Tavares played with the Cape Verde national basketball team at AfroBasket 2013. The following seven years, Tavares did not represent his country due to his club's incompatible dates with the FIBA tournaments. Tavares was again on the roster of Cape Verde for AfroBasket 2021. On 25 August 2021, Tavares recorded 20 points, 18 rebounds and 6 blocks in a shocking overtime victory over .