials were included in the legal notices. One official allegedly dismissed the matter as “Ryan’s personal problem,” a claim the woman reportedly countered by asserting the federation’s involvement due to her employment with the delegation at the time of the alleged incident. Another official acknowledged that the secretary-general had been informed and the matter was being handled by appropriate personnel.
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Official responses and ongoing investigation
New Zealand police have confirmed that the matter has been under investigation since April. However, no charges against Mendes have been announced, and the allegation has not been proven in court.
Both New Zealand Football and FIFA have issued statements regarding the ongoing situation. New Zealand Football stated, “We understand that this matter is with the New Zealand Police, so they would be more appropriately positioned to comment on the situation.”
FIFA, in a statement provided to O Globo emphasized the seriousness with which it treats such allegations: “FIFA takes any allegation of misconduct extremely seriously and has a clear process for anyone in football who wants to report an incident. As a general rule, it is important to understand that independent judicial bodies do not comment on allegations they may or may not have received, nor on whether or not there are ongoing investigations into the alleged cases. Any information they wish to share will be communicated at their discretion. FIFA is in contact with the New Zealand authorities. Please understand that we cannot comment further at this time.”
Mendes has captained Cape Verde in all three of their group stage games, helping the third smallest nation in World Cup history progress after draws with Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia. He is currently one appearance away from earning his 100th cap for the national team. Cape Verde is scheduled to face Argentina in the last 32 of the World Cup at Miami stadium on Friday, June 3.
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