Jorge Mendes’ Improbable Rise as a Football Agent

Money making is an art and football is gradually appearing to turn in that direction. From the advertisements in and around stadiums, extensive sponsors’ logos on jerseys, to the huge wages players receive and the big money transfers the clubs are engaging in, money has become just as important in the football world. The beautiful game is more of a business, than it has ever been.

Talking about money’s role, representatives of the players and managers, known as agents, play a crucial role. Their sole purpose, to smartly increase their bank balance, whilst managing their client contracts with the club they’re playing for.

The agents also maintain a healthy relation with other clubs’ representatives for any possible transfer of the player. Besides, they also play a major role in negotiating the players’ wages, their transfer fees and other important clauses in a player’s contract, acting as their legal representatives. Agents are the bridge between a club and the players, acting as a link between the two sides.

One of the most renowned personalities in the business Jorge Mendes, has been with some of the biggest names including Cristiano Ronaldo and José Mourinho on his client list.

Mendes, who started his career as a footballer, struggled to take-off, and was continuously rejected by several clubs. However, during his playing time, he did acquire the knowledge about how the players are signed and traded. Post parting ways with football, he worked as a DJ, opened a video shop and even a bar and nightclub Mendes quickly realised that his expertise was elsewhere.

Getting back to football, Mendes founded his agency, Gestifute International, which provides agent services to footballers around the world. During his early days, Mendes’ involvement paved way for the current Wolves boss Nuno Espírito Santo, who was transferred to Deportivo de La Coruña from Vitória de Guimarães.

Over the years, the mastermind has established himself as the go-to guy for every football gem looking for a big transfer. The super-agent made a name for himself in 2003, when he brokered a move for Cristiano Ronaldo from Sporting CP to Manchester United, and again to Real Madrid in 2009. Mendes was also behind the move of Chelsea’s most successful manager, Jose Mourinho, from FC Porto, and made him the highest paid coach in the world at Real Madrid in 2010.

However, his rise was also riddled by controversies after Nani joined Manchester United in 2005. And his former agent, Ana Almeida accused Mendes of acquiring her player, while Nani was still under a contract with her.
Similarly, agent Gonçalo Reis was also abandoned mid-contract, before Mendes suddenly began to represent Bébé and got him transferred to Manchester United from Vitória de Guimarães.

The Portuguese has had an eye on all corners of the world, which definitely helped him win 3 consecutive ‘Agent of the Year’ awards between 2010-12. The 54-year-old is now registered with Portuguese Football Federation, and his list of clients include Bernardo Silva, Ederson, Joao Cancelo, James Rodriguez, Ángel Di María and Rúben Neves.

After the transfer of Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus in 2018, Jorge Mendes has negotiated more than $1 billion in active contracts, as per the Forbes’ 2019 list. The agent’s Midas touch in football business still remains intact. Even after more than two decades in the business, Mendes is known to be living the “Portuguese American Dream”.