HE is a Champions League, treble-winning superstar who by his own admission recently “cancelled out” one of the most talented players around in Lamine Yamal.
Yet Paris Saint-Germain’s Nuno Mendes does not appear to be in the conversation when it comes to Ballon d’Or nominations ahead of September’s crowning. Why?
The 22-year-old full-back lit up Portugal’s Nations League final triumph over Spain on Sunday night, earning a Man of the Match award.
He scored a beautiful equaliser to make it 1-1 in the first half – a low driven effort any striker, including his 40-year-old teammate Cristiano Ronaldo, would have been proud of.
He then stepped up to rifle in an impressive spot-kick in the shoot-out, having given 17-year-old winger Yamal – a Ballon d’Or favourite – a night to forget in Munich, a real schooling in the arts of defending and positional domination.
Mendes said post-match: “It was a clash [with Yamal] like many others I have had during the season.
“I have faced up to many great players, very technically skilled players who can make a difference, but today I cancelled out Lamine and [did] not let him do what he does best.
“This helped the team and I am happy I helped the team to win this trophy. It’s all about being consistent.
“I have played many good games and it’s about the work I do individually and with the coaches at PSG and Portugal.
“The Ballon d’Or? I play with Ousmane [Dembele] and he had a wonderful season, Lamine also had a wonderful season. But Ousmane will be in the Club World Cup and Lamine won’t, so I’m very happy for Ousmane.
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“I wish him the best for the Ballon d’Or and I and his teammates will help him get there.
“I play my football; there are players who are closer to that prize. I don’t focus much on it.”
He can add modesty to his growing list of attributes, but why should Mendes be counting himself out of the most coveted individual award in football?
It is the peak of snobbery in the sport that the grandest of prizes – one that Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have dominated over the years – focuses on attackers and goal-getters.
It will likely carry on this year too. Barcelona’s Yamal, PSG’s Dembele and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah are the favourites.
As Jamie Carragher once famously said: “No one wants to grow up and be a Gary Neville”, but is that changing?
Full-backs are now sexy, admired, idolised and coveted.
Surely the day is coming where someone in that position will win the Ballon d’Or for the very first time.
Trent Alexander-Arnold has rewritten the full-back rule book in recent years with his passing ability and goal involvements, and has openly admitted to be eyeing the Ballon d’Or now as he prepares to don the shirt of Real Madrid next season.
Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly has emerged as another young full-back prodigy after scoring on his England debut back in March, someone who originally came through the Hale End academy as a midfielder.
But Mendes appears to be on another planet right now.
Against Spain, he had more successful dribbles, touches, tackles, final-third passes and successful duels in the opposition box than any other Portugal player.
He tasted Champions League glory against Inter Milan on May 31, having already pocketed a Ligue 1 and cup double, and could yet lift more silverware at the Club World Cup in the States next month.
The Ballon d’Or is often about goals, with Erling Haaland, Vinicius Jr, Robert Lewandowski and Sadio Mane coming close to winning it in recent editions.
Yet it is also about big titles, and very few players can rival Mendes in that regard, but because he is a defender, the limelight will likely – and perhaps wrongly – be on others.
Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk is the last defender to feature in the Ballon d’Or top three back in 2019, and you have to go back to 2006 for a defender to win it outright – Italy’s Fabio Cannavaro after leading his nation to a World Cup win.
Time is on Mendes’ side to replicate that and Manchester City holding midfielder Rodri’s recent win will encourage him.
Play a starring role in Portugal winning the World Cup across the pond next summer and full-backs may finally get their moment in the sun.
