Cape Verde's Pico Lopes: From LinkedIn to World Cup 2026

Spain take on Cape Verde in a World Cup 2026 group stage match, but the game has been overshadowed by the remarkable story of Cape Verde defender Pico Lopes, who went from a LinkedIn message to playing on football's biggest stage.

The Crumlin-born player, who previously represented the Republic of Ireland at youth level, was scouted by Cape Verde's manager via LinkedIn in 2019. Initially ignoring the message because it was in Portuguese, Lopes eventually got a follow-up in English nine months later and accepted the call-up.

A unique path to the World Cup

Lopes became only the second League of Ireland player to qualify for a World Cup, joining Declan Rice as former Ireland internationals still in contention for the trophy. His journey from the League of Ireland to representing Cape Verde at a World Cup is a testament to the global reach of the game.

• Pico Lopes first called up by Cape Verde in 2019 via a LinkedIn message
• He is only the second League of Ireland player to qualify for a World Cup
• Lopes is one of two former Ireland internationals with a chance of winning the World Cup, along with Declan Rice
• The match kicks off at 3pm local/5pm BST/12pm EDT/2am AEST

While the focus is on the pitch, Lopes' story highlights the diverse backgrounds of players at the tournament. Spain enter as one of the favorites, but Cape Verde will hope their defensive stalwart can help them cause an upset.