The 35-year-old captained his side to the finals as first place winners in Group D, ahead of Cameroon, Libya, Angola, Mauritius and Eswatini.
Cape Verde have also participated in the last four Africa Cup of Nations, reaching the quarter-finals at the last edition, and Mendes says their most recent success is a result of a lot of hard work over past few the years.
Mendes told AFP: "We have taken part in four African Cup of Nations (CAN) tournaments and we were also very close to qualifying for the 2014 World Cup.
"A lot has been achieved over the years. And today, we can say that this is the logical outcome."
"Honestly, I still can't believe what we've achieved," added Mendes.
"When I was little, I used to dream about Ronaldo's Brazil and all the great football nations, and I dreamed of being there one day too.
"But what we experienced on Monday at home was something we had never seen before.
"It was magnificent, it was completely crazy. Everyone is so happy, the whole nation, whether in Cape Verde or in the diaspora. Just talking about it gives me goosebumps.
"One thing's for sure: we're not going there just to play three games and come home."
Cape Verde’s historic qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup has sparked widespread celebration and pride both at home and abroad, marking a defining moment in the island nation’s history.
Cape Verde secured their place at the 2026 World Cup finals with a 3-0 win over Eswatini as Tunisia eased to a 3-0 win over Namibia on Monday.
Ronwen Williams remains confident that Bafana Bafana will still qualify for the World Cup despite being held to a goalless draw with Zimbabwe on Friday.
Algeria secured their place at the World Cup finals with a 3-0 win over Somalia on Thursday - to join fellow qualified teams Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia.
