Cape Verde Captain Ryan Mendes Under Police Investigation Over Rape Allegations in New Zealand

Cape Verde captain Ryan Mendes is under investigation by New Zealand police over allegations that he raped a woman in March.

According to multiple international reports, including the first story by the New Zealand Herald - which confirmed the player's identity through extensive documentation and multiple sources - Mendes, Cape Verde's all-time top scorer, has been accused of raping a Brazilian woman hired to work with the team during a FIFA Series event earlier this year.

The woman alleged to authorities that Mendes forced his way into her room before raping her. Pictures of her alleged injuries have circulated in media reports and on social media. Mendes remains under investigation and has not been charged.

The Athletic first reported in May that New Zealand authorities were investigating an alleged incident involving a then-unnamed Cape Verde player during the March FIFA Series mini-tournament in New Zealand. Cape Verde faced Chile on March 27 and New Zealand on March 30.

New Zealand Police declined to comment on the ongoing case. The Cape Verdean Football Federation and a representative for Mendes have not responded to requests for comment.In a statement to The Athletic, a FIFA spokesperson said,

"FIFA takes any allegation of misconduct extremely seriously and has a clear process in place for anyone in football who wants to report an incident.

"As a general rule, please understand that the independent judicial bodies do not comment on allegations they may or may not have received, or whether or not investigations are underway into alleged cases. Any information they may like to share will be communicated at their discretion. FIFA is in contact with the New Zealand authorities. Please understand we cannot comment further at this stage."

Mendes, 36, has played in all three of Cape Verde's World Cup matches so far, logging 251 minutes. The team drew with Spain in a historic upset in their opener, followed by draws against Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, advancing as the smallest nation ever to reach the knockout stage. They face Argentina in the round of 32 on July 3 in Miami.

The allegations against Mendes coincide with scrutiny of other World Cup players, including Ghana's Thomas Partey (facing rape charges in the UK) and Morocco's Achraf Hakimi (set to stand trial in France). These cases raise broader questions about how football handles allegations against players and issues of duty of care.