- He is a Cape Verdean professional footballer
- He plays as a winger for Super Lig club Fatih Karagumruk and the Cape Verde national team
- He is the captain of the Cape Verde national team that reached the finals at the 2024 AFCON
Ryan Mendes is a Cape Verdean professional footballer who plays as a winger for Super Lig club Karagumruk and the Cape Verde national team. He is the captain of the Cape Verde national team and led them to the 2024 AFCON finals.
Mendes spent most of his career time in France with Le Havre and Lille, and in the UAE Pro League with Sharjah and Al-Nasr. Born in Mindelo, Cape Verde, he began playing football on the streets and local pitches of his town, being noticed by scouts and joined Academica do Mindelo, one of the big academies in his country.
At seventeen years, he secured a contract with French club Le Havre and rose through the ranks making 84 appearances and scoring 20 goals. After four seasons with Le Havre, he was loaned to Lille.
After his loan spell, he returned to Le Havre and his performance attracted attention from Nottingham Forest in the English Championship, joined the club on loan and after his loan spell, Mendes had spells in Turkey with Kayserispor and in the UAE with Sharjah and Al-Nasr.
The 34-year-old returned to Turkey to join Fatih Karagumruk and has since become a key player for the club, contributing to their success. Internationally, he represents the Cape Verde national team and has captained them to their best-ever finish at the Africa Cup of Nations, reaching the final in 2024.
Ryan Mendes Biography
| Full name | Ryan Isaac Mendes da Graca |
| Age | 34 years old |
| Height | 1.78 m |
| Place of birth | Mindelo, Cape Verde |
| Date of birth | January 8 1990 |
| Nationality | Cape Verdean |
| Occupation | Footballer |
| Source of wealth | Football earnings |
| Marital status | Married |
Ryan Mendes Personal Life
The winger was born on January 8 1900 in Mindelo, Cape Verde to parents of the country’s origin and started playing football on the streets and local pitches off his hometown.
His talent was well embraced when he enrolled in a local academy in Cape Verde, a breakthrough that paved the way for him to France where he spent most of his career time with Le Havre and in the UAE Pro League with Sharjah and Al-Nasr.
Ryan Mendes. Photo/RFI
Mendes represents his country’s national team and has done that on several occasions, the latest being at the 2024 AFCON where he captained his team to the finals.
Ryan Mendes Career and Captaining Cape Verde National Team
Ryan Mendes is a Cape Verdean professional footballer who plays as a winger for Super Lig club Karagumruk and the Cape Verde national team. He is the captain of the Cape Verde national team and led them to the 2024 AFCON finals.
Mendes spent most of his career time in France with Le Havre and Lille, and in the UAE Pro League with Sharjah and Al-Nasr. Born in Mindelo, Cape Verde, he began playing football on the streets and local pitches of his town, being noticed by scouts and joined Academica do Mindelo, one of the big academies in his country.
At seventeen years, he secured a contract with French club Le Havre and rose through the ranks making 84 appearances and scoring 20 goals. After four seasons with Le Havre, he was loaned to Lille.
After his loan spell, he returned to Le Havre and his performance attracted attention from Nottingham Forest in the English Championship, joined the club on loan and after his loan spell, Mendes had spells in Turkey with Kayserispor and in the UAE with Sharjah and Al-Nasr.
Ryan Mendes. Photo/The Citizen
The 34-year-old returned to Turkey to join Fatih Karagumruk and has since become a key player for the club, contributing to their success. Internationally, he represents the Cape Verde national team and has captained the team to their best-ever finish at the Africa Cup of Nations, reaching the final in 2024.
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