A civic reception for Crumlin man and Cape Verde international Pico Lopes has taken place in the capital to honour his achievements in the World Cup.
Lord Mayor of Dublin Daryl Barron said Pico Lopes is a proud Dubliner who had represented both Ireland and Cape Verde so well on the world stage.
The event took place at Lopes’s first club Lourdes Celtic and celebrated his remarkable journey in the World Cup as the only Irish man to feature in the tournament for more than two decades.
He is the first active League of Ireland player to grace football’s biggest stage and was a defender for the smallest nation to get to the knockout stages in a football fairytale, which featured unimaginable performances against the eventual finalists Spain and Argentina.
Lopes said the civic reception “means everything” to him and he was particularly proud to have it held in his home area.
Pico Lopes said he hoped the reception would send a message to children that anything is possible
“I started my football career here. It’s where I learnt my values and my principles, so to bring it full circle after being on the biggest stage of football, to show what community is about really, football brings people together.
“Lourdes Celtic does that in abundance and it’s great to celebrate this together,” he said.
Lopes is back to the day job as captain of League of Ireland leaders Shamrock Rovers and playing in Champions League and cup games in recent weeks.
He said the last few weeks have been a rollercoaster as he learns to “live with the new normal”, which includes lots of well-wishers as he does his food shopping in his local Dunnes Stores in Kilnamanagh.
Lopes said he hoped the reception held in his honour would send a message to other children in Crumlin and Dublin that anything is possible.
“I did dream of playing in the World Cup. It doesn’t matter where you come from or who you play for, you have to have dreams, you have to work hard, and you have to believe you can get there.
“Did I think I’d get there at 34? Maybe not, but I never stopped dreaming and I think that’s the important message to give to all the kids, boys and girls starting out playing football.
“Be a dreamer, be a believer and work hard,” he said.