Burnley have secured the signing of Joao Mendes, the son of Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho.
This was confirmed by Fabrizio Romano in a Tweet on Wednesday evening; “Ronaldinho’s son João Mendes has signed in as new Burnley player.”
Mendes, a dual citizen of Brazil and Spain, began his football journey at Flamengo’s youth academy before moving through the ranks of Vasco de Gama and Boavista-RJ.
Mendes picked interest in football at the age of four, when he asked his mother to enroll him in a football school.
His talent quickly became evident, and in 2019, he signed a six-year contract with Cruzeiro after impressing scouts with his agility and goal-scoring abilities during a trial.
Interestingly, Cruzeiro’s scouts were unaware that the promising youngster was Ronaldinho’s son, as Mendes had deliberately kept his identity hidden.
After three years at Cruzeiro, Mendes left to explore opportunities elsewhere, eventually landing a trial with Barcelona.
Despite the similarities in their playing style, both capable of playing as second-strikers and attacking midfielders, Ronaldinho stands out with his quick feet and left-footed sharpness.
In terms of stature, Mendes is also built differently with a stature of 5’8″, slightly shorter than his father’s imposing presence.
Now at Burnley, Mendes will aim to make a name for himself, just as his father did during his active career.