The Portuguese agent was speaking at the Leading the Game conference, organised by Católica Porto School of Business and Economics and Liga Portugal Business School as part of its Executive MBA in Football.
Discussing the difficulty of identifying and backing young talent, Mendes used Bernardo’s career as an example of how early assessments can be misleading.
“Several times they told me: ‘Jorge, forget it, you have no chance. Bernardo Silva will never be an important player. At most, he will play in the first or second division, perhaps at a club like Paços de Ferreira’,” Mendes said.
He explained that judgements about young players can be particularly subjective in academy football, where clubs may favour those who are physically stronger rather than recognising different technical qualities.
“Everything is very subjective, even more so when players are in the academy, because there are clubs that prioritise players who are physically stronger.”
Bernardo’s route was not straightforward. After moving to Monaco, Mendes said the club did not initially want to keep him beyond his first season, forcing the agent to persuade the president that the midfielder deserved to stay.
“Everyone said no. He went to Monaco, and after the first year they did not want to keep him. I had to convince the president.”
Mendes said Bernardo was a possession-based player rather than someone whose game depended on running everywhere, and believed Manchester City would provide the right environment for his qualities.
“He was a possession player, not one of those who run everywhere, and that is also why he went to City, which was the team for him.”
Bernardo went on to establish himself among Portugal’s leading players and joined Real Madrid after leaving Manchester City in 2026. Mendes said his career ultimately demonstrated how far initial judgements had been from the level he reached.
“It then became clear that we were also looking at one of the best players in the history of Portuguese football.”
The agent’s account underlined his argument that talent identification requires patience and conviction, particularly when a young player does not fit the physical profile that clubs may initially favour.