Roberto Lopes goes from Dublin bank job to Cape Verde’s World Cup debut

Roberto “Pico” Lopes has gone from working at a Dublin bank to playing for Cape Verde in the country’s first World Cup campaign. Fortune reported that his path began with a LinkedIn message from Cape Verde coach Rui Aguas that Lopes initially dismissed as spam.

At the time, according to Fortune, Lopes was playing part time for Irish club Shamrock Rovers while holding a bank job in Dublin. He was eligible for Cape Verde through his father, while his mother is Irish, Fortune reported.

Aguas had been looking for players who could represent the West African island nation, Fortune reported. Lopes did not respond to the first message, which was not in English, and the coach tried again nine months later.

Lopes told BBC Sport that he copied the original note into Google Translate and learned that Cape Verde wanted to know whether he would consider declaring for the national team. “I was absolutely buzzing with that,” Lopes told BBC Sport. “I was like, ‘Yep, 100% I’d love to be a part of the squad’.”

Within three weeks, Fortune reported, Lopes had gathered paperwork from his father, including a birth certificate and passport, and traveled to make his international debut against Togo. The call-up became the start of a seven-year run with Cape Verde’s national team.

Cape Verde’s first World Cup

Fortune reported that Cape Verde made its first World Cup appearance last week. The team opened the tournament with a 0-0 draw against Spain, a result Fortune described against the backdrop of Spain being ranked No. 3 in the world and Cape Verde No. 64.

Lopes told BBC Sport the World Cup represented the highest level he had hoped to reach as a child. He said representing his family and putting the family name on a major sporting stage gave him pride.

The decision to pursue the opportunity carried risk, Lopes said in a FIFA video released this week. He said he had a stable job, while football in his league at the time did not offer much career security.

According to Fortune, Lopes said Aguas explained his plans for the national team, and Lopes decided he wanted to join. Lopes said in the FIFA video that he first viewed the move as a short-term chance, possibly lasting two years, but the project continued far longer.

Fortune reported that the call-up helped Lopes build a professional football career and later partnerships with brands including Intersport Elverys. The publication also noted that Ryan Roslansky, the Microsoft executive vice president who oversees LinkedIn, reacted on LinkedIn by calling it a win for recruiters who keep pursuing a candidate.

Cape Verde’s group schedule continues with matches against Uruguay on June 21 and Saudi Arabia on June 26, according to Fortune. For Lopes, the tournament marks the latest step in a career that began with a message he nearly ignored.

This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.