portuguese football player
For other people named Nuno Mendes, see Nuno Mendes ( disambiguation ) Tavares and the second or paternal family name is Mendes. In this portuguese list, the first or parental kin appoint isand the second or paternal family name is Nuno Alexandre Tavares Mendes ( portuguese pronunciation : [ nunu mẽdɨʃ ] ; born 19 June 2002 ) is a portuguese professional football player who plays as a left-back for Ligue 1 cabaret Paris Saint-Germain, on loanword from Primeira Liga club Sporting CP, and the Portugal national team.

Coming through Sporting CP ‘s youth academy, he made his first-team debut in 2020, and in the be year, he won a double of the Primeira Liga and Taça da Liga, while being named in the Primeira Liga Team of the year. In August 2021, he moved to Paris Saint-Germain on a annual loanword deal. Mendes is a early Portugal youth international, representing his nation at assorted levels. He made his full introduction in 2021, and was chosen in the team for Euro 2020 .

Club career [edit ]

early career [edit ]

Born in Sintra, Lisbon District and of Angolan lineage, [ 2 ] Mendes started playing football aged 9, [ 3 ] and his idols growing up were Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, David Alaba and Marcelo, the two last players being the ones he tried to emulate. [ 3 ] He would be spotted by his school teacher Bruno Botelho, who invited him to play for local club Despertar on the outskirts of Lisbon. [ 3 ] He quickly stood out, subsequently catching the eye of Benfica, Porto and Sporting CP and joining the latter ‘s young person system at the age of 10. [ 3 ] [ 4 ] [ 5 ] During his scouting action, as he returned home from school, Mendes realised he was being followed by a world. For fear of being robbed, he ran home, located in a very poor neighborhood ; the “ stalker ” was actually a Sporting scout, who late convinced him to sign. [ 6 ] He spent the following four years making a two-hour cycle travel in order to train every night with his teacher, before moving to Sporting ‘s academy at the historic period of 14. [ 3 ] Mendes initially played as an attacking midfielder before being converted to a left-back, a position he struggled with in the begin. [ 3 ]

Sporting CP [edit ]

Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in February, which brought a previous end to the youth football temper, Mendes was one of a humble group of youth players to be called up to the first gear team by director Rúben Amorim, despite having merely played once since November ascribable to an injury. [ 3 ] He made his professional debut in a 1–0 Primeira Liga home gain against Paços de Ferreira on 12 June 2020, as a 72nd-minute stand-in for Marcos Acuña. [ 7 ] [ 8 ] [ 3 ] After the latter left field for Sevilla in the 2020 off-season, Mendes became first option at only 18, becoming the youngest player to make the club ‘s starting XI since Cristiano Ronaldo in September 2002 ; [ 9 ] [ 3 ] he went onto get down six of his side ‘s seven remaining league matches. [ 3 ] He scored his first gear competitive goal for them on 4 October of the lapp class, in the 2–0 away victory over Portimonense. [ 10 ] Mendes agreed to a contract extension on 19 December 2020, increasing his buyout clause from €45 million to €70 million. [ 11 ] He played 29 games for the eventual champions, while besides being named in the team of the Year. [ 12 ] [ 13 ] On 31 July 2021, Mendes provided an assist for Jovane Cabral in the 2–1 kill of Braga and conquest of the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira. [ 14 ]

Paris Saint-Germain [edit ]

On 31 August 2021, Mendes joined Paris Saint-Germain on a season -long loanword with an choice to buy. [ 15 ] He made his Ligue 1 introduction for the club on 11 September, coming on as a 85th-minute stand-in in a 4–0 frustration of Clermont. [ 16 ] He appeared in his first game in the UEFA Champions League four days later, replacing Abdou Diallo 75 minutes into a 1–1 describe away to Club Brugge in the group stage ; [ 17 ] he had an instantaneous impact on the pitch, notably making a “ brilliant ” run to set up a shoot opportunity for Lionel Messi at the 77th minute. [ 18 ] He made his first start later that month, in a 2–1 gain over Lyon. [ 19 ]

International career [edit ]

Mendes earned his first cap for Portugal at under-21 level shortly after having made his club introduction, in a 4–0 succeed in Cyprus for the 2021 UEFA European Championship qualifiers on 4 September 2020. [ 20 ] [ 21 ] previously, he represented the state ‘s under-16, under-17, under-18 and under-19s. [ 4 ] Six months late, Mendes was called up to the aged team by coach Fernando Santos for 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Azerbaijan, Luxembourg and Serbia, [ 22 ] [ 23 ] and subsequently removed from the under-21 squad due to appear in the finals. [ 24 ] He first appeared with the former on 24 March 2021, playing the stallion 1–0 victory against Azerbaijan. [ 25 ] Mendes was selected for UEFA Euro 2020, [ 26 ] playing no games in a round-of-16 exit. [ 27 ] [ 28 ] Santos late revealed that he had planned to use him aboard Raphaël Guerreiro during the tournament, but could not do so due to injury problems. [ 29 ]

style of bid [edit ]

Known chiefly for his offensive capabilities, accelerate, and technical qualities, Mendes plays chiefly as a left-sided attacking full-back or wing-back, which allows him to create risk either from a standing start or whilst on the counter-attack. apart from his trickle, he boasts an excellent cross ability whether tightly marked or open in space, and his physical art allows him to beat out opponents to the testis either with his speed or force. He is besides capable of anticipating attacks and cutting in battlefront of a pass and winning the ball back. [ 30 ] Despite his ability going forward, however, the defensive side of Mendes ‘s crippled has been brought into question by pundits on occasion, who have cited the incompatibility on his decision-making in front of goal, positioning and awareness as areas of weakness in want of improvement. [ 30 ]

career statistics [edit ]

club [edit ]

As of match played 7 December 2021[31]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Sporting CP 2019–20 Primeira Liga 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 0
2020–21 Primeira Liga 29 1 2 0 2 0 2[a] 0 — 35 1
2021–22 Primeira Liga 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1[b] 0 3 0
Total 40 1 2 0 2 0 2 0 1 0 47 1
Paris Saint-Germain (loan) 2021–22 Ligue 1 9 0 0 0 — 6[c] 0 — 15 0
Career total 49 1 2 0 2 0 8 0 1 0 62 1

International [edit ]

As of match played 14 November 2021[32]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Portugal 2021 11 0
Total 11 0

Honours [edit ]

Sporting CP
Individual

References [edit ]