🎤 Pedro Mendes Exclusive Interview and Euro 2024 Predictions

Pedro Mendes Gives his Views on Euro 2024

In this interview, Pedro Mendes shares his predictions for Euro 2024, highlighting favourites, key players, dark horses, and personal anecdotes about football legends.

🏆 Pedro Mendes's Euro 2024 Predictions! 🏆

🏆 Favorite to Win Euro 2024: Portugal

⚽ Golden Boot: - Cristiano Ronaldo

⭐ Golden Ball: - Kylian Mbappe

🐴 Dark Horses: - Holland

⚽ Prediction for Portugal's Group Matches:

  - Portugal vs Czech Republic: 2-0

  - Portugal vs Turkey: 2-1

  - Portugal vs Georgia: 2-0

Pedro Mendes Euro 2024 Predictions

Pedro Mendes

11 International Caps for Portugal

Q: Who will win Euro 2024?

PM: “My favourite for the tournament? Of course Portugal. Not because I'm Portuguese, but I really think that we have a great chance this year. We have a great team.”

Euro 2024 Betting Odds

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Q: Who will win the Golden Boot at Euro 2024?

PM: “Cristiano Ronaldo is a threat to everyone, he has a goal in him so Ronaldo will be one of the contenders for sure. But I think Kylian Mbappe and Harry Kane also have a strong chance to win the Golden Boot.”

Euro 2024 Golden Boot Betting Odds

Q: Who will win the Golden Ball at Euro 2024?

Kylian Mbappe is Pedros Mendes's prediction for Golden Ball WinnerPM: “Kylian Mbappe is always the biggest threat for France, so for sure if he's in good shape, which I hope he won't be as a rival, he's a contender, Jude Bellingham as well. But I honestly think if Bernardo Silva is at the top of game, I think he'll be a contender as well.

“He's a fantastic little player. So if he's on his game, if he's on his day, I think he has a chance as well.”

Q: Who are your dark horses at Euro 2024?

PM: “I think there are always the same favourites with Spain, Portugal, England and France. This year Spain have a fantastic team. But I like the look of Holland, they have a very good young team with a lot of talent like Xavi Simons, they can be a surprise.”

Q: How far will England get at Euro 2024?

PM: “One of the positive things about England is that they have been very steady regarding the management and there's a bunch of new players coming in with a lot of talent.

“The level of the Premier League has also increased a lot. But with their teams not being in the European finals this year, I think England have an even better chance.

“I think they have one of the biggest chances, my bet is for Portugal to beat England in the final. If you look at the depth of the Portugal team this year all over the pitch, the same for England.”

Q: Who will be Portugal’s star player at Euro 2024?

Bernardo Silva tipped to be key at Euro 2024 by Pedro Mendes
By Aleksandr Veprev - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, PM: “Two or three players that could be key for Portugal. One is Diogo Costa, the goalkeeper from Porto. He's a fantastic goalkeeper. If you want to win a tournament, your goalkeeper must be in top form. 

“Bernardo Silva will be important, as well as how Cristiano Ronaldo will be. He's getting older, of course, but he still takes the focus of rival players and still has his killer instinct. I think he will be at the tournament and if he’s in good shape he will be a key player.

“Maybe we need to put him in a different position, as more as a number nine. He is still quick but he doesn’t have the pace like he used to. This year with quality around him in the centre of the pitch and close to the box, close to goal, he can be lethal.”

Q: What is Cristiano Ronaldo like off the pitch?

PM: “Cristiano Ronaldo is really focused, he's a nice guy and he's really focused, really determined, he really knows what he wants. I played with him in South Africa in 2010, it'll be 14 years now. So he was still getting started.

“But at the time you could see his focus and the quality he had. He's a fantastic player, not only the technique, but the power, the mentality, the finishing he has. He is world class.”

Q: Who will be the star young players at Euro 2024 this summer?

PM: “One of the players linked with Manchester United, Joao Neves from Benfica. There's a lot of reports about him. He's a box-to-box little player, a fantastic player. He's a very good player.

“Then we have Francisco Conceicao from Porto. At the moment the Porto attack is all about him, he is so quick and is good at crossing, he is a very dangerous player he has to be in the squad. He could play in England.

“Goncalo Inacio from Sporting, central defender, left footed also has very interesting qualities.

“I’m not sure if Portugal will play with a line of three or four at the back, but if Portugal play with three central defenders then he could be on the left side.

“So I think these three, Conceicao, Joao Neves and Inacio, if they play then they will have an impact.”

Q: Could Joao Neves join Man Utd this summer?

PM: “I think one more year here in Portugal will be good for Joao Neves, he only started this year and only has one season under his belt so maybe it’s too soon to face the Premier League.

“Portugal's top division now is competitive and has a lot of quality, good teams, but to step up to the Premier League, maybe one more year in Portugal will do good for him.

“But eventually he's a player that if he goes to England, I'm sure he will do well.”

Q: What will Portugal fans be like at Euro 2024?

Portuguese Football Fans at Euro 20024
By Fritz Duras; original uploader was Trainspotter at de.wikipedia PM: “Portugal is a country that loves football, everyone. And when it comes to the national team, everyone gets really excited and we fill all the stadiums. 

“In Germany, there's a big, big Portuguese community. So for sure, all our games will be completely full from our side of the stadium, for sure it will be full for Portuguese fans. 

“We really like football and the players we have at the moment really encourage us to follow and to go behind the team.”

Q: What do you make of the new Portugal kit?

PM: “I like the classic kit, with the red and the green and sometimes the full white. We had a full white kit as well before, but now it is different.

“Nike want to make an impact, they want to honour one of the traditional ceramic tiles that you use in houses, in churches, in monasteries. A tribute to our tradition.

“So if you look at that point, that side of the kit is nice, it's okay. But I would prefer all white. All white would be good.”

Q: What is your prediction for Portugal vs Czech Republic?

PM: “The first game I think is really important to get the three points, right? Otherwise it can start to get into a mess. 

We have all the chances to finish top of the group, so I'll take the three wins! To start with, 2-0 would be good,”

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Q: What is your prediction for Portugal vs Turkey?

PM: “I don't agree with Colin Kazim-Richards and his 0-0 prediction.

“I think Portugal will score in every game but the Turkish are typically very aggressive and a very difficult team to play against. But I’ll go for 2-1 to Portugal.”

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Q: What is your prediction for Portugal vs Georgia?

PM: “After two wins, hopefully we can rest some players, maybe Joao Cancelo for Diogo Dalot, Bruno Fernandes out for Matheus Nunes or Raphael Guerreiro.

“But even if Roberto Martinez does rest players, I think we will win the game 2-0.”

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Q: Who were the biggest characters you played with for Portugal?

PM: “My first game was against Scotland back in 2002, which is funny because I went on to play for Rangers, I was 22 and I caught the end of a huge Portuguese era with Luis Figo and Rui Costa, that was a dream come true for me.

“Then I had years without playing and came back to play with a completely new generation with Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani.

“But if you look at the big picture and the world of football, the two biggest I played with are Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Figo.”

Q: What were Luis Figo and Cristiano Ronaldo like off the pitch?

PM: “They're great guys, really great guys. It's funny because when you look at some players on the pitch, you must think, that player is something, but he's the most fantastic outside of the pitch. 

“The game transforms sometimes. You can be a completely different person inside the pitch and outside the pitch. But both are great guys.”

Pedro Mendes Profile

Pedro Miguel da Silva Mendes (born 26 February 1979) is a retired Portuguese midfielder and a current football agent. Hailing from Guimarães, Portugal, Mendes began his football journey with Vitória de Guimarães. 

Pedro Mendes at Rangers
By Jim Easton - Flickr: Nacho Novo, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18413454

His career soared after joining Porto, where he won the UEFA Champions League in the 2003–04 season, leading to his move to the Premier League. 

Mendes joined Tottenham Hotspur in 2004 following his success with FC Porto. During his Premier League tenure, he was involved in a controversial moment when a clear goal against Manchester United was not acknowledged by officials. 

He soon moved to Portsmouth to revive his career and then to the Scottish Premier League side, Rangers. 

Internationally, Mendes earned 12 caps for Portugal and was part of the squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He retired after a final stint with his childhood club, Vitória de Guimarães, and now works as a football agent.

May 2024 Interview

Speaking exclusively to OLBG, former Premier League midfielder Pedro Mendes has explained why he sees Cristiano Ronaldo as a more complete player than Lionel Messi.

The ex-Tottenham man has also detailed why he is not surprised to see Bruno Fernandes having doubts over his future at Manchester United this summer.

The former Portugal international has also spoken honestly about Ben Thatcher’s challenge in 2006 after which he woke up in a hospital bed.

Q: What is your stance on the Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi debate?

PM: “I think we have witnessed the two greatest players of all time in the game, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, for years and years they competed at the highest level and have done fantastic things on the pitch, both of them are incredible.

“The debate always comes down to who you like more as a player, for more Cristiano Ronaldo is the more complete player, he proved he could win La Liga, the Premier League and Serie A and was the top scorer in all of them - for me that is a huge thing to do.

“Between him and Messi, Ronaldo wins that battle. Messi of course is a fantastic technical player, but we only saw him playing outside Spain for two years in France towards the end of his career and only now in MLS. 

“So we never knew how we would do in England in the Premier League where it is far more aggressive with more tackles, where Ronaldo did fantastically.

“In that debate there is a lot of controversy and opinion, but Ronaldo is a more complete player than Messi.”

Q: Was Ange Postecoglou right to slam Spurs fans who wanted to lose against Man City?

Ange Postecoglu
Image: shutterstockPM: “You can see where Ange Postecoglou stands from a managerial point of view, but you have to see why fans didn’t want their own team to win that game.

“It’s a funny situation and as a fan you’re never going to want to see your neighbours celebrating the Premier League title, it’ll just make you miserable. That’s completely understandable.

“But overall Postecoglou has brought some entertainment and joy to Spurs, they do like him and that’s a good thing for next season. 

“The club are together, but you can’t compare the squad depth to Manchester City or even Arsenal, it might not be enough to win trophies but they are going in the right direction.”

Q: Could Portsmouth do an Ipswich and get promoted to the Premier League?

Pompey fans at Wembley
Glenn Merrett, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia CommonsPM: “I would love to see Portsmouth promoted back into the Premier League, they are a fantastic club and I really enjoyed my time there. The fans are crazy and the stadium goes crazy with them!

“After losing in the playoffs a couple of years in a row they finally won promotion back to the Championship, but it won’t be easy going back-to-back into the Premier League.

“I think the next step is to stabilise themselves in the Championship and then start to think about getting back into the Premier League, staying in the Championship will still be a huge challenge.

“Ipswich did so well but back-to-back promotions are like a drop in the ocean. The Championship is probably the most competitive league in Europe.

“It’s a big step from League One into the Championship so I think it’ll be important to stabilise themselves there first, the big difference is in the squads so they will need to strengthen.”

Q: Can Rangers end the dominance of Celtic next season?

PM: “I was very lucky to play for Rangers, I have the most amazing memories and friends all over the place.

“It was a huge disappointment losing the game at Celtic Park because the title race was over, but it is a fantastic club and the pressure comes with having to win every single game, a draw feels like a defeat so the players have to be prepared for that.

“With all the trouble they had this year that did so well to almost have an amazing comeback, going from eight points to being so close before a poor run of results so hopefully they can rebuild on that.

“They need to make some signings next summer and go for the title again, it would be good for everyone.

“In Scotland if things aren't perfect in the beginning of the season then it can be impossible to catch up, in our year we did come back from seven points behind to win, but they won’t want to be in that position next year.”

Q: What was it like to win the Champions League under Jose Mourinho?

PM: “At the time Jose Mourinho was the big thing and fair play to him, he was really different from the coaches I had at the time. 

“But when you go through your career, you look at the managers you have had, under Jose Mourinho everything must be perfect, everything, like moving a training cone five centimetres to the right. 

“Then you have Harry Redknapp who was just the complete opposite! Then you have Sir Walter Smith who was the most gentlemanly man you could ever meet.

“But Jose Mourinho at the time was the reason for our success.”

"The Special One"
Oleksandr Osipov//shutterstock

Q: Could Jose Mourinho return to the Premier League?

PM: “Jose Mourinho definitely brings a lot of interest as well as controversy about players, teams and everything.

“I think it will be difficult for one of the top teams in England to come for him as he’s already been at United, Chelsea and Spurs, but the English game does suit him, It would be great to see him return there again.”

Q: Should Bruno Fernandes leave Manchester United this summer?

PM: ”It’s not easy being a Manchester United player at the moment because the team is struggling and dropping points everywhere. Look at the conflict the manager has had with Cristiano Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho too.

“When the results aren’t going well, then you see conflict between the manager and the players, the air is not clean to breathe at United at the moment.  

“It wouldn’t be a surprise to see Bruno Fernandes wanting to leave, maybe he will want a fresh start this summer. Or maybe United will change, if things start to get better he will be happier, but I’d understand if he wanted to leave.”

Q: Did your ghost goal at Old Trafford help technology into the game?

PM: “It’s hard for me to speak about the ghost goal because it was so clear, the technology is used to check between an inch, not a yard inside the goal. At the time we were fighting for Europe too.

“A win there would’ve been a historic win for Spurs at Old Trafford and would’ve meant so much to us but it wasn’t meant to be.

“After all these years when people debate goal line technology they still use that goal as an example. It was not good for the game, but good that it helped lead to goal line technology.”

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Q: How do you reflect on Ben Thatcher’s challenge on you?

PM: “I woke up in hospital after the Ben Thatcher challenge, but luckily the worst thing I felt afterwards was just being unsettled, as well as some pains. It took me a couple of games to actually start playing properly again.

“The main thing for me is worrying about my future, I fear that the injury could lead to more incidents or injuries in the brain. I know the game can be aggressive but what he did was illegal.

“The most important thing for me was to put it behind me or I'd never have been able to play the game again. I’d have been afraid to go into a challenge, afraid to tackle, I had to reset and keep moving forward.”

Q: Can Spurs end their silverware drought next season?

PM: “Spurs have the right manager to end their silverware drought but they need to settle now. They need to add two or three signings and improve slowly in certain areas of the pitch.

“But I think they are heading in the right direction. I think now with Ange they have a good core group of players, what Chelsea have done in making so many signings does not bring success.

“They need to add value to the team but believe in the process, football takes time but you never know, amazing things could happen next season for Spurs.”