Shamrock Rovers’ captain leads his nation to their first World Cup and hits a personal milestone. Pico Lopes is living a dream. The Shamrock Rovers captain helped Cape Verde get to the World Cup for the first time. At 33, the Dublin-born defender did something no Cape Verdean team had ever done. To top it off, he set a personal best, becoming the nation’s most-capped player. From Dublin to the World Stage. Born and raised in Dublin, Lopes grew up in a diverse home. His mother is Irish, and his father is from Cape Verde. Like many young Irish players, he wanted to play professional football. But it wasn’t easy.
Before joining Shamrock Rovers in 2017, he was a mortgage advisor and played part-time for Bohemians. It was hard to balance both, but he didn’t quit. When he turned professional with Shamrock Rovers, his career took off. Since then, he’s won four League of Ireland titles and led his team in Europe. Now, he’s close to a fifth title and maybe the FAI Cup. This year is special because of what he helped Cape Verde do—qualify for the World Cup. A Message That Changed Everything. Lopes’ international career began strangely. In 2019, he got a message on LinkedIn from the Cape Verde coach at the time, Rui Águas.
At first, he thought it was a joke. “I was very suspicious,” he said. “I grew up in Dublin, and prank calls were common, so I ignored it.” He replied eventually. That message changed everything. A month later, he joined the national team and debuted in a 2–1 win over Togo. It was a proud moment for him and his family. But things didn’t start smoothly. Learning the Language of Football. When Lopes first joined the Cape Verde team, he was worried about talking to people. Most of the players spoke Portuguese or Cape Verdean Creole, but Lopes only spoke English. “I was nervous,” he said. “But the team welcomed me and helped me get used to things fast.”He started learning Creole shortly after. Now, he understands the culture and language better. “When the team is together, we speak Creole,” he said. “It’s a beautiful language.
And then, football is a language everyone speaks.” Dealing with Delays and Problems. After his debut, Lopes waited 533 days for his second cap. His earlier appearance for the Republic of Ireland U19 team caused paperwork delays. Then the Covid pandemic slowed things down even more. But he was patient. In 2021, a new coach, Bubista, took over the team. Since then, Lopes has been one of his most trusted players. Lopes has 41 caps now, making him Cape Verde’s most-capped player and setting a new national record. He’s also played in two Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournaments. “It’s been amazing,” he said happily. “Representing Cape Verde and setting a record means everything to me.”
Cape Verde Climbs in World Rankings.
Under Bubista, Cape Verde has become one of Africa’s better football nations. They’re currently 70th in the FIFA World Rankings, which is higher than Northern Ireland, Iceland, Ghana, and New Zealand. Their success comes from teamwork, discipline, and faith. Their 1–0 victory over Cameroon in September got them to the World Cup. It was a day to remember for the Blue Sharks. “We lost 4–1 to them earlier,” Lopes remembered. “But we learned from our mistakes. At home, we stayed calm and focused.”The whole island celebrated the win. The government even gave everyone a half-day off to watch the game. “It was the biggest crowd we’ve ever had in Cape Verde,” Lopes said. “The atmosphere was amazing.
After the game, the celebrations were wild.”The Road to the World Cup. Cape Verde’s qualification means they’ll play in the World Cup for the first time. On December 5, they’ll find out who they’re playing in the group stage. Lopes can barely believe what’s happening. “It’s a dream come true,” he said with a smile. “Every kid who plays football dreams of the World Cup.” He knows what it means to his country, too. Cape Verde is a small island with a big passion for football. Their success will inspire young players back home. “We’ve shown that anything is possible,” Lopes added. “If you work hard and believe, even a small country can get to the biggest stage.” Balancing Club and Country.
Even with his international career going well, Lopes is important at Shamrock Rovers. He’s still the team captain in the League of Ireland and in European matches. The club is trying to win a fifth title in six seasons and their first FAI Cup since 2019. They also have tough Conference League matches against AEK Athens and Shakhtar Donetsk. Lopes knows this will be hard, but he’s ready. “This is a dream year for me,” he said. “Competing in Europe, leading my club, and playing for Cape Verde at the World Cup—it doesn’t get any better.”A Leader On and Off the Field.
People who know Lopes say he’s humble and works hard. He leads by doing and plays every game like it’s his last. “I just love football,” he said. “Whether it’s for Rovers or Cape Verde, I give my all.”For Lopes, football has gone full circle from playing part-time in Dublin to leading his country to the World Cup. His story is about never giving up, being proud, and loving what you do. As he gets ready for the World Cup, Pico Lopes has already made history.
