Roberto Lopes, the Shamrock Rovers defender, is in for a remarkable week both on and off the field.

Recently, the 33-year-old player contributed to Cape Verde’s historic qualification for next year’s World Cup, marking them as the second smallest nation to achieve this milestone.

On Friday, he aims to assist his club in clinching the League of Ireland title, all while he awaits the arrival of his first child with his wife.

Originally from Dublin with a Cape Verdean father and Irish mother, Lopes never considered representing Cape Verde until he was approached by former coach Rui Aguas through LinkedIn.

After completing the required processes, Lopes made his debut in the Africa Cup of Nations in 2022 and has now fulfilled his lifelong dream of helping the nation qualify for the 2026 World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States next summer.

A decisive 3-0 victory over Eswatini allowed Cape Verde to secure first place in their qualifying group, surpassing strong competitors like Cameroon.

“As a child, every budding footballer’s dream is to compete at the highest level, and for me, that pinnacle is the World Cup. It represents the ultimate achievement in our sport,” Lopes shared with BBC Sport.

“Right now, it feels surreal. I’m sure it will sink in over the next few days, especially come next June. I can hardly wait for it.

“I’m rushing to make it home to witness the birth. There’s no sign of the baby yet, so I’m cutting my celebrations short to be there as quickly as possible.

“All in all, I hope everything goes smoothly, that our baby arrives safely and healthily, and that we can also secure the league title this week.”

Lopes’ unconventional path to international football has made his achievements alongside his teammates even more cherished.

“I feel incredibly fortunate for the chance to play for Cape Verde. I never would have imagined the journey it would lead me to. Just six or seven years ago, and now we’re set to compete in a World Cup.

“Initially, I felt anxious but was eager to learn everything about Cape Verde, immersing myself in my heritage, understanding the culture, and learning the language as best as I could.

“With each call-up, I felt increasingly connected to my Cape Verdean roots and was proud to put on the jersey.

“Representing my family on the national team and showcasing our family name at such a major sporting event fills me with immense pride, and I hope my father feels the same way.”

Cape Verde is an archipelago consisting of ten islands in the Atlantic, home to nearly 525,000 residents as per the World Bank’s latest data. After gaining independence from Portugal in 1975, the nation first sought to qualify for the World Cup in 2002, hosted by Japan and South Korea.

The Cape Verde national team has performed admirably in the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in recent times, reaching the quarter-finals in both their debut in 2013 and again in 2023, while currently ranking 70th in the world.

Iceland is the only nation with a smaller population to qualify for the World Cup, having participated in the 2018 tournament in Russia.

“After the match, I just felt this huge sense of relief,” Lopes recalled reflecting on the game that secured their qualification. “We achieved this on merit, and it’s an incredible feeling that is hard to articulate.

“We believed we could accomplish this, especially with our performance in Afcon that boosted our confidence by competing against top teams in Africa.

“To have it in our hands in the final two games was crucial, and doing it in front of our supporters was the perfect scenario. We were aware we had an opportunity to make history, and we took it.”