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First discovered by Cape Verde through LinkedIn, Shamrock Rovers defender Pico Lopes might be the only Irish-born player competing at this World Cup. After Spain, his team now prepare to face Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.

Pico Lopes was instrumental in helping Cape Verde achieve their first-ever World Cup qualification earlier this year. The 33-year-old started in their opening group stage clash against Spain in Atlanta on June 15, taking up his position at centre-back. Unfazed by the reigning European champions, Lopes delivered a remarkable defensive performance — including a vital block in the 88th minute — to secure a historic 0-0 draw that will be remembered as one of the great shocks in World Cup history. Born and raised in Dublin to a Cape Verdean father, Lopes speaks with a strong Irish accent and plays club football for Shamrock Rovers in the League of Ireland Premier Division.

At 33, you’re finally at your first World Cup! Growing up in Ireland, how did your Cape Verdean heritage shape you?

Pico Lopes: My father left Cape Verde when he was 16. He first moved to Portugal, working in cafes — he was passionate about baking and cooking — and later found a job with a shipping company that took him to the Netherlands before settling in Belgium. An Irish Ferries captain used to visit his cafe and eventually convinced him to visit Ireland for a weekend. He went — and never left!

When you began your career with Bohemians, did you ever imagine representing Cape Verde?

PL: Probably not. Like most of my friends, I was focused on trying to represent Ireland — I was capped at Under-19 level. I didn’t know a great deal about Cape Verde as a footballing nation. But as I got older, I realised international football with Ireland wasn’t going to happen and that I needed to keep improving. At one point, I was working in a bank before turning professional with Shamrock Rovers. Then, out of the blue, Cape Verde got in touch with me.

So what exactly happened?

PL: It all started on LinkedIn. I had created a profile during college, and one day the Cape Verde manager messaged me there. His message was in Portuguese, so I ignored it, assuming it was spam. Nine months later, he reached out again — this time in English — asking if I’d considered his offer. I finally copied the message into Google Translate and realised what I had missed! I immediately apologised and said I’d love to join the team. Three weeks later, I was in Marseille playing against Togo. Apparently, they had tried contacting my old club before but never got a response. The federation said I was one of the hardest players they’d ever managed to reach!

How did you feel joining the national team for the first time in 2019?

PL: I was really nervous because I didn’t speak Creole, but I was determined to fit in. On my second night with the squad, I had to sing an initiation song — in Creole! Even in English it would have been tough since my singing voice is awful, but I gave it a go. I got about three words in before completely butchering a classic, and everyone burst out laughing. That’s the point of it — to see if you can laugh at yourself. Once that moment passed, everything became easier.

So the squad has a close-knit atmosphere?

PL: Absolutely. They made me feel right at home. Because of our large diaspora, there are probably more Cape Verdeans living abroad than in the country itself, but everyone is treated equally. We’ve got players born in Cape Verde, as well as teammates from France, the Netherlands, Portugal — it’s a real family. The Cape Verdean connection runs deep.

Did you ever think Cape Verde would make it to a World Cup?

PL: Honestly, no. Our main target was to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations because we had a strong squad. Reaching my first AFCON — the 2021 edition held in 2022 — gave us belief. We came close to qualifying for the last World Cup, losing out to Nigeria in the final group match. Then at my second AFCON, we made it to the quarter-finals. When the 2026 World Cup qualifying draw came out, we thought, ‘Why not have a real go?’

You started the campaign with a 4-1 defeat in Cameroon and missed out on AFCON 2025 qualification. Did that setback motivate the team?

PL: Definitely. That was probably our lowest point since I joined. Maybe we got complacent, but it served as a wake-up call. When World Cup qualifying resumed, we approached every match with renewed focus and determination.

With only the group winner qualifying, how crucial was beating Cameroon at home?

PL: That was massive. It put everything back in our hands. We knew we had to win our final game at home against Eswatini, and that day was just perfect — unforgettable. The main emotion was relief, followed by pure joy. We’d made history, something no one can ever take away. Straight after the match, I had to catch a flight because my son Diego was due — and he arrived four days later! It was the most incredible day, but I was thinking, ‘I can’t miss my son’s birth!’

That must have been quite a month for you.

PL: It really was one of the most memorable months of my life. We qualified for the World Cup, my son was born, and Shamrock Rovers won the league and cup double. It’ll be tough to top that — though I’ll give it a go this June!

Facing Spain in your opener — how did that feel?

PL: I wanted to draw a big side, and you can’t get much bigger than Spain. At first, I thought, ‘I’ll be marking Xavi, Iniesta, Fabregas’ — then it hit me they’ve all retired! I had to ask myself who even plays for Spain now. Someone reminded me about Lamine Yamal, and I thought, ‘Yeah, he’s not bad!’

You still have Uruguay and Saudi Arabia to play in Group H. What’s the target?

PL: Our goal is to get out of the group. It’s a tough one, but we believe in ourselves. Third place might be enough. Football doesn’t always follow the odds — there are always surprises. This is the stuff of dreams. As a kid, you dream of playing in a World Cup, and so few get that opportunity. I just want to live in the moment and enjoy every second of it.

— Matthew Ketchell, Deputy Editor