After joining an unexpected English team, the son of footballing star Ronaldinho has seen his career take an odd new turn. Although he hasn’t yet reached the heights the 2005 Ballon d’Or winner did, 20-year-old Joao Mendes is hoping to follow in his legendary father’s footsteps by blazing his own trail in the beautiful game.
When Mendes joined Burnley in 2024 after leaving the Barcelona youth setup, many were taken aback. However, the young player was released by the Clarets after a year of service, during which time he played exclusively with their under-21 team, making him a free agent. However, it now seems that he will be able to return to his career at a similarly improbable location.
The son of Ronaldinho has joined the championship team.
The young right-winger is expected to join Hull City, who are presently 17th in the Championship with four points from four games, according to a report from Hull Live. They narrowly triumphed 3-2 over Oxford United in a fiercely contested match.
It is not anticipated that Mendes will immediately stand out in the starting lineup. Rather, like at Burnley, he is probably going to spend the majority of his football playing for the under-21 team at Bishop Burton College.
Before relocating to Barcelona’s renowned La Masia, where his father had established his reputation during a dazzling career, Mendes initially honed his skills in Rio at Cruzeiro’s academy. He made five appearances in the Premier League Cup during the previous season, scoring against Reading and dishing out two assists in both home and away games against Luton.
The young talent has already discussed the strain of being the son of one of the greatest players of his generation, stating that he prefers to forge his own path rather than be compared to the Barcelona great.
According to Mendes, “I want to be Joao, regardless of anything,” in February 2025.
“I never desired to be my father, and I never made an effort to do so. Therefore, I believe it was a good beginning and a good step for me to move away from where he played [Barca] and what’s nearby.
“Whether you like it or not, I believe that people on the outside want you to be someone you’re never going to be. Being here is pleasant.
“Because they already knew what would happen, my parents never really encouraged me to pursue it. You can’t help it, though, when passion speaks louder.
“One of the greatest players of the game, if not the greatest, was my father. It is therefore a source of pride to be his son and to be able to discuss him. And I try to play football the way I want, without pressure, and without including my father in the process.”
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