Houboulang Mendes

Houboulang Mendes

Personal information
Date of birth	(1998-05-04) 4 May 1998 (age 27)
Place of birth	Courcouronnes, France
Height	1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Right back
Youth career
	Viry-Châtillon
	Juvisy-sur-Orge AF
2013–2015	Laval
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2015–2018	Laval II	15	(0)
2017–2018	Laval	28	(0)
2018–2022	Lorient	77	(0)
2019	Lorient II	2	(0)
2022–2025	Almería	21	(0)
2024	→ Mirandés (loan)	5	(0)
2024–2025	→ Troyes (loan)	29	(1)
International career‡
2023–	Guinea-Bissau	4	(0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 11 May 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 22 January 2024

Houboulang Mendes (born 4 May 1998) is a professional footballer. Mainly a right back, he can also play as a central defender. ^[1] Born in France, he plays for the Guinea-Bissau national team.

Club career

Mendes joined Laval' youth setup at the age of 15, after playing for Juvisy-sur-Orge AF and ES Viry-Châtillon. ^[2] After playing for the reserve team, he made his first team debut on 19 May 2017, coming on as a late substitute for Malik Couturier in a 2–1 Ligue 2 home loss against Nîmes Olympique, as his side was already relegated.

A regular starter in the 2017–18 Championnat National, Mendes left Laval on 24 July 2018, and signed a four-year deal with FC Lorient in the second division. ^[3] He was regularly used until February 2019, when he suffered a knee injury. ^[4]

Mendes returned to action in October 2019, playing for the B-side before making three first team appearances as Lorient achieved promotion to Ligue 1. He made his debut in the category on 23 August 2020, starting in a 3–1 home win over RC Strasbourg Alsace.

On 6 July 2022, Mendes moved abroad for the first time in his career, signing a four-year contract with La Liga side UD Almería. ^[5] Initially a backup to Alejandro Pozo, he was demoted to third-choice after the arrival of Marc Pubill, and was loaned to Segunda División side CD Mirandés on 1 February 2024. ^[6]

On 27 August 2024, Mendes returned to France after agreeing to a one-year loan deal with ES Troyes AC. ^[7] Upon returning, he terminated his contract with Almería on 8 August 2052. ^[8]

International career

Born in Courcouronnes, France, Mendes is of Senegalese and Bissau-Guinean descent. ^[2] He was called up to the Guinea-Bissau national team for a set of 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches in September 2023. ^[9]

References

1. Houboulang Mendes at Soccerway
2. "À Laval, Houboulang Mendes n'a pas fini de grandir" [In Laval, Houboulang Mendes has not finished growing] (in French). Ouest-France. 27 October 2017.
3. "Houboulang Mendes (Laval) signe pour quatre ans à Lorient" [Houboulang Mendes (Laval) signs for four years with Lorient] (in French). L'Équipe. 24 July 2018. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
4. "Lorient – Lésion du ligament croisé du genou droit pour Houboulang Mendes, qui va être opéré" [Lorient – Anterior cruciate ligament of the right knee of Houboulang Mendes, who will undergo surgery] (in French). MaLigue2. 5 February 2019. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
5. "UD Almeria strengthen back-line with signing of Houboulang Mendes". Almería. 6 July 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
6. "Mendes, quinto jugador en salir cedido, se va al Mirandés" [Mendes, fifth player to leave on loan, goes to Mirandés] (in Spanish). UD Almería. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
7. "Mendes shipped out to French side ESTAC Troyes". UD Almería. 27 August 2024. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
8. "Houboulang Mendes leaves UD Almería after contract termination agreement". UD Almería. 8 August 2025. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
9. "Qualificação CAN'2023: BACIRO CANDÉ CHAMA ALAMA, OBLAK E PANOBU". O Democrata GB.

External links

• Houboulang Mendes at BDFutbol