New Zealand Police Dismiss Rape Allegation Against Cape Verde’s 2026 W/Cup Star, Charge Accuser

New Zealand police dismissed a rape allegation against Cape Verde captain Ryan Mendes and charged the accuser with making a false statement.

Detective Inspector Scott Beard said Friday the claim that a sexual assault occurred at a central Auckland hotel in March had not been substantiated, as reported by ESPN.

A 40-year-old woman has been charged under New Zealand’s Crimes Act with making a false statement. She is expected to appear in court next week.

“A decision to prosecute in these circumstances is not taken lightly and follows months of investigative work by our Adult Sexual Assault Team,” Beard said.

The incident was alleged to have occurred hours after Cape Verde played Chile in a friendly match, which Chile won 4-2, in Auckland.

Also Read: Hakimi To Stand Trial For Rape

Mendes’ lawyer, Karl Trotter, said the allegation resulted in his client facing intense international media speculation. Cape Verde qualified for the 2026 World Cup, and the subject of the alleged assault arose at almost every media conference Mendes attended.

“Mr. Mendes was thrilled to finally be able to get this behind him, and he regards it as a complete vindication,” Trotter told the New Zealand Herald newspaper.

“It is to be hoped that this recent turn of events, clearing Mr. Mendes of the allegation of rape, attracts the same level of media attention as the original reporting.”

Mendes, 36, is Cape Verde’s most capped player, having made 103 appearances since his debut in 2010. He currently plays for RS Berkane in Morocco.

James Agberebi is a sports content creator and analyst with a passion for football and other sports. He writes sports news, match reports, and analysis to keep fans informed about the latest developments in the sporting world. James has covered international matches involving both Nigeria’s men’s and women’s national teams. His experience covering Nigerian football gives him a good understanding of the game and the teams he writes about. Through his work with Complete Sports, James shares sports updates, match coverage, and analysis with readers in Nigeria and around the world.