Official! 'Ronaldo of the Azores' agrees deal with Sporting | OneFootball

It's official. Laurindo Mendonça signed a youth contract with Sporting this Wednesday, March 4th, taking another important step in the journey he has been building at the Alvalade Club. The midfielder, aged 14, has already spent five consecutive seasons in the youth ranks of the lions.

The path to reaching this moment, however, was not immediate. In February 2021, when he was still known as Laurindo Júnior, the young player saw his dream of joining Sporting's youth team postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which at that time was affecting travel and the functioning of youth football.

At the time, the midfielder was representing Praiense, in the Azores, and it was from Terceira Island that he awaited the opportunity to travel to the mainland and join the lions' structure. The talent he displayed already earned him recognition in the region, to the point of being nicknamed the "Ronaldo of the Azores."

During this period, Laurindo also experienced special moments related to Sporting, including a meeting with Eduardo Quaresma and Gonzalo Plata. Now, in the 2026/27 season, the young midfielder continues to establish himself in the lions' youth team and has already scored two goals and provided one assist in 14 matches for the under-15s.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.