Roberto Lopes Joins Cape Verde National Team for World Cup After LinkedIn Recruitment
Roberto "Pico" Lopes, an Irish-born soccer player, secured an international career opportunity with Cape Verde's national team through a LinkedIn message in 2019. Head coach Rui Aguas reached out to Lopes, who was eligible due to his father's ancestry. After an initial nine-month delay due to a perceived spam message, Lopes, a former Shamrock Rovers player, joined the team. The Cape Verde national team has since qualified for the 2026 World Cup for the first time.
Roberto "Pico" Lopes, an Irish-born soccer player and former banker, found an unconventional route to international football. Lopes had previously played as a center back for Ireland's Shamrock Rovers.
In 2019, Rui Aguas, the head coach of Cape Verde, identified Lopes as eligible to represent the nation under FIFA rules due to his father's birth in the archipelago. Aguas initiated contact with Lopes through a LinkedIn message, written in Portuguese.
Lopes initially mistook the message for spam and did not respond for nine months. He only reconsidered after Aguas sent a follow-up message in English. Upon translating the original Portuguese communication, Lopes realized he had been offered a position on Cape Verde's national team and subsequently joined in 2019.
Although the team did not qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Cape Verde has made history by qualifying for the 2026 World Cup for the first time. The team, currently ranked 67th by FIFA, recently drew attention after a match where they tied with Spain, the world's third-best soccer team. During this game, the 40-year-old Cape Verde goalie reportedly saved seven shots.
The unique method of recruitment via LinkedIn has been widely noted, highlighting the platform's diverse utility beyond traditional corporate hiring.
According to Fast Company, Lopes's story has generated considerable discussion on social media.
