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Pico Lopes helped Cape Verde secure historic qualification for their first-ever World Cup earlier this year, then started their opening group stage match vs Spain at center-back in Atlanta on June 15.
Undaunted by the reigning European champions, Lopes put in a stellar defensive shift— including a crucial 88th-minute block— to secure a monumental 0-0 draw for his country that will go down as one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history.
Lopes, 33, is a living, breathing example of Cape Verde's famous diaspora. Born and raised in Dublin, to a Cape Verdean father he speaks with a broad Irish accent and plays his club football for League of Ireland Premier Division club Shamrock Rovers.
At 33, you're going to your first World Cup! You were born and raised in the Republic of Ireland, so can you tell us about your Cape Verdean heritage?
Pico Lopes: My father left Cape Verde at 16. He went to Portugal, working in cafes – he was a keen baker and chef – and then he got work with a shipping company, went to the Netherlands and settled in Belgium. An Irish Ferries captain used to go into his cafe and then convinced him to go to Ireland for a weekend. He got there and never went back!
Starting out with Bohemians, did you think you might play for Cape Verde?
PL: Probably not. Like all of your friends, you think about trying to play for Ireland [Lopes was capped by their Under-19s].
I didn't know much about Cape Verde as a football team. But, as I got older, I realised that international football wasn't there for me, that I needed to work on my game. I was working in a bank at one stage before I went full-time with Shamrock Rovers. Then, one day, Cape Verde reached out to me.
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What actually happened?
PL: It was through LinkedIn. I had set up a page while at college and Cape Verde's manager messaged me on there. It was in Portuguese and I ignored it, thinking it was spam, but nine months later, he messaged me in English – thankfully – asking if I'd thought about his proposal. I did what I should have done nine months earlier and stuck it into Google Translate! I apologised profusely and said I'd love to be a part of things. About three weeks later, I was out in Marseille, playing for Cape Verde against Togo. Apparently they had contacted my old club before that and got no answer. The federation say I was one of the most difficult players ever to contact!
What was it like, joining up in 2019?
PL: I was really nervous because I didn't speak Creole, but I was keen to fit in. Then, on the second night, I had to sing an initiation song in Creole! Even in English it would have been difficult – my singing voice is brutal – but I gave it a bash. I got about three words into butchering an absolute classic and everyone broke down laughing. That's all it's for – can you have a laugh? Once I got past that, everything became easy.
The players all help each other, then?
PL: They made me feel so welcome. With the Cape Verdean diaspora, we probably have more Cape Verdeans outside the country than inside it – everyone is seen as equal. We have players born and bred in Cape Verde, as well as a French contingent, Dutch, Portuguese… we're a big family. Cape Verde roots run deep.
Could you ever have imagined Cape Verde would qualify for a World Cup?
PL: No. The goal was to get to the Africa Cup of Nations, because we had a really good team. Getting to my first AFCON [the 2021 edition, held in 2022] built confidence. We weren't a million miles off for the last World Cup: it went to the last game with Nigeria to finish first in our group. Then my second AFCON came and we made it to the quarter-finals. When we saw our group for 2026 World Cup qualifying, we felt we could have a right go.
“I THOUGHT, ‘I'LL BE FACING XAVI, INIESTA, FABREGAS… WAIT, THEY'RE RETIRED. WHO PLAYS FOR SPAIN AGAIN?'”
You lost 4-1 in Cameroon early on, then didn't qualify for the 24-team AFCON 2025. Did that spur you on when World Cup qualifying resumed?
PL: Yes. That was probably our worst period since I've been here. Maybe we took our eye off the ball. It was the reality check we needed: in World Cup qualifying, we took nothing for granted.
With only first place qualifying, how vital was beating Cameroon at home?
PL: That was huge – we knew then that it was in our own hands. We had to win the last game at home to Eswatini, in front of our fans, and that game was perfect – such a memorable day. Relief was the overwhelming feeling, then joy. We had made history; no-one will ever take that away from us. Then I had to get on a flight straight away because my son, Diego, was born four days later. It was a great day but I was like, “Right, I need to get out of here because I can't miss my son being born!”
What a period that was for you…
PL: It was one of the most memorable months I'll ever have. We qualified for a World Cup, my son was born, and we won the league and cup double with Shamrock Rovers. It'll be hard to top that, though I'll try to do it this June!
Your first game against European champions Spain, tell us about that
PL: I wanted to get a big team, and you can't get much bigger than Spain. I drew a blank; I was like, ‘Spain… I'll be playing against Xavi, Iniesta, Fabregas.' Then I thought, ‘Hang on a second – they're all retired. Who plays for Spain again?' I'm showing my age! Someone reminded me Lamine Yamal plays for them. I was like, ‘Yeah, he's not bad!'
You also play Uruguay and Saudi Arabia in Group H. What's your aim?
PL: To try to get out of the group. It's a very tough group, but you have to believe. Third place might be enough. Football doesn't always respect the odds; there are upsets. This is the stuff of dreams – as a boy, you dream of playing in World Cups and so few people get the chance. I'm going to try to stay in the moment and enjoy every bit of it.
