Ryan Mendes, Cape Verde captain, the quiet winger shaped by seven years in France | OneFootball

Ryan Mendes, Cape Verde’s record scorer and captain, spent seven years in France with Le Havre and Lille. The 36-year-old winger, introverted yet incisive, faces Uruguay overnight from Sunday to Monday, kick-off midnight French time.

He was overshadowed by goalkeeper Vozinha after the 0-0 with Spain on Monday. According to L'Équipe, he remains central to a debut World Cup, is the most capped on 97 and record scorer with 22, and has captained for seven years.

Spotted at an under-17 tournament, he joined Le Havre in 2009, the season of their drop to Ligue 2. A Leicester scout came to watch him but ended up preferring Riyad Mahrez. Mendes truly burst through in 2011-12 with direct, well-timed dribbling.

He played 94 games for Le Havre, returning 24 goals and 10 assists, with 18 and four respectively in 2011-12.

He set his sights on Lille in summer 2012 without forcing a standoff, and eventually moved late in the window for three million euros, a record sale for Le Havre. There was no conflict around the move.

Signed to help replace Eden Hazard, he showed flashes at Lille but injuries bit. A right-ankle problem four months in ended his season, a relapse then kept him out until January 2014.

He never fully established himself at Lille, later loaned to Nottingham Forest before moves to Türkiye and the UAE. Now with Igdir in Türkiye’s second tier, he is steering the Blue Sharks with the last 32 still within reach.

Source: L'Équipe