2012, he sustained an injury which kept him out until the end of the season. He made his recovery in April 2012, where he went on to play the last few matches of the season. At the end of the 2011–12 Primeira Liga, he decided to end his playing career. International career Mendes made his debut for Portugal as a 57th-minute substitute for Rui Costa on 20 November 2002, during a 2–0 friendly win over Scotland. His second cap came on 12 February 2003 during a 1–0 defeat to Italy. After a six-year absence from international football, Mendes earned a surprise recall to the Portugal squad on 27 August 2008. He was given another surprise call up in October 2009, and started in the FIFA World Cup qualifier against Hungary, where he played the full match and set-up the second goal in Portugal's 3–0 win. He was then included in Carlos Queiroz's 23-man squad to represent Portugal at the 2010 World Cup, where he took part in every match, two as a starter against the Ivory Coast and North Korea and two as a substitute against Brazil and Spain. Career statistics Club International Honours Porto Primeira Liga: 2003–04 Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2003 UEFA Champions League: 2003–04 Taça de Portugal runner-up: 2003–04 Portsmouth FA Cup: 2007–08 FA Community Shield runner-up: 2008 Rangers Scottish Premier League: 2008–09 Notes References External links Living people 1979 births Sportspeople from Guimarães Portuguese footballers Association football midfielders Portugal international footballers 2010 FIFA World Cup players UEFA Champions League winning players FA Cup Final players Primeira Liga players Premier League players Scottish Premier League players Vitória S.C. players F.C. Felgueiras players FC Porto players Tottenham Hotspur F.C. players Portsmouth F.C. players Rangers F.C. players Sporting CP footballers Portuguese expatriate footballers Portuguese expatriate sportspeople in England Expatriate footballers in England Portuguese expatriate sportspeople in Scotland Expatriate footballers in Scotland