João Mendes (footballer, born 1994)
João Sabino Mendes Neto Saraiva (born 21 October 1994), known as Mendes, is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for Académica de Coimbra as a midfielder.
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | João Sabino Mendes Neto Saraiva | ||
Date of birth | 21 October 1994 | ||
Place of birth | Matosinhos, Portugal | ||
Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
Playing position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | Académica | ||
Number | 16 | ||
Youth career | |||
2002–2007 | Leixões | ||
2007–2008 | Pedras Rubras | ||
2008–2012 | Leixões | ||
2012–2013 | Gondomar | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2013–2014 | Gondomar | 16 | (2) |
2014–2015 | Gouveia | 31 | (5) |
2015 | Nogueirense | 7 | (1) |
2015–2016 | Operário | 19 | (4) |
2016–2019 | Oliveirense | 56 | (5) |
2018–2019 | → Tondela (loan) | 4 | (0) |
2019– | Académica | 19 | (1) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 1 March 2020 |
Club career
Born in Matosinhos, Porto District, Mendes played youth football for four clubs, notably having two spells at local Leixões SC. He spent his first four seasons as a senior in the third division, representing in quick succession Gondomar SC, CD Gouveia, AD Nogueirense, CD Operário and U.D. Oliveirense; in 2016–17, he scored three goals in 27 matches to help the latter team to promotion to the LigaPro.[1]
Mendes made his professional debut with Oliveirense on 27 August 2017, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 0–1 away loss against F.C. Famalicão.[2] He scored his first goal in the competition the following 11 April, but in a 2–3 away defeat to C.D. Cova da Piedade.[3]
In the summer of 2018, Mendes signed with Primeira Liga side C.D. Tondela on a one-year loan deal.[4] Even though there initially was an agreement to make the move permanent at the end of that spell,[5] nothing came of it and he joined Académica de Coimbra instead.[6]
References
- Brito, Marcelo (21 June 2017). "Quando é preciso dar um passo atrás para dar... dois à frente?" [When does one have to take one step back to take... two forward?] (in Portuguese). Fair Play. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
- "Famalicão-Oliveirense, 1–0: Golo solitário de Nuno Diogo define encontro" [Famalicão-Oliveirense, 1–0: Lone goal from Nuno Diogo settles match]. Record (in Portuguese). 27 August 2017. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
- "Cova da Piedade opera reviravolta e foge dos lugares de descida" [Cova da Piedade manage to come from behind and leave relegation zone]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 11 April 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
- "Médio João Mendes reforça Tondela" [Midfielder João Mendes bolsters Tondela]. Record (in Portuguese). 2 July 2018. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
- "João Mendes deve continuar" [João Mendes likely to continue]. Record (in Portuguese). 5 June 2019. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
- "João Mendes oficializado na Académica" [João Mendes made official at Académica]. Record (in Portuguese). 30 August 2019. Retrieved 11 September 2019.