If you found yourself in a small part of Crumlin over the past month you may be mistaken to think you have woken up in Cape Verde and not Dublin. 

The tiny working-class suburb had been draped with flags from the African country, with the locals wearing the deep, blue-coloured kit and it is all to support one of Ireland’s own. 

Roberto ‘Pico’ Lopes is the only player born in Ireland heading to the World Cup, but with Cape Verde. 

Obviously, there will be fans from Cape Verde rooting for him, but, maybe just as passionately, Ireland will show their raucous support for the debutants. 

The Shamrock Rovers defender’s journey to football’s peak hasn’t been simple.  

He would manage working as a banker and playing part-time football for Bohemians before joining city-rivals Rovers and turning professional, ten years ago. 

And, well, his journey continues to defy what is considered normal in football, with international football coming in 2019.  

And it all started with a LinkedIn message. 

Lopes, whose dad was born in Cape Verde, originally ignored a notification on the social media site when sent in Portuguese, but when it was resent six months later in English it was the start of a seven-year journey to the World Cup. 

They pipped Cameroon in the group to book their place in North America, and Lopes had gone from a part-time footballer to facing reigning European Champions Spain within a decade. 

Something the country of his birth has not been able to manage, and with that Cape Verde has gained extra supporters found in the Irish sea. 

His centre-back partner at Shamrock, Lee Grace said: “I think the whole League of Ireland will get behind Pico. 

“He's representing this league first and foremost and obviously representing Ireland as a country. 

“It's the Irish connection. Something to shout for on the big stage. 

“He's a leader, he's always a leader before he was made captain of the club. 

“He always sets the standards, the way he trains gives his life to football basically so to see him get these rewards is very pleasing for all of us and we're all very proud of him.” 

On the pitch Lopes is a committed defender, but off the pitch, the work he does with the community and with the Rovers has made him truly loved across the country. 

Ahead of the defender’s last game ahead of the World Cup, he was bought out onto the pitch at half-time and the blue, white, red and gold stars were waving throughout the ground.  

Again, this wasn’t in Praia but Tallaght. 

“Everyone's shouting for one man rather than a country. 

“I'm sure everyone's shouting for Cape Verde as a team but really Ireland will be shouting for Pico to do well. 

“Hopefully Cape Verde will do well, and you never know they'll hopefully get out of group, but whatever happens he's playing on the big stage so win, lose or draw he's living out a dream.” 

The Shamrock team will have to try and fit the unsociable hours some of these World Cup games are played at and keeping their lead at the top of the League of Ireland, to support their teammate. 

The task ahead of Lopes and his teammates is daunting Spain is the opening game, then Uruguay and to finish off the group is Saudi Arabia. 

But no matter the opposition, Cape Verde fans will be celebrating the occasion of appearing at a World Cup, and Lopes’ former coaches hope that the country’s story proves as something to aspire to for Irish children. 

Tony Kavanagh, the operations manager at Lopes’ former club Belvedere FC, said: “There's kids at our club and they're looking at a former Belvedere player now playing on the world's biggest stage. 

“I'm sure all the kids will be watching him they'll be aspired to be to be like that themselves. He's a great role model for a lot of the kids in Ireland and at Belvedere. 

“A lot of people said he should have really gotten the call up for the Republic of Ireland a long time ago, but it didn't materialise, and he got he got the call up for Cape Verde. 

“And dreams can come true which they have done for him.” 

Lopes has spent his whole career in Ireland, and as a youth player played in the same team as Matt Doherty, who made the move to England as a teenager. 

But as Lopes prepares himself to face the likes of Lamine Yamal, Rodri and Ferran Torres, the 33-year-old will not only be representing the African nation, but Ireland and the League of Ireland. 

 

Derek O'Brien, Lopes’ former coach, said: “I think people would be delighted for him and delighted for the league. 

“It's brilliant to see that someone you had as a kid went so far. 

“He was always an outstanding player with a great attitude. It looks like he's finally getting his break now though doesn't it at 33. 

“In around where he lives, they would be very close in the area, and he would be well liked because everybody knows him. 

“I'd say there's huge parties going on in the streets where he lives, all cheering him on. 

“I'll have to go on myself and get myself a little Cape Verde flag.” 

Lopes had a surprise send-off party arranged by his family in his hometown, with his partner and young child, as well as his mother, Judy, and his father, Carlos, who played a huge role in his footballing career. 

O’Brien said: “His dad is a lovely, lovely, lovely man and he used to come everywhere with him. 

“He just came to the game, stood to the side, never opened his mouth, let the young lad play, they're the parents we want at all the games.” 

When Lopes steps out at the Atlanta Stadium for Cape Verde’s opening game against Spain, he will feel the support in Georgia from fans, but also 4,000 miles away in a little district nestled in the south of Dublin.