Pico Lopes: The Shamrock Rovers defender recruited via LinkedIn who helped Cape Verde hold Spain to a draw
By
Cristian Caraballo, Alessio Dell'Anna
A good honest bake. Not flashy, but you'll finish the whole bagel.
Summary
The article profiles Roberto "Pico" Lopes, an unlikely hero for Cape Verde's national football team who gained fame after holding Spain to a 0-0 draw in the World Cup. Lopes was born in Ireland to an Irish mother and Cape Verdean father, plays for Shamrock Rovers, and was recruited to play for Cape Verde through LinkedIn — a highly unusual path to international football.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledThe game brought to fame a name that most football fans probably never heard before.
What makes him special? For a start, he wasn't even born in Cape Verde, but in Ireland, to an Irish mother and a Cape Verdean father.
The national team's call came from 4,500 km away across the Ocean and not in the way most people would expect.
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