Rovers ace Pico in dreamland as he makes World Cup

ROBERTO LOPES feels like the luckiest person in the world after qualifying for the World Cup finals with Cape Verde.

- BY MICHAEL SCULLY

The Shamrock Rovers skipper's wife Leah is expecting their first child but the decision was made for him to stay for the final qualifier at home against Eswatini last night after the 3-3 draw with Libya last Thursday left the Blue Sharks on the cusp of making history.

Cape Verde duly won 3-0 to top their qualifying group over Cameroon and Lopes is on his way to next year's finals.

"I can't really put it into words at the moment," said the experienced centrehalf. "It's such a surreal feeling.

"A boy from Crumlin, playing in the League of Ireland his whole career, playing international football when I was 28, to be playing at a World Cup, I'm 33 now and I'll be 34 during it.

"It's been incredible, I'm probably the luckiest person in the world."

Born in Dublin, the 32-year-old's father Carlos hails from the archipelago of 10 islands in the Atlantic Ocean that gained independence from Portugal 50 years ago and he made his debut in 2019.