Zezinho (Bissau-Guinean footballer)
Bissau-Guinean footballer
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José Luís Mendes Lopes (born 23 September 1992), known as Zezinho, is a Bissau-Guinean professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Cypriot club Omonia Aradippou and the Guinea-Bissau national team.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | José Luís Mendes Lopes[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 23 September 1992[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Bissau, Guinea-Bissau[1] | ||
| Height | 1.76 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Omonia Aradippou | ||
| Number | 77 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Sporting Bissau | |||
| 2008–2011 | Sporting CP | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008 | Sporting Bissau | 6 | (0) |
| 2011–2014 | Sporting CP | 5 | (0) |
| 2011–2012 | → Atlético (loan) | 22 | (0) |
| 2012–2016 | Sporting CP B | 61 | (2) |
| 2013–2014 | → Veria (loan) | 25 | (1) |
| 2014 | → AEL Limassol (loan) | 2 | (0) |
| 2016–2017 | Levadiakos | 17 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | Senica | 39 | (0) |
| 2019 | Damac | 11 | (0) |
| 2021 | Marsaxlokk | 4 | (0) |
| 2021– | Omonia Aradippou | 27 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2010– | Guinea-Bissau | 31 | (2) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 20:10, 1 November 2022 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 25 June 2019 | |||
Club career
Born in Bissau, Zezinho finished his development with Sporting CP after joining its youth system at the age of 16.[2] He made his debut as a senior in the 2011–12 season, being loaned to Atlético Clube de Portugal[3] and helping them to the ninth position in the Segunda Liga.
Subsequently, returned to the Estádio José Alvalade, Zezinho appeared almost exclusively with the B team during his tenure. His maiden Primeira Liga appearance occurred on 13 January 2013, as he came on as a 75th-minute substitute for Zakaria Labyad in a 2–0 away win against S.C. Olhanense.[4]
Zezinho served a further two loans before being released in June 2016, at Veria F.C. from the Super League Greece[5] and Cypriot First Division club AEL Limassol.[6]
International career
Zezinho earned his first cap for Guinea-Bissau on 4 September 2010 – 19 days before his 18th birthday – in a 1–0 home victory over Kenya for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Selected to the 2017 edition of the tournament by manager Baciro Candé,[7] he featured in three games[8] in an eventual group stage exit.
Zezinho was also included in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations squad.[9]
International goals
- As of 4 June 2016 (Guinea-Bissau score listed first, score column indicates score after each Zezinho goal)[10]
| No | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 5 September 2015 | 24 de Setembro, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau |  Congo | 1–3 | 2–4 | 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
| 2. | 4 June 2016 | 24 de Setembro, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau |  Zambia | 1–0 | 3–2 | 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |
