Excellent acceleration and sprint speed let Mendes beat wingers to the outside, recover when turned, and join counters.

He’s comfortable on the ball and can pick out progressive passes from deep or the touchline.

Quick reactions improve his ability to intercept, win 50/50s, and respond to ricochets in the box. This helps him both defensively (cutting out passes) and offensively (pouncing on loose balls).

High/high work rates, he’ll consistently bomb forward and track back, perfect for systems that rely on full-backs as supplementary attackers. You won’t often have to worry about him being out of position for long.

Strong standing tackles, good marking and positioning make him reliable in 1v1s and when shielding the centre-backs.

Good balance of strength and agility: he can shoulder off opponents, keep possession under pressure, and still turn quickly.