By Mike Woitalla
Lucas Mendes stands 5-foot-5 — and is one of the top 18-year-old players in the USA.
Playing with adults as a young child probably hassomething to do with his ability to outwit his bigger foes.
“When I was 7 or 8 I started to go and play pickup with the men at the local high school,” says the Virginian, who onTuesday was named 2015-16 Gatorade National Boys Soccer Player of the Year. “They had to take it easy on me atfirst, but when I started to get older, I started to be able to beat them without them taking it easy on me.”
Photo courtesy Gatorade.
Mendes, who tookpart in a U.S. U-20 men’s national camp in January, won the award, which has a superb track record of predicting future pro stars, in the midst of a high school season for Washington-Lee.He’s notched 10 goals and five assists in 10 games for the Generals so far this season.
Mendes spent most of his youth ball with Arlington Soccer Association before joining D.C.United’s U.S. Soccer Development Academy team, for which eight scored goals in 13 games in the first half of the 2015-16 season. Then Mendes, who had committed to the University of Virginia,left D.C. United so he could help his high school win its first state championship. The Generals, with Mendes’ services for the first time, went undefeated in the regular season and are headed to theplayoffs.
Mendes credits his brother for getting him started in soccer.
“My big brother played soccer and I always wanted to be like him and I just fell in love with thegame,” said Mendes, whose brother Jason is 9 years older. “I just started keeping the ball at my feet, dribbling around all the time.
“I would go out in thestreet and juggle the ball around and trying moves. That was really the fun — trying to create moves.”
Photo courtesy Gatorade.
The skillhoned by so much time with ball and Mendes’ quickness more than compensate for his lack of size.
“I’m not that tall,” Mendes says. “I could never depend on mysize or strength and muscle people off the ball. When I was younger, I always played up so I had to have a good touch and not let people get near me.”
Besides his brother, Mendes’ uncle and his father,Paulo, a Portuguese immigrant born in Angola, played soccer and inspired Lucas. It was Paulo who introduced him at such a young age to men’s pickup soccer, in Fairfax,Virginia.
The Portuguese connection has influenced Lucas:
“I love Ronaldo! Benfica is my favorite Portuguese team.”
But he also admires theBrazilian Neymar and his favorite team “in the world” is Manchester City, thanks to another Brazilian.
“When I was younger my favorite player wasRobinho,” Mendes says. “He transferred to Manchester City [in 2008]. I followed Robinho and just fell in love with the club.”
Mendes is aware of the successof previous Gatorade award winners, such as Claudio Reyna, one of several Virginia-bound winners. “He’s a legend in the game in this country,” says Mendes.
The 2015 winner was Jack Harrison, who within a year was the No. 1 pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft. The 2014 winner Abu Danladi stars at UCLA and is on MLS’sradar. The 2013 winner Cristian Roldan plays for the Seattle Sounders; 2012 winner Ema Boateng for the Los Angeles Galaxy.
Gatorade National Boys Soccer Players of the Year
2015 Jack Harrison. 2014 Abu Danladi. 2013 Cristian Roldan.2012 Ema Boateng. 2011 Luis Rendon. 2010 Soony Saad. 2009 Dillon Powers. 2008 Chris Agorsor. 2007Brayan Martinez. 2006 Eric Alexander. 2005 Lee Nguyen. 2004 Patrick Phelan. 2003 Greg Dalby. 2002 Jordan Harvey.2001 Ned Grabavoy. 2000 Alecko Eskandarian. 1999 Kyle Martino. 1998 Nick Downing. 1997 Nick Garcia.1996 Andy Kirk. 1995 Pierre Venditti. 1994 Andriy Shapowal. 1993 Mike Fisher. 1992 Matt McKeon.1991 Claudio Reyna. 1990 Todd Haskins. 1989 Chris Henderson. 1988 Lyle Yorks. 1987 John Gwin. 1986Kevin Hundelt.
Hey felicidades to Mendes! But, why harp on his “small size” 5’6″??? Seem that the perpetuation of the taller players=better players continues to bet on! JUst the same, Lucas Mendes, show ’em how it’s done and good luck in the future!!!
That’s the Eurocentric and US athleticism mind set. Ric, you me and many others know that idea has hindered our soccer development. It’s slowly fading. I saw it, the over 6′ tall and above, over and over again with club, college and professional coaches, managers and owners. And, I must say it was almost exclusively Anglo views. That to is changing slowly. The best players aren’t the best because of how tall they are. Not sure their height is even in the top 7 or 8 criteria as to why their the best.
Most impressive about Mendes is his awareness, ability to take on pressure and recognition. There are probably dozens of Mendes type players who are overlooked and over coached.
Gifted player sees value in playing for his high school team … friends, school, community, something bigger than self, pride, leadership development, diverse challenges … And I’m quite sure his soccer future will not be ruined by playing for his high school for 3 months … Good for him!
Lucas Mendes – 5′-5″D Maradona – 5′-5″ Pele – 5′-8″S Giovinco – 5′-4″P Coutinho – 5′-7″L Messi – 5′-7″It’s only in the minds of US coaches that “real” athletes have to be 6′. The rest of the world has decided otherwise.Kid’s got handles, hope he stays healthy (ie referees don’t allow him to get mowed down by less skilled hacks) and continues to prove he has what it takes.
KUDOS AND A HUUUUUGE THANK YOU TO R2 DAD FOR SAYING IT LIKE IT IS! For crying out loud, this brings to mind when I coached at my community college here in LaLaLand: In the Spring semester I had starting a brand-spanking new team and held open tryouts, and whittled down the bunch to a manageable 25 potential players. Among the crow I spotted a slight, but wiry young man who looked to be around 16, that is until I interviewed him and was blown away when he told me that he was a Navy veteran and had gone through the Seal program but had been given a medical discharge. OK, I said, come back for a scrimmage; and next day to my utter surprise, being a veteran, standing at 5’4, he blew everyone away, fast, skillful, and certainly not afraid, making the team and earning the respect of the team. When he finished his two-year program, I asked him to assist me, he became my fitness coach, and also helped organize our women’s program, married, is a proud father, and is now refereeing on the side. I could go on and on, give you more stories, but one stands clear in my mind when he literally blew past several opponents and scored one of those beautiful goals we all remember. Yup, 5’4″… So go for the gold Lucas Mendes!!!
Oh look, the racist, Wooden Ships is back. At least he’s not telling us how Freddie Adu is the greatest US player of all-time. Hey, according to you, a smallish guy like Mendes never gets a shot in US club soccer. How do you explain this then?
Hope this dude is going to waste his time playing NCAA ball.
FPGN, you know nothing of me or my experiences in soccer for 6 decades. I would not refer to somebody like that without much more depth than what I’ve given. Evidently your experiences have been different, I’m glad. I said times are changing, in my advanced years, slowly. But I know of what I speak, from many of the clubs over the years, collegiate, professional and national team levels. Just doing a longitudinal look see at university coaches you can find the stereotype-prototypical that have dominated youth level soccer and what their foremost criteria involved, namely, stronger, taller, faster. I can tell you first hand the majority of college coaches, I use to be one, used heigth as a dis-qualifier. That too is changing.
Senor, “Fire PG Now,” I think you were hiding behind the door when they passed out the grey matter, however, your ranting and raving about things you little about, is pretty pathetic. And just to hope you’re put in your place, I just pray that “this dude gets himself a college athletic scholarship, and then goes on to play pro. and yes, Freddy Adu was one helluva young footballer, but was taken advantage of the effing agents and attorneys, as well as his first MLS coaches.
Wooden Ships said Pulisic is nothing compared to Freddy Adu and that only reason Adu isn’t a huge star is racism. Yes, racism from the countless coaches in every corner of the globe in charge of all the clubs where Freddy had rode the bench his entire career. He said Pulisic is basically garbage and only being hyped because he’s white. Not because he’s scoring goals and getting minutes for one of the biggest clubs in the world at 17.I agree that an overemphasis on size and pure athleticism has hampered the game in this country though.
Not sure why Ric wants this kid to hamper his development in NCAA ball. Hopefully he goes pro somewhere ASAP.
I have no idea where you made that leap FPGN. I think you might be confusing me with someone else. Pulisic is amazing, Freddy was amazing for a time. As a rule over time shorter players were not given the nod, as this was the topic of the article. It applied to all ethnicities. Let me extend you an olive branch FPGN, with that gesture I ask that you post some positive, not so angry, posts. I can’t remember a positive from you. Even your handle is angry. Life’s short. I’d call you brother but it might upset you.
If you weren’t the guy saying Freedy was a victim of racism and Pulisic is only being hyped because he’s white then I apologize. Got you confused with someone else. Sorry!
Height is an advantage for CBs and keepers. Being shorter has advantages too for field players–a lower center of gravity and shorter limbs are quicker.