Joel Mendes

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Joel Mendes

| image =

| full_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1946|6|25|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil

| death_date = {{death date and age|2024|12|9|1946|6|25|df=yes}}

| death_place= Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil

| height = 1.76 m

| position = Goalkeeper

| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Santa Felicidade-PR

| years1 = 1967–1969 | clubs1 = Coritiba | caps1 = | goals1 =

| years2 = 1970–1975 | clubs2 = Santos | caps2 = | goals2 =

| years3 = 1972 | clubs3 = → Portuguesa (loan) | caps3 = 17 | goals3 = 0

| years4 = 1973 | clubs4 = → Coritiba (loan) | caps4 = | goals4 =

| years5 = 1974 | clubs5 = → Vitória (loan) | caps5 = | goals5 =

| years6 = 1975–1977 | clubs6 = Bahia | caps6 = | goals6 =

| years7 = 1977–1979 | clubs7 = Santa Cruz | caps7 = | goals7 =

| years8 = 1979–1981 | clubs8 = Colorado-PR | caps8 = | goals8 =

| years9 = 1980 | clubs9 = → Santa Cruz (loan) | caps9 = | goals9 =

| years10 = 1982 | clubs10 = Operário-MS | caps10 = | goals10 =

| years11 = 1983 | clubs11 = Nacional-SP | caps11 = | goals11 =

| years12 = 1984 | clubs12 = Colorado-PR | caps12 = | goals12 =

| years13 = 1984 | clubs13 = Paranavaí | caps13 = | goals13 =

}}

Joel Mendes (25 June 1946 – 9 December 2024) was a Brazilian professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

Career

Revealed by Coritiba in the late 1960s, Joel Mendes stood out for the elasticity and speed of his jumps, which earned him a move to Santos in 1970. He also had a notable spell at Vitória, where he was elected Bola de Prata for his performance in the 1974 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A.{{cite web|url=https://placar.com.br/placar/bola-de-prata-placar-1974/ |title=Bola de Prata Placar 1974 |website=Placar |date=7 August 2015 |access-date=10 December 2024 |language=pt}} In 1975 he had another spell at Santos, but moved to Bahia, where he was state champion in 1975, 1976 and 1977.

After retiring from football in 1984, he became the owner of a bakery in Curitiba.{{cite web|url=https://terceirotempo.uol.com.br/que-fim-levou/joel-mendes-2030 |title=Que fim levou? Joel Mendes (ex-goleiro do Santos e do Coxa) |website=Terceiro Tempo |access-date=10 December 2024 |language=pt}}{{cite book|title=Almanaque da Lusa |publisher=Fundação Cásper Líbero |year=2007 |author1=Érico Faria Loreto |author2=Márcio Monteiro Alencar |author3=Rafael Ribeiro Emiliano|author4=Thiago Teixeira de Azevedo}}{{cite web|url=https://www.umdoisesportes.com.br/coritiba/coritiba-joel-mendes-morre/ |title=Ídolo do Coritiba, goleiro Joel Mendes morre aos 78 anos |website=Um Dois Esporte |date=9 December 2024 |language=pt}}{{cite web|url=https://www.tribunapr.com.br/arquivo/lendas-vivas/joel-mendes-deixou-curitiba-para-ganhar-o-mundo/ |title=Joel Mendes deixou Curitiba para ganhar o mundo |website=Tribuna PR |date=25 November 2013 |access-date=10 December 2024 |language=pt}}

Death

Mendes died from a stroke in Curitiba, on 9 December 2024, at the age of 78.{{cite web|url=https://ge.globo.com/pr/futebol/noticia/2024/12/09/joel-mendes-ex-goleiro-de-coritiba-santos-e-vitoria-morre-aos-78-anos.ghtml |title=Joel Mendes, ex-goleiro de Coritiba, Santos e Vitória, morre aos 78 anos |website=GloboEsporte |date=9 December 2024 |language=pt}}