Fernando_Mendes_(footballer,_born_1966)

Fernando Mendes (footballer, born 1966)

Fernando Mendes (footballer, born 1966)

Portuguese footballer

Not to be confused with Fernando Mendes (footballer, born 1937).
In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Antunes and the second or paternal family name is Mendes.

Fernando Manuel Antunes Mendes (born 5 November 1966) is a Portuguese former footballer who played as a left-back. He is the only player to have represented the five Portuguese clubs who have won a Primeira Liga title (Sporting CP, Benfica, Boavista, Belenenses and Porto).[1]

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Club career

Mendes was born in Setúbal. Having been brought up at Sporting CP's youth system at the same time as Paulo Futre, he made his first-team debut in 1984–85 aged 18, and reached the Portugal national team shortly after. In the following seasons he started regularly for the Lions, but they only won one trophy.

In summer 1989, Mendes joined Sporting's rivals S.L. Benfica, being sparingly used over three years – in between, he spent one season at Boavista F.C. – winning the Taça de Portugal in his last, where he teamed up with Futre. Released by Benfica, he appeared for three teams in as many years before joining the last of the Big Three, FC Porto, thus representing all the major clubs in his country as Futre.[2]

Mendes won his first Primeira Liga championship with the northern side in 1996–97 (the second overall), contributing 22 matches and three goals to the feat. In the following two campaigns, which ended in the same fashion, he was also regularly played.[1]

Aged nearly 33, Mendes left for another spell at Belenenses, then joined hometown's Vitória F.C. for his first season in the Segunda Liga, which ended in promotion.[3][4] After helping the Sadinos to retain their league status, he retired from professional football with top-division totals of 321 games and 12 goals.

International career

Mendes earned 11 full caps in one decade, but did not attend any major international tournament.[5]

Honours

Sporting CP

Benfica

Boavista

  • Taça de Portugal: 1991–92[3]

Porto

  • Primeira Liga: 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99[3]
  • Taça de Portugal: 1997–98[3]
  • Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 1996, 1998; Runner-up 1997[3]

References

  1. [1]
    Palma, Tiago (6 August 2017). "Fernando Mendes: "Se há coisa de que me arrependo foi de ter trocado o Sporting pelo Benfica"" [Fernando Mendes: "If I have one regret it would be swapping Sporting for Benfica"]. Observador (in Portuguese). Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  2. [2]
    Cruz Martins, André (28 April 2016). "Entre o prestígio e o orgulho ou entregar o título ao Benfica" [Between prestige and pride or handing out title to Benfica]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 3 August 2016.
  3. [3]
    "Fernando Mendes: «Fui o único que jogou nos cinco campeões»" [Fernando Mendes: "I was the only one that played for the five champions"]. Record (in Portuguese). 15 July 2001. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  4. [4]
    Magalhães, Magda (5 November 2001). "Fernando Mendes (V. Setúbal): sucesso movido pela paixão pelo futebol" [Fernando Mendes (V. Setúbal): success fuelled by passion for football] (in Portuguese). TVI 24. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  5. [5]
    "Lista completa dos internacionais portugueses" [Complete list of Portuguese internationals] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 18 February 2004. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
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