João Mendes (footballer, born 2005)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | João Mendes de Assis Moreira[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 25 February 2005 | ||
| Place of birth | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil[1] | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Burnley | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Years | Team | ||
| Flamengo | |||
| Vasco da Gama | |||
| Boavista-RJ | |||
| 2018–2022 | Cruzeiro | ||
| 2023–2024 | Barcelona | ||
| 2024– | Burnley | ||
João Mendes de Assis Moreira (born 25 February 2005) is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a winger for Burnley.
Early and personal life
[edit]João Mendes was born in Rio de Janeiro to Brazilian footballing legend Ronaldinho and professional dancer Janaina Mendes.[2][3][4] His uncle is former footballer Assis, while his cousin, and Assis’ son, Diego Assis also pursued a career in football.
Club career
[edit]Early career
[edit]João Mendes first took an interest in football at the age of four, when he asked his mother to enroll him in a football school.[3] At the age of ten, he joined the academy of Flamengo, before playing indoor football for Vasco da Gama, followed by a short spell with Boavista-RJ.[3]
At the age of thirteen, he had a successful trial at Cruzeiro, where he hid the fact that his father was Ronaldinho from fellow trialists, as well as Cruzeiro staff.[3][5][6] A year after joining, he signed his first professional contract with the club, a six-year deal, in 2019.[7][8] Shortly after signing professional terms, he scored two goals for Cruzeiro at a youth tournament hosted in China.[9]
Barcelona
[edit]In February 2022, after almost four seasons with the club, João Mendes left Cruzeiro.[10] Having been without a club for almost a year, he went on trial with Spanish side Barcelona in January 2023.[11][12][13] He had been linked to the Catalan club, where his father used to play, since 2020.[14] He reportedly did not impress Barcelona coaches during his trial period, with club president, and long-time friend of Ronaldinho, Joan Laporta, requesting an extension to the trial for further technical analysis.[15]
On 7 February 2023, at the MD Grand Gala, Ronaldinho stated "with the arrival of my son at Barça I will be even more present," seemingly confirming João Mendes' move to Barcelona.[16] João Mendes played in a friendly match for Barcelona's under-19 team in a 3–1 win over Manchester United on 16 February 2023.[17] Following the game, Laporta stated "we want Ronaldinho's son to continue his career here. We will make him a contract [offer]. The other day we spoke with Roberto (his agent) and he has to close some things in Brazil."[17]
João Mendes officially signed for Barcelona on 2 March 2023, being assigned to the youth team.[18][19]
Burnley
[edit]On 14 August 2024, Mendes was photographed holding a Burnley jersey alongside his agent. Reputable reports circulated claiming he had penned a two-year contract with the club.[20]
International career
[edit]João Mendes holds a Spanish passport, making him eligible to represent Spain, as well as his nation of birth Brazil.[21]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c João Mendes at LaPreferente.com (in Spanish)
- ^ "Ronaldinho assume ser pai de filho com dançarina" [Ronaldinho assumes he is the father of a child with a dancer]. folhadelondrina.com.br (in Portuguese). 25 August 2005. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- ^ a b c d "Filho de Ronaldinho Gaúcho, João Mendes estreia série sobre sua vida e o início no futebol" [Son of Ronaldinho Gaúcho, João Mendes debuts series about his life and his beginnings in football]. extra.globo.com (in Portuguese). 16 July 2021. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- ^ "El espectacular cambio físico del hijo de Ronaldhino" [The spectacular physical change of Ronaldhino's son]. informacion.es (in Spanish). 3 March 2022. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- ^ "Filho de Ronaldinho Gaúcho é aprovado em teste no Cruzeiro" [Ronaldinho Gaúcho's son passes test at Cruzeiro]. placar.abril.com.br (in Portuguese). 16 August 2018. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- ^ "Ronaldinho's son hid identity during trial at Cruzeiro". en.as.com. 9 April 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- ^ Cañas, Alejandro (6 April 2019). "Ronaldinho's son signs first professional contract". en.as.com. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- ^ "Ronaldinho's son signs professional contract with Cruzeiro". espn.com. 6 April 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- ^ "Filhos de Ronaldinho Gaúcho e Adriano são campeões nas categorias de base" [Sons of Ronaldinho Gaúcho and Adriano are champions in the base categories]. esportefera.com.br (in Portuguese). 26 April 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- ^ "Cruzeiro não renova com filho de Ronaldinho Gaúcho; Guerreiro também sai" [Cruzeiro does not renew with Ronaldinho Gaúcho's son; Guerreiro also leaves]. mg.superesportes.com.br (in Portuguese). 26 February 2022. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- ^ "El hijo de Ronaldinho, al juvenil del Barça" [Ronaldinho's son, to the youth of Barça]. mundodeportivo.com (in Spanish). 12 January 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- ^ Clark, Gill (12 January 2023). "Ronaldinho's son on trial at Barcelona after terminating Cruzeiro contract". goal.com. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- ^ "'Zoon (17) van Ronaldinho op proef bij FC Barcelona'" ['Son (17) of Ronaldinho on trial at FC Barcelona']. sportniewus.nl (in Dutch). 12 January 2023. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- ^ Saenz, Mauricio (21 December 2020). "Ronaldinho's son, Joao Mendes, is reportedly on FC Barcelona's shortlist to replace Messi after his departure to Paris". elfutbolero.us. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
- ^ Ricci, Filippo Maria (18 January 2023). "Ronaldinho junior in prova al Barcellona: non ha convinto, e allora il presidente..." [Ronaldinho junior on trial at Barcelona: he didn't convince, so the president...]. gazzetta.it (in Italian). Retrieved 19 January 2023.
- ^ "Ronaldinho confirma que el Barça ficha a su hijo" [Ronaldinho confirms that Barça signs his son]. mundodeportivo.com (in Spanish). 7 February 2023. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
- ^ a b Brown, Dan (17 February 2023). "Ronaldinho's son makes Barcelona youth team debut against Manchester United". manchestereveningnews.co.uk. Retrieved 21 February 2023.
- ^ Labarga, Nacho (2 March 2023). "Ronaldinho's son has officially signed for Barcelona". marca.com. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
- ^ "Ronaldinho's teenage son signs for Barcelona". BBC Sport. 2 March 2023.
- ^ "Ronaldinho's son signs for EFL club after quitting Barcelona aged 19". 14 August 2024. Retrieved 14 August 2024.
- ^ Jiménez, Juan (7 February 2023). "Ronaldinho's son to sign for Barcelona". en.as.com. Retrieved 21 February 2023.