FIFA World Cup 2026: from bank employee to World Cup debut with Cape Verde, the unexpected journey of Roberto Lopez

Ten years ago, Roberto Lopes was a mortgage adviser at a bank in Dublin, Ireland, while also playing for Bohemians.

A year later, Lopes, also known as Pico, gave up his desk job to pursue a full-time career in football with Shamrock Rovers. Now Lopes makes his FIFA World Cup debut with Cape Verde, playing against European champions Spain in the US.

But the turning point in his career came when former Cape Verde head coach Rui Aguas contacted Lopes on LinkedIn, learning that Lopes’ father was from the African island nation in the central Atlantic Ocean.

Speaking to the BBC, Lopes said he initially left the request, written in Portuguese, saying: «I thought it was a spam message and I didn’t pay any attention to it. And about nine months later he messaged me back saying: ‘Hi Roberto, have you had a chance to think about what I said to you?’.»

And once Lopes agreed to the move, he hasn’t looked back since. Lopes made his senior debut for Cape Verde in 2019 and has 44 caps to his name, playing a key role in the country’s first-ever World Cup qualification.

Published on June 15, 2026