Ryan Mendes, the talismanic captain of the Cape Verde football team, is under investigation for rape in New Zealand.
Mendes is accused of sexually assaulting a woman who worked for the team as a translator. Cape Verde, who made history by advancing to the knockouts of the FIFA World Cup 2026, were in New Zealand in March for the FIFA Series.
The survivor is a native of Brazil. She alleged in her complaint that Ryan Mendes came into her hotel room in Auckland and physically and sexually assaulted her. The woman reportedly underwent a sexual assault examination after making her complaint official, Brazilian news reports said.
The complainant was able to submit photos of her injuries to the police. The medical examination later found lesions on her vagina along with several bruises on her breasts, neck and lips, the news reports said.
