Nuno Mendes, the 23-year-old left-back for Paris Saint-Germain and Portugal, has long been established among the best in the world in his position. However, this trajectory wasn’t always a given, despite his undeniable talent. In Tuesday’s edition of L’Equipe, Gonçalo Batalha, the 23-year-old midfielder for AC Marinhense (Portuguese fourth division), who played alongside him in the youth academy at Sporting Lisbon, recounts the pivotal moment.
“That’s when he realized what he wanted to become.”
“Nuno has always been a shy and reserved boy, but with an incredible sense of humor. We played together from a very young age. Back then, Nuno wasn’t yet the ‘monster’ he is today, but he already possessed qualities that set him apart. He was very fast and could accelerate with the ball.”
I remember a match in Loures, when we were in the U17s, where he suffered a very serious injury. He broke his leg. That’s when he realized what he wanted to become. Not only did he recover from that injury, but he also developed tremendously, both physically and mentally. He became a workaholic and has continued to improve with the humility he still demonstrates today.
“I’m not surprised at all.”
Then he made his debut with Sporting’s first team, and the signs of his enormous talent began to appear, but few people knew everything that went into it, all the effort and hard work. I’m not at all surprised that he’s the best left-back in the world, and I sincerely believe he can claim the title of best player in the world. “
Many dream of becoming professional footballers, but there’s a difference in mentality between having that distant dream and having the unwavering determination that this is what it will be and nothing else. Which isn’t always enough, of course. It’s still an essential element, especially given the understandably fierce competition.
Nuno Mendes already had a certain potential; it didn’t all just appear because he gained willpower. However, to make a difference and maintain that level of performance over time, he needed that spark that led him to work harder and be more serious. This allowed him to create opportunities and seize them.
Now, nothing is guaranteed for the future. There’s no room for complacency if the goal is to have a long and memorable career at the highest level. Nuno Mendes knows what he has to do and seems ready to fight for it.”
