João Mendes (footballer, born 1994)


João Sabino Mendes Neto Saraiva, known as Mendes, is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for Académica de Coimbra as a midfielder.

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, AD 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.
Mendes made his professional debut with Oliveirense on 27 August 2017, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 0–1 away loss against F.C. Famalicão. He scored his first goal in the competition the following 11 April, but in a 2–3 away defeat to C.D. Cova da Piedade.
In the summer of 2018, Mendes signed with Primeira Liga side C.D. Tondela on a one-year loan deal. Even though there initially was an agreement to make the move permanent at the end of that spell, nothing came of it and he joined Académica de Coimbra instead.