Nuno Mendes Scout Report At Sporting CP 2020/2021: Already One Of The Most Wanted Left-backs In Europe At Just 18Y/O – Player Analysis

Some of the most exciting players to watch in world football at the moment are young players under the age of 23.

Attacking players like Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland get the most recognition since they have transformed into the key men for their teams, scoring loads of goals in the process.

However, other players have yet to shine on a big stage but are no less important to their sides, performing at a strong level already and perhaps ready to make the step up to bigger teams.

One of these players is the 18-year-old Sporting CP left-back Nuno Mendes.

The 18-year-old youngster has progressed through the Leões youth academy and taken the league by storm, emerging as one of the best performers and contributing to the team’s title challenge.

Mendes has been able to fit into a more attacking wing-back role in the current Sporting CP formation quite well, and his proficiency in both defence and attack is impressive.

His confidence and concentration at such a young age have enabled him to shoulder his responsibilities well and support his teammates throughout the pitch.

His consistency has put him on the radar of many top European teams, with the likes of Barcelona, Manchester City, and Manchester United already linked to the youngster.

This Nuno Mendes’ scout report, in the form of a tactical analysis, examines how Mendes fits into Rúben Amorim’s tactics and what makes him perhaps the most sought-after left-back in football right now.

Nuno Mendes Role At Sporting CP

After a few disappointing years where they were unable to win the title, Sporting are finally on the verge of becoming champions, sitting six points clear at the top of the Primeira Liga at the time of writing.

The improvement in their defensive performance compared to the last couple of seasons has brought balance in different phases and transformed the team into title contenders with an entertaining attacking playing style.

The 18-year-old is a crucial part of their successful record both in attack and defence.

Mendes has done well to earn Rúben Amorim’s trust and become a regular starter since his arrival into the first-team squad.

Sporting CP boasts the best defensive record in the Portuguese top flight, having conceded only 13 goals in 26 games at the time of writing, and Mendes’ contribution as a left wing-back in their most frequently used 3-4-3 formation is immense.

Nuno Mendes Heat Map

Sporting CP have had a very successful attacking strategy, being very successful both in open play and in converting their set plays into goals.

They usually attack through the wings, making Mendes’ role very important for their ball progression and attacking actions.

His dribbling and crossing abilities allow him to deliver the ball up the pitch and help the team in creating goalscoring opportunities.

Meanwhile, his defensive awareness and aerial presence support the team defensively and often save them from conceding dangerous chances.

He decreases their vulnerability when defending set pieces and when being caught on a counterattack.

Nuno Mendes Defensive Awareness 

While in his current wing-back position, his tendency to help with ball progression and join the attack is Mendes’ best trait, his defensive contribution is also excellent.

His actions have helped the team improve at the back, and while it is sometimes risky to employ a back three, at Sporting, the wing-backs manage to split their responsibilities well and support the centre-backs successfully.

Their actions during transitions include ball interceptions, recoveries, and duels, which significantly contribute to the team’s possession rate of 58.18% per game and their effective implementation of the attacking strategy.

The 18-year-old’s movement up and down the flank often allows him to recover the ball in advanced areas and set it up for his teammates, aiming to create goalscoring opportunities.

Nuno Mendes’ 7.95 recoveries on average per 90 minutes provide the Leões with more support when defending the flanks, as many of their opponents try to exploit his advanced positioning.

That often doesn’t work, though, due to Nuno Mendes’ awareness and smart movement, which allow him to drop back promptly and cover any gaps left behind.

His success in the air is beneficial for Sporting, too, as it helps them defend set-plays, but also during the build-up, in efforts to retain possession in key areas.

With a success rate of more than 50% in his aerial and ground duels, Mendes is very reliable during transitions.

This gives the team much-needed stability and allows them more freedom to roam in attack.

His pace and ability to judge situations well help him in performing well-measured actions that rarely result in fouls and yellow cards.

The Portuguese’s anticipation is also key for the team defensively, and it also allows him to start attacks and catch the opposition off guard immediately.

Nuno Mendes Ball Progression And Throw-ins

Something that sets the 18-year-old apart is his ball progression skills, which combine his pace with technical skills and confidence, resulting in successfully advancing the ball into the final third and creating goal-scoring chances after breaking through defensive structures.

His runs with the ball are impressive, thanks to his dribbling abilities and solid work under pressure.

His calmness and confidence on the ball are truly impressive and are a big reason behind his remarkable performance so far this season.

Nuno Mendes is especially strong in 1v1 situations, allowing his teammates to move off the ball into advanced areas.

At the same time, he holds onto possession, which helps them overload the penalty area and immediately improves their efficiency in front of the goal.

His movement and runs increase the team’s explosiveness in attack, as he not only exploits the flanks and crosses the ball but also cuts inside and occupies the half-spaces.

That way, the Portuguese left-back provides an additional option in attack, which often results in dragging defenders out of position or even being a direct threat.

Sporting CP have an improved success rate in attack thanks to Mendes’ 4.14 dribbling efforts on average per game.

Nuno Mendes is successful in his passing, too, thanks to his ability to read the game well and his excellent spatial awareness.

The 18-year-old often sends diagonal long balls directly to the final third in efforts to bypass the opposition’s press and break defences.

The awareness of his teammates’ positioning is essential for Sporting CP’s build-up play.

Of course, as a wing-back, he also contributes with crossing, utilising his pace and control to make runs on the flank and provide width and depth.

Something noticeable in Nuno Mendes’ style of play is his ability to turn throw-ins into opportunities for his team.

Whenever the opposition are marking his teammates too tightly, he would look for an alternative solution and pass the ball to the ball-far side where he has a free teammate in an advanced position.

Many of his long throws have resulted in chances for Sporting, which is an additional asset to their attacking ventures.

Nuno Mendes Providing A Direct Threat

As mentioned, his movement with the ball often gives him the opportunity to shoot on his own.

Due to his tendency to cut inside and occupy the half-spaces, Nuno Mendes occasionally moves into goalscoring positions and would not hesitate to take on these opportunities.

Nuno Mendes Shots Map

While Nuno Mendes’ success rate is not very high, it does increase the pressure in and around the penalty area, providing more options in attack.

While many other full-backs/wing-backs do provide a lot of assists and key passes, the 18-year-old is more focused on the build-up play and keeping possession of the ball until it reaches the final third.

His attacking instincts come from his background as a number 10.

Once the Portuguese joined the Sporting Youth Academy, he made the transition from a number 10 to a full-back, with his coaches being convinced that his abilities would fit the profile, given his pace, confidence on the ball and attacking flair.

Conclusion

Nuno Mendes could be a great asset for any team that wants their full-back/wing-back involved in the attacking play.

The Portuguese’s natural ball progression skills and flair could help in exposing defences, while his awareness and concentration provide more security at the back.

His attitude and confidence are impressive at such a young age, and it seems that Mendes could shine even brighter if he had the proper support from his teammates.

Being selected in the senior Portugal squad is a massive recognition for the 18-year-old, and he should make it to the squad for the Euro 2020 this summer, which would be the perfect stage for him to showcase his talent in front of a global audience.