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The captain of Cape Verde’s 2026 World Cup squad, Ryan Mendes, has been accused of sexually assaulting a Brazilian translator during the team’s trip to New Zealand, according to a recent report.

As per Brazil’s Globo news outlet, the 36-year-old footballer allegedly attacked a Brazilian woman who had been hired to serve as the team’s translator during their March tour in New Zealand.

The woman, whose identity has not been disclosed, told Brazilian media that Mendes entered her hotel room and assaulted her. She claimed to have reported the incident to at least three officials from Cape Verde’s football authority but did not receive any response.

The alleged assault reportedly took place at a hotel in Auckland where the Cape Verde national team was staying.

The accusation has cast a shadow over what had been one of the most inspiring stories of the 2026 World Cup. Cape Verde, a small island nation, held Spain to a 0-0 draw in their opening match and went on to become the smallest country ever to reach the tournament’s knockout stage.

According to Globo, the translator said she was hired by the Cape Verde team to assist during this year’s FIFA Series in New Zealand. She alleged that after a match against Chile on 27 March, she was invited to what was described as a team meeting in a hotel room, only to discover upon arrival that it was actually a social gathering.

She stated that she left the gathering and returned to her room, but Mendes allegedly followed her, knocked on her door, and forced his way inside. The woman told police that Mendes choked, punched, and bit her before raping her, as reported by Globo based on her statement to New Zealand authorities.

The translator shared photographs with the outlet showing bruises on her neck. She said she was treated at a clinic specialising in sexual assault survivors and underwent a forensic examination. The clinic reportedly identified bruises on her neck, breasts, and lips, along with two painful circular lesions discovered during a genital examination.

The medical results were submitted to New Zealand Police on 10 April.

A month later, on 10 May, the woman and her husband filed formal complaints with the Cape Verde Football Federation and FIFA, attaching the medical report and other evidence. They requested that Mendes be barred from participating in the World Cup as a disciplinary measure.

She told Globo that she never received a response from FIFA.

Last month, the New Zealand Herald reported that police were investigating a sexual assault case involving a member of the Cape Verde national team, though it did not name Mendes at the time.

A FIFA spokesperson confirmed to The Independent that the organisation is “in contact with the New Zealand authorities,” but added that it “cannot comment further at this stage.”

“FIFA treats all allegations of misconduct with utmost seriousness and has a clear process for anyone in football to report such incidents,” the spokesperson added.

The Independent has reached out to both the New Zealand Police and the Cape Verde Football Association for comment.

Globo also reported that its request for comment from the Cape Verde Football Association was declined, with officials stating that they would not comment on the complaint.