Roberto ‘Pico’ Lopes Gets Surprise Dublin Send-Off Ahead of World Cup

On 17 May 2026, Crumlin residents gathered outside Lopes’s home to celebrate his upcoming World Cup participation. Neighbours displayed national flags and offered a communal meal, turning a routine Sunday lunch into a public send-off.

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Roberto Lopes, born in Dublin to Cape Verdean father Carlos, qualifies for Cape Verde through paternal descent. He plays as a defender for Shamrock Rovers. A 2018 LinkedIn message, dismissed as spam, led to his first cap in 2019.

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• Roberto ‘Pico’ Lopes – 33-year-old defender, key to Cape Verde’s qualification.

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• Carlos Lopes – Father, source of eligibility.

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• Shamrock Rovers – Club side.

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• Sheena Heavey – Neighbour who commented.

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• RTE – Broadcaster that interviewed him.

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• 2018 – Received and later responded to a LinkedIn invitation from Cape Verde’s football authorities.

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• 2019 – Made senior international debut.

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• 2024 – Contributed to Cape Verde’s run to the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals.

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• 17 May 2026 – Surprise farewell party held in Crumlin.

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• 15 June 2026 – Cape Verde’s World Cup opener against Spain.

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Lopes is 33 years old and started nine of Cape Verde’s ten qualifying matches for the World Cup. He helped the team reach the 2024 AFCON quarter-finals, marking the nation’s first appearance at a senior global tournament. His participation makes him the first Irish-born player to feature in a World Cup in many decades.

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The Cape Verde Football Federation announced on Monday that Lopes will be part of the final 26-man squad for the World Cup. The federation confirmed his role as a starting defender for the group-stage matches.

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Local residents described the gathering as a “surprise party rather than a feast,” noting the abundance of flags. Sheena Heavey praised the achievement as a milestone for both Lopes’s family and the broader community.

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Cape Verde’s debut at the World Cup offers the nation its first exposure on football’s premier stage, while Lopes’s involvement provides Irish fans a direct link to the tournament after Ireland’s own qualification failure. The event highlights the impact of diaspora players on national teams.

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The article does not include direct statements from the Cape Verde Football Federation or detailed statistics on Lopes’s total international caps. No alternative accounts of the farewell event are presented.

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• “When I saw all the flags I might have suspected this could be a party rather than a feast,” — Roberto Lopes, defender

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• “Huge achievement for Pico and his family, and for the nation really,” — Sheena Heavey, neighbour

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• “He's the only Irish person to play in the World Cup for a long, long time.” — Sheena Heavey, neighbour

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Cape Verde opens Group H against European champions Spain on 15 June 2026, followed by matches versus Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.

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