Famous athletes you didn’t know are from Cape Verde

Ryan Mendes

29-year-old Mendes was born in Cape Verde. He began his playing career with hometown club Batugue Fc. He was sold to French side Le Havre AC in 2009 with his first game against AS Saint – Etienne. He joined Lille in 2012 but missed the second half of the first season after having surgery on a right ankle tendon.

He joined English side, Nottingham Forest on a season-long loan scoring his first goal in a 1-1 draw with Huddersfield Town.

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