{{short description|Bissau-Guinean footballer (born 1998)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Houboulang Mendes | image = Houboulang Mendes.jpg | full_name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1998|5|4}} | birth_place = [[Courcouronnes]], France | height = 1.84m | position = [[Defender (association football)#Full-back|Right back]] | currentclub = [[Servette FC|Servette]] | clubnumber = 17 | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = [[ES Viry-Châtillon|Viry-Châtillon]] | youthyears2 = | youthclubs2 = Juvisy-sur-Orge AF | youthyears3 = 2013–2015 | youthclubs3 = [[Stade Lavallois|Laval]] | years1 = 2015–2018 | clubs1 = [[Stade Lavallois|Laval II]] | caps1 = 15 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2017–2018 | clubs2 = [[Stade Lavallois|Laval]] | caps2 = 28 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2018–2022 | clubs3 = [[FC Lorient|Lorient]] | caps3 = 77 | goals3 = 0 | years4 = 2019 | clubs4 = [[FC Lorient II|Lorient II]] | caps4 = 2 | goals4 = 0 | years5 = 2022–2025 | clubs5 = [[UD Almería|Almería]] | caps5 = 21 | goals5 = 0 | years6 = 2024 | clubs6 = → [[CD Mirandés|Mirandés]] (loan) | caps6 = 5 | goals6 = 0 | years7 = 2024–2025 | clubs7 = → [[ES Troyes AC|Troyes]] (loan) | caps7 = 29 | goals7 = 1 | years8 = 2025–2026 | clubs8 = [[Fortuna Sittard]] | caps8 = 6 | goals8 = 0 | years9 = 2026– | clubs9 = [[Servette FC|Servette]] | caps9 = 16 | goals9 = 0 | nationalyears1 = 2023– | nationalteam1 = [[Guinea-Bissau national football team|Guinea-Bissau]] | nationalcaps1 = 4 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | club-update = 26 May 2026 | ntupdate = 22 January 2024 }} '''Houboulang Mendes''' (born 4 May 1998) is a professional [[Association football|footballer]] who plays for [[Swiss Super League]] club [[Servette FC|Servette]]. Mainly a [[Defender (association football)#Full-back|right back]], he can also play as a [[Defender (association football)#Centre-back|central defender]].<ref>{{soccerway|houboulang-mendes/406075}}</ref> Born in France, he plays for the [[Guinea-Bissau national football team|Guinea-Bissau national team]].
==Club career== Mendes joined [[Stade Lavallois|Laval]]' youth setup at the age of 15, after playing for Juvisy-sur-Orge AF and [[ES Viry-Châtillon]].<ref name=OF>{{cite web|url=https://www.ouest-france.fr/sport/football/stade-lavallois/laval-houboulang-mendes-n-pas-fini-de-grandir-5337879|title=À Laval, Houboulang Mendes n’a pas fini de grandir|trans-title=In Laval, Houboulang Mendes has not finished growing|publisher=[[Ouest-France]]|language=fr|date=27 October 2017}}</ref> After playing for the reserve team, he made his first team debut on 19 May 2017, coming on as a late [[Substitute (association football)|substitute]] for [[Malik Couturier]] in a 2–1 [[Ligue 2]] home loss against [[Nîmes Olympique]], as his side was [[2016–17 Ligue 2|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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.lequipe.fr/Football/Actualites/Houboulang-mendes-laval-signe-pour-quatre-ans-a-lorient/925366|title=Houboulang Mendes (Laval) signe pour quatre ans à Lorient|trans-title=Houboulang Mendes (Laval) signs for four years with Lorient|publisher=[[L'Équipe]]|language=fr|date=24 July 2018|accessdate=11 July 2022}}</ref> He was regularly used until February 2019, when he suffered a [[knee]] injury.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://maligue2.fr/2019/02/05/lorient-lesion-du-ligament-croise-du-genou-droit-pour-houboulang-mendes-qui-va-etre-opere/|title=Lorient – Lésion du ligament croisé du genou droit pour Houboulang Mendes, qui va être opéré|trans-title=Lorient – Anterior cruciate ligament of the right knee of Houboulang Mendes, who will undergo surgery|publisher=MaLigue2|language=fr|date=5 February 2019|accessdate=11 July 2022}}</ref>
Mendes returned to action in October 2019, playing for the B-side before making three first team appearances as Lorient [[2019–20 Ligue 2|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]].<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Almería|url=https://www.udalmeriasad.com/en/notice/ud-almeria-strengthen-back-line-with-signing-of-houboulang-mendes|title=UD Almeria strengthen back-line with signing of Houboulang Mendes|date=6 July 2022|access-date=7 July 2022}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.udalmeriasad.com/noticias/mendes-quinto-jugador-en-salir-cedido-se-va-al-mirandes|title=Mendes, quinto jugador en salir cedido, se va al Mirandés|trans-title=Mendes, fifth player to leave on loan, goes to Mirandés|publisher=UD Almería|language=es|date=1 February 2024|accessdate=1 February 2024}}</ref>
On 27 August 2024, Mendes returned to France after agreeing to a one-year loan deal with [[ES Troyes AC]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.udalmeriasad.com/en/news/mendes-se-marcha-cedido-al-troyes-de-la-ligue-2-de-francia|title=Mendes shipped out to French side ESTAC Troyes|publisher=UD Almería|date=27 August 2024|accessdate=28 August 2024}}</ref> Upon returning, he terminated his contract with Almería on 8 August 2025.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.udalmeriasad.com/en/news/el-club-llega-a-un-acuerdo-con-mendes-para-rescindir-su-contrato|title=Houboulang Mendes leaves UD Almería after contract termination agreement|publisher=UD Almería|date=8 August 2025|accessdate=8 August 2025}}</ref>
On 8 August 2025, Mendes signed a three-year contract with [[Fortuna Sittard]] in the Netherlands.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Fortuna Sittard|url=https://fortunasittard.nl/nieuws/fortuna-haalt-met-mendes-extra-defensieve-kracht|title=Fortuna haalt met Mendes extra defensieve kracht|trans-title=Fortuna gains extra defensive strength with Mendes|date=8 August 2025|access-date=15 December 2025|language=nl}}</ref>
On 21 January 2026, Mendes moved to [[Servette FC|Servette]] in Switzerland for two-and-a-half years.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Servette FC|url=https://servettefc.ch/houboulang-mendes-rejoint-le-servette-fc/|title=Houboulang Mendes rejoint le Servette FC|trans-title=Houboulang Mendes joins Servette FC|date=|access-date=31 January 2026|language=fr}}</ref>
==International career== Born in [[Courcouronnes]], France, Mendes is of Senegalese and Bissau-Guinean descent.<ref name=OF/> He was called up to the [[Guinea-Bissau national football team|Guinea-Bissau national team]] for a set of [[2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification]] matches in September 2023.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.odemocratagb.com/?p=45790|title=Qualificação CAN’2023: BACIRO CANDÉ CHAMA ALAMA, OBLAK E PANOBU|website=O Democrata GB}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{BDFutbol|29394}}
{{Servette FC squad}} {{Guinea-Bissau squad 2023 Africa Cup of Nations}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mendes, Houboulang}} [[Category:1998 births]] [[Category:Sportspeople from Évry, Essonne]] [[Category:Footballers from Essonne]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:21st-century French sportsmen]] [[Category:21st-century Bissau-Guinean sportsmen]] [[Category:Bissau-Guinean people of Senegalese descent]] [[Category:French sportspeople of Bissau-Guinean descent]] [[Category:French sportspeople of Senegalese descent]] [[Category:Bissau-Guinean people of French descent]] [[Category:Men's association football defenders]] [[Category:French men's footballers]] [[Category:Bissau-Guinean men's footballers]] [[Category:Guinea-Bissau men's international footballers]] [[Category:Stade Lavallois players]] [[Category:FC Lorient players]] [[Category:UD Almería players]] [[Category:CD Mirandés footballers]] [[Category:ES Troyes AC players]] [[Category:Fortuna Sittard players]] [[Category:Servette FC players]] [[Category:Ligue 1 players]] [[Category:Ligue 2 players]] [[Category:Championnat National players]] [[Category:Championnat National 2 players]] [[Category:Championnat National 3 players]] [[Category:La Liga players]] [[Category:Segunda División players]] [[Category:Eredivisie players]] [[Category:Swiss Super League players]] [[Category:2023 Africa Cup of Nations players]] [[Category:French expatriate men's footballers]] [[Category:Bissau-Guinean expatriate men's footballers]] [[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Spain]] [[Category:French expatriate sportspeople in Spain]] [[Category:Bissau-Guinean expatriate sportspeople in Spain]] [[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in the Netherlands]] [[Category:French expatriate sportspeople in the Netherlands]] [[Category:Bissau-Guinean expatriate sportspeople in the Netherlands]] [[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Switzerland]] [[Category:French expatriate sportspeople in Switzerland]] [[Category:Bissau-Guinean expatriate sportspeople in Switzerland]]
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