Cape Verde captain Ryan Mendes faces sexual assault allegations

Cape Verde national football team captain Ryan Mendes has been accused of sexual assault by a Brazilian translator who was working with the squad during a March training camp in New Zealand. The woman filed a criminal complaint alleging that Mendes entered her hotel room, repeatedly assaulted her physically, attempted to choke her and tried to rape her. She provided medical reports and photographs of injuries as evidence. While no official charges have been filed yet, the case is under investigation by New Zealand authorities and is being reviewed by FIFA, which has opened its own inquiry. The allegation follows previous high‑profile sexual‑assault claims involving footballers, such as Morocco's Achraf Hakimi, highlighting ongoing concerns about player conduct off the field.