Ryan Mendes

Cape Verde's all-time most capped player and leading goalscorer, Ryan Mendes is the cornerstone of the Blue Sharks for over 15 years, captaining the team at the 2023 AFCON and leading them to their historic 2026 World Cup qualification.

Mendes began his professional career with Le Havre AC in France, scoring 13 goals in the 2011–12 Ligue 2 season to earn a place in the UNFP Team of the Year. He transferred to Lille for €3 million in 2012, competing in European competition, before loan spells including Nottingham Forest in England. Subsequent stints in Turkey's Süper Lig and the UAE Pro League followed, where he won the UAE Pro League title with Sharjah in 2018–19.

Internationally, Mendes made his Cape Verde debut and became an ever-present for over 15 years, representing the Blue Sharks at four AFCON tournaments (2013, 2015, 2021, 2023) and serving as captain. He holds both the caps record (98) and the goals record (22) for Cape Verde — a dual record unique in the nation's history — and played a pivotal role in their breakthrough 2026 World Cup qualification.