BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Ahead of a potentially explosive World Cup qualifying match with Nigeria, there is already confusion in the Cape Verdean camp as a key striker, Ricardo Gomes has annoyingly left the camp on the eve of the match with Nigeria.

His action has left the Cape Verde camp in turmoil with the head coach, Pedro ‘Bubista’ Brito boiling that that the striker’s   decision  on the eve of Nigeria’s match is “disrespectful to the Cape Verdean nation”. 

The player, Sports Village Square gathered from local publication, A Nação, remarked on social networks that the reasons that led him to take that attitude was that “it was clear that my help at the moment is unnecessary”.

But the coach saw it differently remarking that: “It was a total disrespect for the technical team, the doctor, the colleagues and the country itself,” Bubista told  Radio Carbo Verde.

The player player who features for Serbian side, Partizan Belgrade (Serbia) suddenly parked out of the team’s hotel.

In a statement, the Cape Verdean Football Federation indicated that the referred footballer, after his integration in the national team stage, in Douala (Cameroon), informed the medical team and the technical team that he was injured, having undergone conditioning training, in the only training he was present before the first game.

Likewise, Ricardo Gomes, said the same source, informed the medical and technical staff that he would not be in physical condition to participate in the match, not even to be included in the match sheet as a substitute for the match with the Central African Republic , of the 1st of September.

The FCF explained that already in São Vicente, in training on Saturday (4), during the second training session of the Tubarões Azuis, in Mindelo, given that the player would still be recovering from his injury, the technical department and the medical department understood that there should be a gradual integration of the player, in the training sessions, with the one on Saturday having a component of rotating participation of the 26 players called up.

On that same day, explained the FCF, Ricardo Gomes decided to leave the hotel where the internship of Tubarões Azuis is taking place.

Ricardo Gomes on social media

“(…) For those who know Serbia’s trips to Cape Verde or another African country where our team plays have a long duration (…), however, during these years I have always honored the calls, even in situations where professionally it would be advisable to refuse or temporarily abdicate from our selection, putting our selection above my personal and professional ambitions (…)”.

However, continues the player, “(…) today (04.09.2021) after the collective training for the match against the Nigerian national team, it was clear that my help at the moment is unnecessary, since, despite the long journey made since Serbia, it was clear that for the technical team I do not count for the first or second team”.

“It should be noted that in the aforementioned training, two teams were made and I was left out of the two. Now, taking into account my age and all the constraints with traveling to represent our team, I understand that not being part of the choice of our team’s technical team, it makes no sense to continue to be part of our team (…) ”.

But on Radio Cape Verde, the national coach said he has nothing against the striker, nor with any other player and that when a player leaves a team it is for “lack of team spirit and commitment”.

The FCF has already said goodbye to the footballer with a desire for “good luck” in his professional and personal journey.

Ricardo Gomes, 29, has been used in 16 games and scored four goals for the Cape Verde national team.