16.06.2026 22:30
Pico Lopes, defender of Cape Verde, began his international career in an unusual way. The experienced footballer initially thought the invitation he received via LinkedIn was a spam message, but months later, an English message revealed he had been called up to the national team. Accepting the invitation, Lopes first donned the national jersey in 2019, and today he represents his country on the World Cup stage.
Cape Verde, who made a surprise start to the 2026 FIFA World Cup by drawing goalless with strong opponent Spain, also drew attention in the sports community with a remarkable story from their squad. The national team career of the team's 33-year-old experienced defender, Pico Lopes, resembles a movie script.
THE MESSAGE THAT CHANGED HIS LIFE
Lopes, who plays for Irish side Shamrock Rovers, was working in banking before turning to professional football. A message sent to his LinkedIn account, which he opened during his university years but did not actively use, completely changed the course of his life.
HE THOUGHT THE PORTUGUESE MESSAGE WAS SPAM
The Cape Verde Football Federation chose the business platform LinkedIn to reach the player who grew up in Ireland. However, the first invitation message was written in Portuguese. Lopes, who did not know the language and did not take the message seriously, thought it was an internet scam and did not respond. After nine months had passed, federation officials tried their luck this time with a message in English. The successful center-back only understood the content of the message then and happily accepted the invitation. In 2019, Lopes wore his country's national jersey for the first time in a friendly match against Togo in Marseille, France.
''THE CAMEROON VICTORY WAS OUR TURNING POINT''
Describing the World Cup journey and his immense pride, Lopes said: "Our initial main goal was to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations. Reaching the quarterfinals of the tournament in 2021 boosted our confidence as a team. When we saw our rivals in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, we thought, 'Why not?' Defeating Cameroon at home was a complete turning point for us. In the final group stage, we had to beat Eswatini in front of our fans, and we succeeded; we made history that day."
THE MOST UNFORGETTABLE MONTH OF HIS LIFE
Stating that the period when they secured the World Cup spot was very special for him, the experienced defender said, "Right after the Eswatini match, I had to catch a plane because only four days after this historic achievement, my son Diego was born. The World Cup ticket, the birth of my son, the league and cup championships we won with Shamrock Rovers... It was the most unforgettable, most magical month of my life."
''YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE IN SURPRISES''
Discussing the goals in Group H, which includes Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia, Pico Lopes stated they will fight until the end to advance from the group, saying: "We are in a very tough group, but you have to believe. Even the best third-place finish could be enough for the next round. Football doesn't always play out according to predictions; it always holds big surprises. This is the moment dreams come true. As a child, everyone dreams of playing in the World Cup, but very few get that chance. I will try to enjoy every moment I am on the pitch."