Sandro Mendes

Sandro
Personal information
Full name Sandro Miguel Laranjeira Mendes
Date of birth (1977-02-04) 4 February 1977 (age 47)
Place of birth Pinhal Novo, Portugal
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Central midfielder
Youth career
1987–1989 Pelezinhos
1989–1995 Vitória Setúbal
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1997 Vitória Setúbal 41 (3)
1997–1999 Hércules 62 (2)
1999 → Villarreal (loan) 2 (0)
1999–2000 Salamanca 23 (3)
2000–2005 Vitória Setúbal 137 (5)
2005 Porto 0 (0)
2005 → Manisaspor (loan) 4 (0)
2006–2010 Vitória Setúbal 102 (3)
2010–2011 Ceuta 24 (1)
2011–2012 Naval 26 (2)
Total 421 (19)
International career
1996–1997 Portugal U21 8 (0)
1998 Portugal U20 4 (0)
2004–2007 Cape Verde 9 (0)
Managerial career
2014–2015 Alcacerense
2019 Vitória Setúbal
2021–2022 Amora
2022–2023 Comércio Indústria
2023 Pêro Pinheiro
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Sandro Miguel Laranjeira Mendes (born 4 February 1977), known simply as Sandro, is a Cape Verdean former professional footballer who played as a central midfielder, currently a manager.

Most of his career was spent with Vitória de Setúbal, where he played for three separate spells. In the Primeira Liga, he amassed totals of 195 matches and six goals over nine seasons.

Sandro was born in Portugal, and holds Portuguese citizenship. Internationally, he played for Portugal's under-20 and under-21 teams before representing Cape Verde at senior level.

Club career

Sandro was born in Pinhal Novo, Setúbal District, Portugal. He started his career at Vitória de Setúbal and made his Primeira Liga debut in 1995, but moved to Hércules CF in the Spanish Segunda División aged 19 in 1997.

In January 1999, Sandro joined La Liga club Villarreal CF on loan, but made just two appearances in a six-month spell in a season that ended in relegation. He returned to Spain's second tier the following campaign, with UD Salamanca.[1]

After another five-year spell with Vitória Setúbal, FC Porto acquired Sandro's services for 2005–06.[2] Having failed to make a competitive appearance, he was loaned to Turkey's Manisaspor until January 2006, when he rejoined Vitória for a third stint.[3]

In the 2009–10 season, Sandro played 26 matches and scored once, in a 2–1 away win against relegation rivals Leixões S.C. on 14 March 2010,[4][5] as Setúbal retained top-flight status. In July 2010 the 33-year-old left for Spain again, signing for Segunda División B side AD Ceuta where he was joined by several compatriots.[6]

Prior to the start of the 2011–12 campaign, Sandro signed with Associação Naval 1º de Maio of the Portuguese Segunda Liga.[7]

International career

Sandro won 12 caps for Portugal at youth level, four at under-20 and eight at under-21.[8] He chose to represent Cape Verde as a senior, making his debut on 5 June 2004 in a 2–1 away loss to South Africa in the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

Coaching career

After retiring, Mendes returned to Vitória de Setúbal as youth system coordinator and under-17 coach.[9][10] In 2014, he was appointed manager of amateurs AC Alcacerense where he completed his coaching licence.[11]

Mendes returned to the Estádio do Bonfim in June 2016, again being in charge of the youth system.[12] He then became Vitória's director of football.[13]

On 25 January 2019, after the dismissal of Lito Vidigal, Mendes was named head coach until the end of the season,[14] and Jorge Andrade was named as his assistant.[15] On 26 October, following a 0–0 home draw against C.S. Marítimo that still left the team above the relegation zone, he was dismissed.[16]

Mendes returned to active on 27 September 2021, taking charge of Amora F.C. in the Portuguese third division.[17]

Criminal charges

In March 2013, Mendes was arrested by the National Counterterrorism unit of the Judicial Police, which was competent to investigate the crime of kidnapping. He was suspected of abducting his 31-year-old ex-wife and raping her, and also of the repeated practice of domestic violence on his former partner and mother of his youngest daughter.[18]

Honours

Vitória Setúbal

References

  1. ^ Díaz, José M. (14 March 2013). "Ex jugador de Salamanca, Hércules y Villarreal detenido por violencia doméstica" [Former Salamanca, Hércules and Villarreal player arrested for domestic violence] (in Spanish). Todo Mercado Web. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  2. ^ "Porto plump for Sandro". UEFA. 9 June 2005. Retrieved 27 April 2007.
  3. ^ Pereira, Sérgio (3 December 2005). "F.C. Porto: Sandro rescindiu com o Vestel Manisaspor e regressou a Portugal" [F.C. Porto: Sandro cut ties with Vestel Manisaspor and returned to Portugal] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  4. ^ Figueiredo, João Tiago (14 March 2010). "Leixões-V. Setúbal, 1–2 (crónica)" [Leixões-V. Setúbal, 1–2 (report)] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  5. ^ "Sandro substitui Djikiné entre os mais faltosos" [Sandro replaces Djikiné aongst those with more fouls] (in Portuguese). SAPO. 3 May 2010. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
  6. ^ "Sandro Mendes y Vítor Moreno, presentados" [Sandro Mendes and Vítor Moreno, presented]. El Faro de Ceuta (in Spanish). 13 July 2010. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
  7. ^ "Sandro assina pela Naval 1.º de Maio" [Sandro signs for Naval 1.º de Maio] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 19 July 2011. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  8. ^ "Sandro" (in Portuguese). Portuguese Football Federation. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
  9. ^ "Entrevista ao treinador da equipa de juvenis do Vitória de Setúbal Sandro Mendes" [Interview to Vitória de Setúbal juniors team coach Sandro Mendes] (in Portuguese). Sul Desporto. 14 August 2013. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  10. ^ Fernandes, João (16 April 2015). "Entrevista de Sandro Mendes, ex. capitão do Vitória de Setúbal ao DIÁRIO DA REGIÃO "Alcacerense foi o clube escolhido para fazer o estágio do fim de curso de treinador de Nível II"" [Interview of Sandro Mendes, former Vitória de Setúbal captain to DIÁRIO DA REGIÃO "Alcacerense was the chosen club for end to stage of Level II manager course"] (in Portuguese). Sport Setúbal. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  11. ^ "Sandro Mendes treina Alcacerense" [Sandro Mendes manages Alcacerense]. Jornal O Leme (in Portuguese). 10 September 2014. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  12. ^ Aguiar, Fábio (19 October 2017). "O filho sadino que sonha criar novos craques" [The son of Sado who dreams of creating new stars]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  13. ^ "Lito Vidigal: "Estou aqui a concluir um sonho"" [Lito Vidigal: "I am here realising a dream"]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 23 May 2018. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  14. ^ "Sandro Mendes vai orientar o Vitória de Setúbal até ao final da temporada" [Sandro Mendes at the helm of Vitória de Setúbal until end of the season] (in Portuguese). Rádio Renascença. 25 January 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  15. ^ "Jorge Andrade será treinador-adjunto no Vitória de Setúbal" [Jorge Andrade will be assistant manager at Vitória Setúbal] (in Portuguese). SAPO. 9 February 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  16. ^ Magalhães, Sérgio (26 October 2019). "Oficial: Sandro já não é o treinador do V. Setúbal" [Official: Sandro is no longer V. Setúbal's manager]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  17. ^ Gouveia Pereira, Miguel (27 September 2021). "Sandro Mendes é o novo treinador do Amora" [Sandro Mendes is the new manager of Amora]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  18. ^ "Sandro Mendes, ex-jogador do Vitória de Setúbal, detido" [Sandro Mendes, former Vitória de Setúbal player, arrested]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). 13 March 2013. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  19. ^ "V. Setúbal triunfante 38 anos depois" [V. Setúbal triumphant 38 years later] (in Portuguese). TSF. 29 May 2005. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
  20. ^ "Vitória de Setúbal é o primeiro vencedor da Taça da Liga" [Vitória de Setúbal are the first winners of the League Cup]. Público (in Portuguese). 22 March 2008. Retrieved 8 January 2018.