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>Cape Verde's captain at the World Cup is being investigated for the rape of a Brazilian woman in New Zealand.

>A police complaint filed against Ryan Mendes includes photos of bruises and a medical report documenting injuries suffered by the Brazilian woman, who acted as an interpreter for Cape Verde during friendly matches in New Zealand in March.

>Cape Verdean national team captain Ryan Mendes is under investigation by New Zealand police following a rape allegation filed by a Brazilian woman (whose name will be withheld in this report). The incident occurred in March at the hotel where the Cape Verdean team was staying for friendly matches in Oceania, and has been under investigation since April 10.

>The news outlet ge had access to photos of bruises that were handed over to the police, the police report, and the medical report from the clinic that assisted the Brazilian woman, including examinations and psychological treatment after the incident. The Brazilian woman was at the location contracted by the New Zealand Football Federation as an interpreter for the Cape Verde delegation, whose official language is Portuguese, and to provide operational support to the national team during the FIFA Series.

>The news outlet reached out to the Brazilian woman's family, representatives of Ryan Mendes, the police, the New Zealand Football Federation, the Cape Verde Football Federation, FIFA, and lawyers familiar with the legal procedures in the country.

>According to the complaint, the incident occurred on March 27 of this year, at the hotel where the Cape Verde delegation was staying in Auckland, New Zealand. The team was participating in the FIFA Series, which are friendly matches played by national teams from different confederations.

>In March, there were FIFA Series games in eight different countries. The Cape Verde national team played in New Zealand and had two matches: a 4-2 loss to Chile on the 27th, and a 1-1 draw with New Zealand (winning 4-2 on penalties) on the 30th.

>The Brazilian woman, who lives in New Zealand with a residence and work visa, was part of the event, hired by the New Zealand Federation as an interpreter and operational support for the Cape Verde national team. Therefore, she stayed at the delegation's hotel, on call 24 hours a day and available to the team.

>She reported to the police that after the first game, against Chile, she was invited to a meeting in one of the rooms reserved for the national team at the hotel and attended believing she would need to act as an interpreter.

>He noted, however, that it was a social gathering and returned to his room when he felt physically unwell. He reports that shortly afterwards he heard knocking on his door and opened it, thinking it was a request for assistance from work.

>According to the complaint, it was at this moment that Ryan Mendes entered the room, physically assaulted her with strangulation, punches, and bites as she tried to defend herself, and raped her.

>The Brazilian woman, still at the hotel, photographed visible injuries, such as cuts on her mouth, bruises on her neck, leg, and side, which were seen by ge . The images that identified her were preserved by the news outlet.

>Treated at a clinic that assists survivors of sexual violence, the Brazilian woman underwent a forensic examination. The medical report identified multiple bruises (or purple spots) on her breasts, neck, and lips, as well as areas of tenderness on her scalp and buttocks.

>The genital examination revealed "two circular lesions, painful to the touch, at the base of the labia minora." After receiving assistance from the clinic, which is also providing her with psychological support, the Brazilian woman filed a police report and underwent a forensic examination at the police station. She reports that she contacted the Cape Verdean Football Federation but received no support.

>Contacted by ge , New Zealand police confirmed the ongoing investigation. Due to the country's strict privacy laws, they are not commenting on the names of those accused.

>New Zealand Police confirm that a complaint is being investigated, registered on April 10, 2026 in the central Auckland area. We cannot provide further information at this time.

>The news outlet GE has learned that the police collected images from the hotel's security cameras and are awaiting the forensic report from the physical examinations, conducted three months ago, to close the investigation. At the end of this investigation, the police will decide whether to file charges in court.

>A criminal lawyer consulted by the family says that this procedure, involving the analysis of the tests, can take up to six months.

>At the same time, on May 10th, the Brazilian woman and her husband sent extrajudicial notifications to the Cape Verde Federation and FIFA, with the report, evidence, and a request for punishment: the player's exclusion from the World Cup. On the 20th, they filled out FIFA's Safeguarding form, used for complaints. However, they report that they have not received a response.

>Ryan Mendes, 36, plays for Igdir FK in the Turkish Second Division and started for Cape Verde in all three of their group stage matches at the 2026 World Cup. The African team finished second in Group H and qualified for the second round. Their opponent will be Argentina on Friday in Miami.

>The New Zealand Football Federation, which hosted the FIFA Series in March with the participation of the Cape Verdean national team, simply 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, to which the Brazilian woman's family sent one of the extrajudicial notifications, initially said it would not comment on the case. On Saturday night, hours after this report was published, the organization sent the following statement.

>FIFA takes any allegation of misconduct extremely seriously and has a clear process for anyone in football who wishes 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 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.

>The Cape Verdean Football Federation, for its part, has not yet commented at the time of this publication.

>The news outlet sent five emails to the three addresses available in the FIFA system and on the Cape Verdean Federation's website, without any response. The press officer said he had no information and stated that the response would need to come from the official email addresses.

>According to screenshots of conversations with the Brazilian woman after the incident, the news outlet ge contacted three more employees who were aware of the case. Only one of them responded: Gerson Melo, then Director of Development, to say that he is no longer part of the federation and that he was not in New Zealand as part of the delegation.

>The reporter also personally contacted the federation's press officer in Houston after the game against Saudi Arabia. He stated that the organization would not comment on the allegations.

>The news outlet ge also contacted the striker's agent but has not yet received a response. This report will be updated if a reply is received.

>The legal process

>The news outlet consulted the New Zealand Ministry of Justice guide and international law expert Mauricio Ejcher to explain the legal process in the Oceania country. According to New Zealand law, a conviction for sexual violence can result in imprisonment of up to 20 years, depending on the severity of the case.

>In chronological order, the police investigate, decide if they have sufficient evidence to bring charges, and if so, the case goes to trial in the District Court. Criminal cases in New Zealand are judged by a single judge or a jury.

>The prosecuting attorney, in turn, represents the country's Crown and the public, and the information he presents is based on the case prepared by the police. The accuser participates as a witness.

>"The judicial process has four parts: the administration, to gather and organize documents; the preliminary review with the participation of the judge; the trial; and the sentence. There is only one appeal, to the superior court, which is regional," explains Mauricio Ejcher.

>In a case requiring the extradition of the accused, if the police file charges and issue an arrest warrant, there are two possibilities: placing the name on Interpol's list, in which case the person can be stopped at any border or country, or requesting extradition through a cooperation agreement. New Zealand does not have an extradition treaty with Cape Verde.

>Who is Ryan Mendes?

>Ryan Mendes is a striker, 36 years old, and plays for Igdir FK in the Turkish Second Division. Previously, he played for Batuque in Cape Verde, Le Havre and Lille in France, Nottingham Forest in England, Al-Nasr and Al Saharjah in the United Arab Emirates, and three other clubs in Turkey. He is currently playing in the World Cup for the debutant Cape Verde national team and, prior to the World Cup, participated in four editions of the Africa Cup of Nations (2013, 2015, 2022, and 2024).

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