Tiago Mendes

The Portuguese defender Tiago Cardoso Mendes started his career in 1999 when he joined Braga. In the following season he was promoted to the main squad. So he managed to help his club achieve the fourth place in the championship earning a UEFA Cup place.

Braga sold the midfielder to Benfica where he spent a very good first season (2002/03) during which he scored remarkable 13 goals earning silver medals for the Portuguese side. In 2004 Tiago also obtained the Portuguese Cup.

Mendes moved to Chelsea on July 20, 2004 and having played 51 games with 4 goals claimed himself as a firm starter. That season Mendes helped Chelsea win the English League Cup.

When Chelsea purchased Michael Essien Tiago had to leave for Lyon. He became one of the leaders of the squad and played 37 games with 7 goals for the French side. One of his goals brought them the title of the champions of France (5th time in a row). Tiago became even more productive when Mahamadou Diarra left for Real Madrid.

Then Mendes moved to Juventus in June of 2007 but his career there wasn’t a success. He had to move to Atlético Madrid on loan in January of 2010. There he again became a firm starter. After the first half-season loan was over but Tiago didn’t want to return to Juventus as there was no place for him in the Italian squad but he managed to become one of the key players in Spain. So Atlético loaned him again and then in 2011 they bought out the transfer of the Portuguese. Tiago Mendes made 24 appearances for the Spanish side through the season 2011/12.

Tiago Mendes had an intense international career. He was one of the finalists of the home UEFA European championship of 2004 and one of those to bring Portugal to the semifinals of the 2012 World Cup. In total Tiago Mendes has made 58 appearances for the senior national team and scored 3 times.