Roberto Lopes opens up on incredible journey from banking to World Cup dream
Roberto Lopes(Image: INPHO/Nick Elliott)It's some story - a World Cup bound player once upon a time sweating over being late for training, because people were still coming up to his counter at the EBS branch in the Blanchardstown Centre, lodging cash to cover their next mortgage payment.But that's the Roberto Lopes story. A part-time footballer with Bohemians, his life changed completely when, in November 2016, he made the move to Shamrock Rovers."I was a teller at the time. I was doing the mortgage exams as well," said the man who at the age of 27 was capped by his father's country, Cape Verde. "I got qualified as a mortgage advisor, but mainly I was a cash teller, still taking in cash for mortgage payments, which was really busy."There were some busy days there. Yeah, people coming in at half five, lodging money, and then you're trying to get out to train at six o'clock or out to Dalymount for a match at six o'clock. So, yeah, there's some tough times, but I suppose to be where you are now is all worth it."Lopes came into Irish football at a bad time for someone with professional ambitions, with money in short supply. "It was a transitional period where a lot of the finances went out of the league," he recalled."Bohs were really struggling at the time, and the message coming through was that you can't be a professional footballer in Ireland, you are going to have to get a job. But you are still trying to bat that away and dig in and be stubborn."A few years pass and you get to 23, and you start looking at alternatives and that is when I got the job. And when I got the job at the time, it made me realise that I didn't want to do anything but play professional football."Thankfully, the opportunity came here, Rovers were the first club to offer 52-week contracts. And I thought, lovely, this was the opportunity I wanted. And if it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out, but at least I can be true to myself."But I always wanted to be a professional footballer. I had dreams of going aboard when I was younger. But to be one in this country was perfect, was great for me and gave me a chance to do something I love every day and develop even more."At first, when his former Bohemians teammate Glen Cronin told him of the interest from Rovers, he was reluctant to consider a move to the Gypsies' bitter rivals. "Yeah, it was a difficult decision to make given my previous club," he said."I knew Glen from playing with him, had a lot of respect for Glen and I remember him ringing me, saying would I meet the manager [Stephen Bradley] for a coffee and chat. I was working at the time, looking to go on a little career break, so I said yeah, no problem, out of respect for Glen."And the conversation we had, I really liked the ideas that the manager had, what he thought we could and I really believed in the words that he said. And just felt that I had to give this a go and see where it goes. And things have worked out okay."That's an understated way to describe winning five Premier Division titles, an FAI Cup, and competing in three European group stages, two African Cup of Nations and, next year, a World Cup."I've been really lucky and I am reluctant to say, 'this is the best moment', because there could always be another one around the corner," said Lopes, who will bring newborn son Diego to the World Cup next year. Hopefully his birth cert will be out in the next few days and the next step will be his passport," said the 33-year-old Dubliner."I'm not sure we'll get a Cape Verdean one just yet, but we'll get two just in case he needs a call-up. It was an idea we had that if we qualified we'd go. We want to make it a reality. It won't happen for me again in my time so what better way to have your first family holiday than at a World Cup."When he does call it quits, will Lopes be back on the mortgage beat? "Whenever I do hang up the boots I'd be happy to do anything," he said."I've lived my dream and I'm still living my dream. I want to drag it out as much as i can and when it's all said and done I'd be happy to do anything."Join our Dublin Live breaking news service on WhatsApp. Click this link to receive your daily dose of Dublin Live content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice .For all the latest news from Dublin and surrounding areas visit our homepage.
