At just 23 years old, Nuno Alexandre Tavares Mendes is not only one of the best young players in world football, he might already be the best fullback on the planet. His impact this season has been immense for both club and country. From Ligue 1 and the Coupe de France to the Champions League and Nations League with Portugal, Mendes has lifted every trophy available to him.
Even more impressive, he’s managed to shut down some of the world’s most dangerous attackers, including Mohamed Salah and Lamine Yamal, the latter statistically the best 1v1 dribbler in the world.
So, who is Nuno Mendes? Where did he come from, and what makes him so special?
From Sporting CP to Stardom
Mendes rose through the ranks at Sporting CP, the same academy that produced Nani, Ricardo Quaresma, Luís Figo, and Cristiano Ronaldo. Like those before him, Mendes is proving to be elite. He broke into the first team when manager Rúben Amorim promoted him despite the youngster having played just once since November. With the youth football season cancelled due to COVID, Amorim fast-tracked him to the senior squad.
During the 2020/21 season, at just 18 years old, Mendes made nine appearances and logged over 600 minutes. His professional debut came in a 1–0 home win against Paços de Ferreira on 12 June 2020, coming on as a 72nd-minute sub for Marcos Acuña.
Following Acuña’s departure to Sevilla that summer, Mendes was made Sporting’s first-choice left-back. He became the youngest first-team regular at the club since Cristiano Ronaldo in 2002 and delivered immediately. Sporting won the Primeira Liga and Taça da Liga double, Mendes earned his first professional silverware, and the league included him in the Primeira Liga Team of the Season.
The PSG Move and Instant Impact
It wasn’t long before Europe’s elite came calling. PSG signed him on loan with a €38 million option to buy. His debut came in a 4–0 loss to Clermont Foot, though he only played a five-minute cameo after being subbed on around the 85th minute.
His second game showed his true potential. Subbed on in the 75th minute of a 1–1 Champions League tie against Club Brugge, Mendes made a powerful run and set up Lionel Messi to make it 2-1, securing the win.
From that point, Mendes earned more minutes and became a regular. He featured 27 times in all competitions that season (18 starts), helping PSG win their record-breaking 10th Ligue 1 title. He was nominated for Young Player of the Season but narrowly lost out to William Saliba. Still, he earned another Team of the Season nod, making it back-to-back selections in his first two full senior seasons.
Permanent Transfer and Breakthrough Year
On May 31, 2022, PSG activated his €38 million release clause, handing him a four-year deal. He continued his rise, scoring his first goal for the club on September 3 in a 3–0 Ligue 1 win vs Nantes. He followed that with his first Champions League goal, a crucial winner in a 2–1 away victory over Juventus on the final day of the group stage.
Despite PSG’s early exit in the Round of 16, Mendes was outstanding all year. He earned his third consecutive Team of the Season selection and, this time, won Ligue 1 Young Player of the Season ahead of talents like Rayan Cherki, Eliesse Ben Seghir, Bradley Barcola, Habib Diarra, and Leny Yoro.
Injury and Comeback
In May 2023, Mendes suffered a hamstring injury and underwent surgery in October. He returned on February 25, 2024, making a 20-minute substitute appearance in a 1–1 draw against Rennes. From there, he slowly regained form and played a key role in PSG’s season.
Though PSG ultimately fell to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League semi-finals, just one step shy of the final, they completed another domestic treble. Due to his injury, Mendes missed most of the campaign and, for the first time in his senior career, did not make the Team of the Season.
Best Season Yet: The 2024/25 Explosion
If missing the Team of the Season lit a fire under Mendes, the 2024/25 season was the explosion. He delivered his best football to date, anchoring PSG’s backline and driving their historic campaign.
Not only did PSG repeat the domestic treble, but they also finally lifted the elusive Champions League trophy. Mendes recorded five goal contributions in Europe, including goals in both legs of the quarter-finals vs Aston Villa. Defensively, he nullified Mohamed Salah across both legs of the Round of 16 and played a pivotal role in PSG’s 5–0 win over Inter in the final, helping keep a clean sheet.
And then came the Nations League…
Delivering for Portugal
Mendes carried his club form onto the international stage, starring for Portugal in the Nations League final. He successfully shut down Lamine Yamal, scored a crucial equalizer to make it 1–1, and later assisted Cristiano Ronaldo to level things again at 2–2. Portugal won the final in a penalty shootout.
That gave Mendes five major trophies in one season.
What Makes Nuno Mendes Special?
Nuno Mendes stands out as the most well-rounded fullback I’ve analyzed in recent years. Unlike players such as Trent Alexander-Arnold or Marcelo—known for their attacking strengths but often lacking defensive stability—Mendes maintains a strong balance between offense and defense. On the opposite end, Aaron Wan-Bissaka earned a reputation as one of the best one-on-one defenders during his time at Manchester United. However, he didn’t contribute much going forward (although he has improved in that aspect at West Ham, he still isn’t regarded as a top fullback offensively).
With Nuno Mendes, you get the best of both worlds. He is very solid defensively, typically staying back in a back three while Achraf Hakimi pushes higher up the field alongside Vitinha in midfield. Mendes times his tackles exceptionally well in one-on-one situations, and even if he gets beaten, he has the pace to recover and win the ball back. In the 2024/25 season, he boasts an above 50% success rate for defensive actions, and during that time, he has won possession 108 times, showing that less than one in two attacking actions can get past him, according to Opta stats.
When on the ball, Mendes shows great technical ability, regularly escaping pressure and driving play forward. We saw this during the Nations League final, where he was a constant threat in the final third. Even if PSG lose possession while he’s advanced, Mendes uses his stamina and speed to recover quickly and help defend, often stopping opponents from punishing his team on the break.
He is one of the best attacking fullbacks, as well as one of the top defensive fullbacks. His FBref profile supports this, as he ranks in the top 90th percentile for several metrics.
Stat Breakdown (FBref – Last 365 Days vs Peers in Top 5 Leagues, UCL & UEL):
- Non-Penalty Goals: 93rd percentile (0.14 per 90)
- Non-Penalty xG: 94th percentile (0.13 per 90)
- Expected Assisted Goals: 90th percentile (0.18 per 90)
- Shot-Creating Actions: 90th percentile (3.17 per 90)
- xG + xA Combined: 94th percentile (0.31 per 90)
- Progressive Passes: 95th percentile (6.49 per 90)
- Successful Take-Ons: 95th percentile (1.61 per 90)
The Best Signing Since 2020?
Consider that Nuno Mendes is likely to continue improving, especially since he just turned 23 years old. He has made the Team of the Season in 4 out of 5 seasons as a top-flight professional. Under the guidance of two-time treble-winning coach Luis Enrique, the sky’s the limit for him. In terms of both cost and impact on the team, you could argue that he has been one of the top signings since 2020, if not the best.
PSG, fresh from knocking out Bayern while down to nine men in the Club World Cup and looking poised to reach the final, continues to rely on Nuno Mendes, who has been crucial to their success. We could see him lift another trophy, bringing his total for the season to six.