João Mendes (footballer, born 1994)

João Sabino Mendes Neto Saraiva (born 21 October 1994), known as Mendes, is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Primeira Liga club Vitória de Guimarães.

João Mendes
Personal information
Full name João Sabino Mendes Neto Saraiva[1]
Date of birth (1994-10-21) 21 October 1994[1]
Place of birth Matosinhos, Portugal[1]
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Vitória Guimarães
Number 17
Youth career
2002–2007 Leixões
2007–2008 Pedras Rubras
2008–2012 Leixões
2012–2013 Gondomar
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2014 Gondomar 15 (2)
2014–2015 Gouveia 30 (5)
2015 Nogueirense 7 (1)
2015–2016 Operário 19 (4)
2016–2019 Oliveirense 56 (5)
2018–2019 → Tondela (loan) 4 (0)
2019–2021 Tondela 6 (0)
2019–2020 → Académica (loan) 20 (3)
2021 → Estoril (loan) 2 (0)
2021–2023 Chaves 55 (5)
2023– Vitória Guimarães 8 (4)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14:55, 9 October 2023 (UTC)

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, A.D. 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.[2]

Mendes made his professional debut with Oliveirense on 27 August 2017, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 1–0 away loss against F.C. Famalicão.[3] He scored his first goal in division two the following 11 April, but in a 3–2 away defeat to C.D. Cova da Piedade.[4]

In summer 2018, Mendes signed with Primeira Liga side C.D. Tondela on a one-year loan.[5] He appeared in his first game in the competition on 2 December, replacing Bruno Monteiro in the first half of the 3–2 loss at Portimonense SC;[6] the move was made permanent at the end of that spell.[7]

Mendes was loaned to Académica de Coimbra of the second tier on 30 August 2019.[8] In February 2021, also on loan, he joined G.D. Estoril Praia in the same league.[9]

Mendes remained in division two for 2021–22, on a contract at G.D. Chaves.[10] He contributed 24 appearances (26 overall) and three goals to help them return to the top flight,[11] adding 31, two goals and two assists in the following campaign as they comfortably retained their status.[12]

On 14 June 2023, Mendes joined Vitória S.C. on a two-year deal.[13] On 2 September, he was sent off with a straight red card early into an eventual 4–0 away loss to S.L. Benfica.[14] On 8 October, he scored a first-half brace in the 3–1 victory at Famalicão.[15]

Career statistics
As of match played 8 October 2023[16]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Gondomar 2013–14 Campeonato Nacional de Seniores 15 2 1 0 — — 16 2
Gouveia 2014–15 Campeonato Nacional de Seniores 30 5 1 0 — — 31 5
Nogueirense 2015–16 Campeonato de Portugal 7 1 1 0 — — 8 1
Operário 2015–16 Campeonato de Portugal 19 4 0 0 — — 19 4
Oliveirense 2016–17 Campeonato de Portugal 27 3 2 0 — — 29 3
2017–18 LigaPro 29 2 1 0 4 0 — 34 2
Total 56 5 3 0 4 0 — 63 5
Tondela (loan) 2018–19 Primeira Liga 4 0 2 0 3 0 — 9 0
Tondela 2019–20 Primeira Liga 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 0 0
2020–21 Primeira Liga 6 0 1 1 — — 7 1
Total 10 0 3 1 3 0 — 16 1
Académica (loan) 2019–20 LigaPro 20 3 2 0 0 0 — 22 3
Estoril (loan) 2020–21 Liga Portugal 2 2 0 1 0 0 0 — 3 0
Chaves 2021–22 Liga Portugal 2 24 3 1 0 1 0 — 26 3
2022–23 Primeira Liga 31 2 0 0 2 0 — 33 2
Total 55 5 1 0 3 0 — 59 5
Vitória Guimarães 2023–24 Primeira Liga 8 4 0 0 0 0 2[lower-alpha 1] 0 10 4
Career total 222 29 13 1 10 0 2 0 247 30
  1. Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League

Honours

Estoril

References
  1. "João Mendes" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  2. 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. Archived from the original on 7 February 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  3. "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.
  4. "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.
  5. "Médio João Mendes reforça Tondela" [Midfielder João Mendes bolsters Tondela]. Record (in Portuguese). 2 July 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  6. "Do céu ao inferno" [From heaven to hell] (in Portuguese). C.D. Tondela. 2 December 2018. Retrieved 23 October 2020.
  7. "João Mendes deve continuar" [João Mendes likely to continue]. Record (in Portuguese). 5 June 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  8. "João Mendes oficializado na Académica" [João Mendes made official at Académica]. Record (in Portuguese). 30 August 2019. Retrieved 11 September 2019.
  9. "Estoril assegura empréstimo de João Mendes até final da temporada" [Estoril confirm João Mendes loan until the end of the season]. Record (in Portuguese). 1 February 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  10. "Campeão pelo Estoril e agora reforço para o meio-campo do Chaves" [Champion for Estoril and now addition to Chaves' midfield]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 5 July 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  11. "Desportivo de Chaves mantém João Teixeira, João Correia e Obiora para regresso à I Liga" [Desportivo de Chaves retain João Teixeira, João Correia and Obiora for return to I League] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 24 June 2022. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  12. Ribeiro, Diogo (14 May 2023). "Jogador do Chaves muito próximo de assinar pelo Vitória SC" [Chaves player very close to signing for Vitória SC] (in Portuguese). Bola Na Rede. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  13. "João Mendes, reforço do Vitória: "É o momento para dar este passo, sinto-me preparado"" [João Mendes, Vitória's addition: "This is the time to make the move, I feel ready"]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 14 June 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  14. "Benfica sobe à liderança partilhada após goleada ao Vitória" [Benfica climb to joint-first following rout of Vitória]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 2 September 2023. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  15. Dantas, Nuno (8 October 2023). "Famalicão-V. Guimarães, 1–3 (destaques)" [Famalicão-V. Guimarães, 1–3 (highlights)] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  16. João Mendes at Soccerway
  17. "Futebol | Época 2020/2021: O ano do "Mágico"" [Football | 2020/2021 season: The year of the "Wizard"] (in Portuguese). Cascais.pt. 17 May 2021. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
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