Cape Verde will face World Cup holders Argentina in Miami on Friday, finishing second in a group that also included Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.
Pico López had a solid performance in Cape Verde (Image: Michael Steele/Getty Images)
Leah Lopez has put in almost as many arduous miles as her husband to reach a destination beyond their wildest dreams. Thanks to the soccer fairy tale in which Pico Lopez is currently starring.
And Leah doesn’t want to miss a second of that moment. So when López and his Cape Verde side secured a date with Lionel Messi in Miami, Lea planned his next trip.
A nearly 3,000-mile marathon trip from Houston to the “Sunshine State.” But the warm glow that Miami’s hot, humid climate has greeted the Lope family with has enveloped them for more than a week.
Lopez went from working at a building society in the Dublin suburb of Blanchardstown to marking some of the most feared footballers on the planet. It all started with a random LinkedIn invite to the Cape Verde team from coach Rui Aguas. He ignored me at first!
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“I didn’t notice it because I thought it was spam,” Lopez said. The Cape Verde defender has now returned to his club Shamrock Rovers and has achieved iconic status.
Supporters compared him to Manchester United legend and Republic of Ireland centre-back Paul McGrath for the way he kept Spanish sensation Lamine Yamal in his ‘back pocket’ during the group stages. McGrath once did the same thing against Italian great Roberto Baggio at the last World Cup in America.
But the challenge now becomes the ultimate. They stopped Messi and current World Cup holders Argentina in the last 32.
He personifies “David” in this charming and quirky “David and Goliath” scenario. But before Lopez can finish the final moments of his life at Miami Stadium, he has pressing business to attend to.
Will Cape Verde upset Argentina? Let us know your predictions in the comments section.
Leah Lopez is dedicated to supporting her husband (Image: Instagram/pico_lopes)
Pico Lopez was born in Dublin and plays for Shamrock Rovers (Image: Sebastian Frej/Getty Images)
Lopez is scheduled to visit the team hotel from Leah. He must give her the golden ticket to the match. Lopez will not be able to see his parents, Judy Lopez and Carlos Lopez, or any other relatives until after the game.
Aer Lingus jumped at the chance for some good PR and agreed to fly Judy and Carlos back to the US for free. Everyone needs a ticket, but Lopez has been given a small allotment. Some relatives may be disappointed.
Lopez is still trying to come to terms with what happened to him. But my determination to absorb it from beginning to end remains the same. “I’m excited,” he said, “that’s obvious. The people behind Cape Verde are buzzing. The staff, the hotel people, everyone. What a sight it’s going to be.”
The hustle and bustle back in Ireland has now grown large enough to register on the Richter scale. “It’s a great story,” said Fidelma Kelly, a line manager at Mr. Lopez’s former office.
Lionel Messi and Argentina stand in front of Cape Verde (Image: David Ramos/Getty Images)
“I still remember the excitement in the office when he was given the opportunity to play in Cape Verde. And then we said, ‘Okay, where is Cape Verde?’
“We’ve been following them throughout the tournament. We say to people: ‘Did you know there’s one person in Ireland who’s going to the World Cup?’
“I don’t think he’ll understand what it was like until he comes back. I’m sure he’ll be on every chat show and radio station.”
If López can help Cape Verde kick Messi out of the World Cup, he won’t just be on TV. He will be given far more important privileges than this. Get free Guinness for the rest of your life.
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