It is no secret to football scouts that Sporting Clube de Portugal has spawned some of the world’s greatest players. The Lisbon outfit is the only club in the world to have produced two Ballon D’Or winners in Luís Figo and Cristiano Ronaldo, and an authentic conveyor belt of top talent has rolled out of its renowned Alcochete Academy.

Although known primarily for its propensity for producing outstanding wide players (Futre, Figo, Ronaldo, Nani, Quaresma, Simão) Sporting have also nurtured top class footballers in other positions such as midfielder João Moutinho and goalkeeper Rui Patrício. However, with eighteen-year-old Nuno Mendes, we could be looking at the most talented defender ever to grace the academy. 

Media outlets in Portugal and beyond have been reporting that numerous elite clubs around Europe have been running the rule over the left wing-back, including Juventus, Real Madrid, Manchester United and AC Milan.

Little wonder therefore, that in December Sporting renegotiated Mendes’ contract, inserting a €70 million release clause into a deal that runs until 2025. Nobody in Lisbon is under any illusions though. Sporting will struggle to keep Mendes at Alvalade beyond the current season. But with so little experience – only one professional season under his belt – why are the best teams on the planet all chasing the player?

Instant hit

When new coach Rúben Amorim took over at Sporting a little over a year ago, he vowed to make use of the young players coming through the Alcochete Academy. Remarkably, and despite the fact Sporting have produced a plethora of homegrown talent, chronic instability and an unclear policy at the club had led to disinvestment in the academy over a number of years, as rivals Benfica and Porto took over the mantle as the best producers of young Portuguese football talent.

Amorim was as good as his word, and immediately blooded a host of young Sporting players in the first team. One of those players was Nuno Mendes, who was given his full debut the day before his eighteenth birthday. The transition from youth football to senior football can often be problematic, but Mendes immediately showed he belonged to elite-level football, exhibiting none of the nerves one might expect and all of the dynamism that characterises his game. He has been a mainstay of the first team ever since.

 

Key attributes

Mendes has everything you want from a modern-day full-back: strength, speed, defensive solidity, propensity to attack with purpose and a tireless engine that enables him to patrol the entire left flank from the 1st to the 90th minute.

On top of all those qualities, it is perhaps his mature decision making and football intelligence that makes him truly stand out from the many other promising peers in his age group. Mendes has the pace, power and the skill to strike fear into his direct adversary, but he does not exaggerate on individual plays, and is content to opt for the simple pass when that is the most sensible option.

He has fitted perfectly into Amorim’s 3-4-3 system and is a big reason behind Sporting’s sensational season. The Lions are 10 points clear at the top of the table and are set to win their first Portuguese title for 19 years. A common tactic has seen Mendes regularly receive the ball when it is pinged to him from 50-plus yards by one of the three centre-backs, with the Number 5’s instant control regardless of the velocity or angle of the pass leaving him perfectly oriented to attack the flank, pass, or move infield to keep Sporting’s offensive momentum going, or simply make sure possession is retained.

“He’s very strong in one-against-ones, has excellent crossing ability and it’s very easy for him to throw the opposition off balance,” says Diogo Gonçalves, the former youth coach of Despertar de Casal de Cambra, where Mendes first began getting noticed, triggering a race for his signature among Portugal’s three biggest clubs, with Sporting getting there first. “He frequently surges into the box and into shooting positions. He’s more than a full-back.”

These qualities were in evidence for Mendes’ first goal in senior football, a wonderful strike against Portimonense that showcased his anticipation, speed of thought and a level of skill and composure that any seasoned goal-scoring winger would have been proud of:

 

Memorable season

That goal at the start of the 2020/21 season cemented Mendes’ status as one of Sporting’s most important players. He has since been among the first names on the team-sheet for a side that is running away with the title – no mean feat when you consider he will still be 18 years old when the campaign comes to an end – and this week Mendes received his debut call-up to the full Portugal squad.

“Nuno Mendes plays in a different system for his club to us, but for the Portugal U21s he has played in a four-man defence and he is a quality player who will have no problem adapting,” said Portugal coach Fernando Santos. “Our full-backs usually contribute to our attack, and Nuno is very adept at going forward.”

It is a good bet Mendes will remain in the squad when Portugal defend their European Championship crown in the summer. If I were a betting-man on a betting site, I’d also gamble on the notion that Mendes will be playing for one of Europe’s biggest clubs before too long. 

by Tom Kundert

 

Fact file

Name: Nuno Alexandre Tavares Mendes

Date of birth: 19 June 2002 (18 years old)

Place of birth: Lisbon, Portugal

Height: 1.76m

Current club: Sporting Clube de Portugal

Position: Left-back / Left wing-back

Portugal caps: 0

 

Comments (5)

This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site

I agree with Tom that if Sporting wins tonight, the team will have sealed the deal. Sporting may very well get smoked by Benfica, but consistency wins championships. I find it ironic though, that Benfica's resurgence is due to a Portuguese kid....

I agree with Tom that if Sporting wins tonight, the team will have sealed the deal. Sporting may very well get smoked by Benfica, but consistency wins championships. I find it ironic though, that Benfica's resurgence is due to a Portuguese kid. Portuguese kids grow up dreaming of playing for Benfica, Porto, and Sporting. These luxury imports could care less.

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Danny
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As a Benfiquista, I’m happy that younger players are getting the chance to prove themselves on a bigger stage. It helps them develop properly in the Liga. Mendes will be the next to command a large fee to move on..

If I have one concern, it’s...

As a Benfiquista, I’m happy that younger players are getting the chance to prove themselves on a bigger stage. It helps them develop properly in the Liga. Mendes will be the next to command a large fee to move on..

If I have one concern, it’s just the position itself. I’m not sure if it’s my age (28) but I’m more of traditionalist when it comes to football. The Left/Right back position has all been abandoned nowadays to a more Wingback position. I don’t mind having players like a Ricardo Pereira, Joao Cancelo, Guerrero in the Seleçao. However, they are mostly suspect when it comes to defending! The only ‘backs’ I truly trusted over the years were Coentrao, Bosingwa and Cedric - but yet they were consistently dumped on by fans..

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John
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site

same thing was said about Bruma. after just one 6 month successful spell at Leipzig mostly as a sub, he now plays at Olympiacos mostly as an unused sub. I've seen this kinda hype many occasions at Sporting over their academia. Hugo Viana, William...

same thing was said about Bruma. after just one 6 month successful spell at Leipzig mostly as a sub, he now plays at Olympiacos mostly as an unused sub. I've seen this kinda hype many occasions at Sporting over their academia. Hugo Viana, William Carvalho, Carlos Mané, Miguel Veloso, Gelson Martins and João Mário. All turned out to be flops, lets be honest with the exception of Ronaldo and Nani during this generation. Simao was never hyped this much, he worked hard to reach the top. While Quaresma was a disappointment.

Let this guy be. Don't pamper him.

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Joao Rosario
This comment was minimized by the moderator on the site

That’s why they are called prospects. There is a possibility but no certainties . Quaresma was as close to guarantee superstar that I thought at the time was going to be better than Ronaldo . Not even close at the end. Let’s hope for our NT that...

That’s why they are called prospects. There is a possibility but no certainties . Quaresma was as close to guarantee superstar that I thought at the time was going to be better than Ronaldo . Not even close at the end. Let’s hope for our NT that he does become a superstar

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Midatlantic
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You jokers are too much.
Portugal won euro 2016 with 11 of 14 players in the final
Coming out of the sporting academy , including 4 who were still playing for the club. Even Marca made an article about it.

—Z—
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