Jonas Mendes

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Asvedo and the second or paternal family name is Mendes.

Jonas
Personal information
Full name Jonas Asvedo Mendes
Date of birth (1989-11-20) 20 November 1989 (age 35)
Place of birth Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2011 Amora 16 (0)
2011–2013 Beira-Mar 3 (0)
2013–2014 Atlético CP 6 (0)
2015–2016 Vianense 31 (0)
2016 Vizela 7 (0)
2016–2017 Salgueiros 24 (0)
2017–2019 Académico Viseu 24 (0)
2019–2021 Black Leopards 34 (0)
2022 Zakynthos 14 (0)
2022–2024 Kalamata 13 (0)
International career‡
2010– Guinea-Bissau 60 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 29 April 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 25 March 2024

Jonas Asvedo Mendes (born 20 November 1989) is a Bissau-Guinean professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper and captains the Guinea-Bissau national football team.

Raised in Portugal, he played three Primeira Liga games for Beira-Mar, and 30 in the second tier for Atlético CP and Académico Viseu, while spending most of his career in the third division.

A full international with over 51 caps for Guinea-Bissau since 2010, he represented the country at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2017, 2019 and 2021.

Club career

Born in Bissau, and raised in Quinta da Princesa, Seixal, Mendes began his career in Portugal's lower leagues with Amora F.C. and joined Primeira Liga club S.C. Beira-Mar in 2011. Due to Rui Rêgo's injury, he played three games in January 2012, starting with a 2–1 loss at S.C. Olhanense.[1][2]

Mendes moved in 2013 to Atlético Clube de Portugal of the Segunda Liga, where he was rarely used. In the ensuing years, he played in the third-tier Campeonato de Portugal for SC Vianense, F.C. Vizela and S.C. Salgueiros. He won promotion with Vizela in 2016, though not as first choice.[3]

In June 2017, Mendes returned to the second division with Académico de Viseu FC.[4] He played the majority of games in his second season, after the exit of Brazilian veteran Peterson Peçanha.

Mendes left Portugal for the first time in his career in July 2019, to join Black Leopards F.C. of the South African Premier Division.[5] He left two years later at the end of his contract, having turned down a deal to carry on after relegation for the sake of his international prospects.[6]

International career

Mendes made his international debut for Guinea-Bissau on 16 November 2010 in a 2–1 friendly loss to Cape Verde at the Estádio do Restelo in Lisbon. He was called up for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon and the 2019 edition in Egypt, and played all three games of both group-stage eliminations,[7][8] as well as being picked for the 2021 tournament.[9]

References

  1. ^ "Asa Negra pronto a voar em Alvalade" [Black Wing ready to fly into Alvalade]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 27 January 2012. Archived from the original on 16 November 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  2. ^ Federico, Francisco (26 January 2012). "Jonas: do taekwondo para Alvalade passando pelo basquete" [Jonas: from taekwondo to Alvalade via basketball] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Archived from the original on 16 November 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  3. ^ Ferreira, André (3 August 2016). "Jonas Mendes reforça Salgueiros". Record (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 16 November 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  4. ^ "Académico de Viseu contrata guarda-redes Jonas e renova com Sandro Lima" [Académico de Viseu sign goalkeeper Jonas and renew with Sandro Lima]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 23 June 2017. Archived from the original on 5 June 2023. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  5. ^ Ngcatshe, Phumzile (16 July 2019). "Black Leopards sign Guinea-Bissau goalkeeper Jonas Mendes". Goal. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  6. ^ "Mendes opens up on PSL experience". Kick Off. 28 July 2021. Archived from the original on 6 December 2021. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  7. ^ "Guiné-Bissau divulga convocados para CAN 2017" [Guinea-Bissau announce squad for 2017 ACN] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 24 December 2016. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  8. ^ "Guiné-Bissau anuncia convocados para a CAN'2019" [Guinea-Bissau announce squad for the 2019'ACN]. Record (in Portuguese). 11 June 2019. Archived from the original on 4 June 2023. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  9. ^ Said, Nick (30 December 2021). "Guinea Bissau call up trio for third Africa Cup of Nations". CNA. Archived from the original on 20 September 2022. Retrieved 31 December 2021.