Roberto Lopes, a bank worker based in Dublin, almost overlooked a life-changing message sent via LinkedIn from the coach of Cape Verde's national soccer team. The message, initially mistaken for spam, invited him to join the national squad. Lopes, who had not played at a professional level, decided to respond and eventually accepted the opportunity to represent Cape Verde internationally.
His decision proved pivotal as he became a key player for the team, contributing significantly to their successful qualification campaign for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Lopes' journey from a day job in banking to competing on the world stage highlights an extraordinary turn of events sparked by a single social media message.