Shamrock Rovers Defender Roberto Lopes Celebrates Historic World Cup Qualification
This week will be unforgettable for Shamrock Rovers defender Roberto Lopes, both professionally and personally.
On Monday, the 33-year-old played a pivotal role in helping Cape Verde qualify for next year's World Cup, marking the achievement as the second smallest nation to do so.
On Friday, he aims to assist his club in securing the League of Ireland title, while he also anticipates the arrival of his first child with his wife, who is due any day now.
Born in Dublin to a Cape Verdean father and an Irish mother, Lopes had not considered representing Cape Verde until he was approached by then-coach Rui Aguas through his LinkedIn profile.
After completing the necessary administrative steps, Lopes made his debut for the island nation in the Africa Cup of Nations in 2022. He has now fulfilled his childhood dream of helping them reach the 2026 World Cup, which will take place in Canada, Mexico, and the United States next summer.
A decisive 3-0 victory over Eswatini secured Cape Verde's top position in their qualifying group, ahead of renowned African teams like Cameroon.
"As a child, like many aspiring footballers, I dreamed of playing at the highest level, and for me, that pinnacle is the World Cup. It's the ultimate stage in our sport," Lopes shared with BBC Sport.
"It still feels surreal. I hope it sinks in over the next few days, and I know it will become a reality next June. I can hardly wait for that moment.
"I’m in a bit of a rush to get home to be there for the birth. There are no signs of the baby yet, so I'm leaving the celebrations early to get home as quickly as possible.
"I hope everything goes smoothly. I wish for a safe and healthy arrival for our child, and I also hope we can secure the league title this week."
Proud to Wear the Jersey
Lopes' unique path to international football has made his achievements with his teammates on the global stage even more rewarding.
"I feel incredibly fortunate to have had the chance to play for Cape Verde. I never imagined it would lead me here. Just six or seven years ago, and now we're heading to a World Cup," he reflected.
"Initially, I was nervous and wanted to learn as much as possible about Cape Verde, so I delved into my heritage, culture, and language to the best of my ability.
"With each call-up, I felt increasingly connected to my Cape Verdean roots and was always proud to wear the national jersey.
"Representing my family on the national team and showcasing our family name at one of the world's largest sporting events fills me with immense pride, and I hope it resonates with my father as well."
Cape Verde, an archipelago of ten islands in the Atlantic Ocean with a population of just under 525,000, gained independence from Portugal in 1975 and first attempted to qualify for the World Cup in 2002, which was hosted in Japan and South Korea.
The team has consistently exceeded expectations in the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), reaching the quarter-finals on their debut in 2013 and again in 2023, and currently ranks 70th in the world.
Iceland is the only country with a smaller population that has qualified for the World Cup, having participated in the 2018 tournament in Russia.
Reflecting on the moment following their qualification, Lopes expressed, "After the game, I felt an overwhelming sense of relief. It's a remarkable feeling that is hard to articulate.
"We believed we could achieve this, and our recent performances in Afcon gave us the confidence to compete with some of Africa's top teams.
"Knowing that our fate was in our hands in the final two games was monumental for us, and to do it in front of our supporters made it even more special. We knew we had the chance to make history, and we did."