Cape Verde defender Pico Lopes became visibly emotional and cut short an interview with the BBC following his nation's heartbreaking World Cup exit to Argentina. The African island nation pushed the reigning champions to their limits in the round of 32, with Argentina needing a late extra-time winner to secure a 3-2 victory.
Historic World Cup Run
In their maiden World Cup finals appearance, Cape Verde secured a knockout stage berth with draws against Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia in the group stage. Against Argentina, they twice came from behind, with Sidny Lopes Cabral scoring a spectacular equalizer in extra time. However, a cruel own goal sealed their fate.
Pico Lopes' Emotional Interview
Speaking to the BBC after the match, Lopes reflected on the team's journey: "We said coming into this tournament that we wanted to make history, we wanted to show that we deserve to be here, and I think overall that we showed we're more than capable of competing with some of the best teams in the world."
When asked about his personal journey from working as a mortgage adviser a decade ago to playing at the World Cup, Lopes became emotional. He said: "Yeah, look, I try to stay in the moment as much as I can. Like, I think there will be a time for me to reflect, but it's been amazing... And the fact that where I was ten years (ago), to where I am now, though, there's a little bit of pride there as well because..." He then stopped, saying "I'm going to step away," and left the interview.
Support from Club and Fans
His club, Shamrock Rovers, showed support with a simple social media post reading "proud" and a green heart emoji. Fans also rallied behind him on social media, with one calling him "an absolute hero" and another saying he "deserves all the plaudits."
Lopes, born in Ireland but qualifying for Cape Verde through his father, made his international debut in 2019. The match against Argentina was his 49th cap, and he played every minute of the World Cup. He is expected to receive a hero's welcome upon returning to both Cape Verde and Ireland.
