New Zealand police have confirmed they are investigating an allegation of rape made by a Brazilian woman who worked as an interpreter for Cape Verde’s national football team during a friendly tournament in March. Brazilian media have identified the man under investigation as Ryan Mendes, the 36-year-old captain and record goalscorer of the Cape Verdean side, which is competing in its first World Cup. According to the complaint, filed on 10 April, the woman was attacked in her hotel room in Auckland on 27 March after she had returned from what she believed would be a work meeting.

Medical evidence cited by Brazilian news outlets indicates that the complainant sustained bruising to her neck, breasts, lips, legs and buttocks, as well as genital lesions. Photographs of the injuries, taken by the complainant, and recordings from hotel security cameras have been handed to investigators. The police have said they are awaiting final forensic results before deciding whether to file charges, a process that could take several months under New Zealand law. The authorities have declined to identify the person under investigation, citing privacy legislation.

The complainant and her husband have sent legal notices to the Cape Verdean Football Federation and to FIFA, urging them to exclude Mendes from the World Cup squad. They say they have received no reply. The Cape Verdean federation’s press chief told Brazilian media that it would not comment, while FIFA said it had no statement to make. New Zealand Football has deferred to the police. Representatives for Mendes, who plays his club football in Turkey’s second division, have not responded to requests for comment.

Mendes has started all three of Cape Verde’s group-stage matches at the 2026 World Cup, helping the team reach the round of 16, where it will face Argentina. The case has drawn attention alongside those of other players at the tournament who are also facing rape allegations, including Ghana’s Thomas Partey and Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi. In New Zealand, a conviction for sexual violence carries a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment. No charges have been brought, and the investigation remains ongoing.