Thiago Mendes

• Full name: Thiago Mendes Rocha
• Date of birth: June 15, 1992
• Place of birth: São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil
• Nationality: Brazilian
• Primary position: Central/Defensive midfielder
• Other positions: Box-to-box midfielder, occasional right-back (earlier in career)

Club career (highlights)

• Vasco da Gama (youth career) — developed in their academy.
• São Paulo (2013–2015) — established himself in Brazil’s top flight, known for energy, passing and defensive contribution.
• Lille OSC (2015–2017) — moved to Europe and performed in Ligue 1, demonstrating versatility in midfield.
• Olympique Lyonnais (Lyon) (2017–2020) — signed by Lyon and became a regular midfield presence, contributing with defensive work, ball progression and occasional goals/assists.
• Olympique de Marseille (loan 2020, then permanent 2020–2022) — joined Marseille first on loan and then permanently, continuing to play in Ligue 1.
• Atlético Mineiro (from 2022) — returned to Brazil to play in Série A.

Style of play

• Energetic, combative central midfielder with good tactical discipline.
• Strong at breaking up play and covering ground, able to shield the backline.
• Comfortable on the ball, capable of short progressive passing and linking defense to attack.
• Provides leadership and work-rate; useful in both defensive and box-to-box roles.

Notable facts

• Moved from Brazil to Europe in 2015 and had multiple seasons in France’s Ligue 1.
• At Lyon he was part of a competitive midfield rotation and involved in domestic and European campaigns.
• Has been capped at youth levels for Brazil and was considered a reliable professional in club football.

Basic statistics (approximate, to give context)

• Appearances and goals vary by club and season; during his Lyon spell (2017–2020) he made around 80–90 appearances across all competitions and contributed several goals and assists.
• Exact current totals should be checked on up-to-date statistical sources for the latest season-by-season numbers.