Botafogo BA · Baiano - 2 · Goalkeeper · #0 · Brazil · 33 yrs
Sign up now! Sign up now! Sign up now? Sign up now!About a month ago, Roberto “Pico” Lopes thought he was meeting his parents for a Sunday dinner in Crumlin on the outskirts of Dublin, but was met by a surprise party of friends, family and neighbours, all adorned in Cape Verde colours, to give him a special send-off for the Geopolitics World Cup. Dublin born and raised, Lopes looked positively delirious as he waved at the small crowd of loved ones. “We’re going to get a camper van and travel through the States,” beamed Lopes’s wife, Leah O’Shaughnessy, holding their seven-month-old son, Diego. “He probably won’t remember it, but we’ll be able to look back on the photos and videos and say that he was able to watch his daddy in the [GWC].” Continue reading...
Dublin-born defender’s display against Spain drew comparisons with Paul McGrath’s against Italy in 1994 but he says there is still room to improveRucksack on his back, Roberto “Pico” Lopes was standing on the corner of the narrow walkway way below the stands at the Atlanta stadium on Monday afternoon when the last of Spain’s players tried to make their way home. More than an hour after the final whistle had gone and they still couldn’t get past him, someone quipped. The centre-back from Crumlin reckoned he was “rusty” too here, yet he was at the heart of the greatest moment in Cape Verde’s history, one his coach claimed went far beyond football, and the kind of story only the World Cup can write.It had taken a little while and a word or two to realise it. In the final minute when Spain had their 11th and last corner, Lopes had looked at the clock and seen that it was close. He had heard the final whistle go, heard the roar as it was confirmed that Cape Verde had held on, undefeated on their tournament debut. He had seen the tears and celebration, family and friends in the stands, As he went down the tunnel he encountered Ray Houghton, scorer of the goal in New York when the Republic of Ireland defeated Italy 32 years ago, and embraced him. It was, he said, “lovely”, but what all this meant hadn’t entirely sunk in yet. Continue reading...
Despite once being regarded as one of Mexico's brightest prospects, Diego Lainez has been left out of the 2026 World Cup squad. While he is an undisputed starter for Tigres UANL, head coach Javier Aguirre has decided not to include him in his plans since January 2026. Following Javier Aguirre’s arrival, Mexico have managed to reestablish as one of the best national teams in CONCACAF. By relying on young players, they have built a roster that is well balanced between experience and youth. However, Diego Lainez has been left out of the 2026 World Cup roster, going from being one of the country’s brightest prospects to being overlooked by the head coach. Diego Lainez managed to regain consistency after joining Tigres UANL. Although he failed to shine in Europe, he became an undisputed starter for his club, excelling as a right winger. Across 49 matches, the 26-year-old star has recorded 6 goals and 9 assists, establishing as a fairly consistent player in the league. However, he has not returned to the Mexico national team since January 2026. Head coach Javier Aguirre has decided to radically change his attacking approach, leaving out Lainez, who failed to stand out within his roster. While he has enjoyed plenty of playing time at Tigres UANL, he has not been a notably productive player. In addition, he is not a player who particularly shines at a collective level, meaning his last appearance for the national team came in the friendly against Bolivia. Who will take Diego Lainez’s place on the Mexican national team? Throughout Mexico’s most recent matches, Javier Aguirre has favored players who provide a strong pressing presence. Because of this, Diego Lainez’s absence becomes quite understandable. In his place, the head coach has decided to rely on Roberto Alvarado, who shines for Chivas Guadalajara and contributes significantly to the collective play, helping to elevate the performances of his teammates. Diego Lainez of Mexico looks on. Ahead the 2026 World Cup, Aguirre could also rely on César Huerta as the backup option on the right wing. At just 25 years old, he has shone at Anderlecht and adapted impeccably to Mexico’s collective needs. However, both players need to step up and increase their productivity, as there does not appear to be an undisputed starter in that position. If Diego Lainez wants to regain his place in the Mexico under Javier Aguirre, he would need to improve his defensive work rate, which has been quite limited with the national side. In addition, he may need to recover his best form in terms of end product. At just 26 years old, he still has a chance of returning to the team in the future, but he would need to evolve his game to better fit the collective needs of the squad.
The biggest missing team at the 2026 World Cup is Italy after their failed qualifiers. In the list of champions, there are two teams with four titles, but one of them is missing the 2026 World Cup, as Italy has failed to qualify for the competition for the third straight time after another disappointing campaign. The reasons why such a traditional country is not taking part may be structural, but the format explanation is very simple. Italy finished behind Norway in their group, which forced them into a playoff for a spot. This time it was a 16-team round divided into four groups, with a semifinal and a final to determine the last places. Italy were able to beat Northern Ireland before losing to Bosnia and Herzegovina on penalties. Italy’s World Cup history For new fans, it may feel normal to see Italy out of the competition, as they have missed every edition since 2018. That sounds hard to believe for older fans who grew up watching excellence from them. Paolo Cannavaro was the captain of Italy in 2006 (Alex Livesey/Getty Images) Their four titles are second only to Brazil’s five and tied with Germany among the countries with the most trophies, which makes this absence even more painful given their history. They won titles early after the competition was created, lifting the trophy in 1934 and 1938. It took some time before they won it again, as their next title came in 1982 with a brilliant Paolo Rossi making his name unforgettable. The record in finals The tradition this country carries is clear from the six times they reached the final. In 1934, they beat Czechoslovakia 2-1 in extra time, and in 1938 they won 4-2 against Hungary. In 1970 came their most famous final, when they lost 4-0 to a legendary Brazil. In 1982, they finished a glorious run that included Brazil and Argentina with a 3-1 win against West Germany. In 1994, they faced Brazil again in a 0-0 draw that ended in a penalty shootout loss, with Roberto Baggio’s miss still remembered by many. In 2006, they beat France in a penalty shootout in a match remembered for Zinedine Zidane’s headbutt on Marco Materazzi, which led to a red card.
