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David Mendes da Silva

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Not to be confused with David Silva (footballer, born October 1986).

David Mendes da Silva
Mendes da Silva with Red Bull Salzburg in 2012
Personal information
Full name Davide Miquel Mendes da Silva Gonçalves
Date of birth (1982-08-04) 4 August 1982 (age 42)
Place of birth Rotterdam, Netherlands
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Youth career
Activitas
Sparta Rotterdam
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999–2004 Sparta Rotterdam 117 (8)
2003 → Ajax (loan) 0 (0)
2004–2006 NAC Breda 56 (5)
2006–2010 AZ 109 (9)
2010–2013 Red Bull Salzburg 43 (4)
2013–2015 Panathinaikos 38 (0)
2016–2017 Sparta Rotterdam 9 (0)
Total 363 (26)
International career
2007–2009 Netherlands 7 (0)
Managerial career
2015–2016 Panathinaikos (assistant)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

David Miquel Mendes da Silva Gonçalves (Dutch pronunciation: [daːˈvit ˌmɛndəz daː ˈsɪlvaː];[a] born 4 August 1982) is a Dutch former professional footballer of Cape-Verdian ancestry. During his career, he played for Red Bull Salzburg, AZ, Sparta Rotterdam, Ajax, Panathinaikos and NAC Breda. He was a versatile player who could play all over midfield and in defence, and was known for his dribbling technique as well as his tackling.

In 2023, Mendes da Silva was sentenced to seven years in prison for charges related to drug trafficking large amounts of cocaine, selling cocaine, and for bribing a shipping clerk for €100,000.

Club career

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Born in Rotterdam, Mendes da Silva started his career at hometown club Sparta Rotterdam, graduating through their youth system, signing a professional contract in 1999 and departing in 2004; he spent some time on loan at Ajax in 2003 without making any official appearances. The next stop in his career was NAC Breda, where he made 56 appearances, scoring five goals, across two seasons.

In 2006, he was signed by AZ Alkmaar on a five-year deal. He was a regular at AZ for four seasons which included a Dutch title triumph in 2008–09, making 119 appearances and scoring 11 goals in all competitions.

Mendes da Silva playing for Panathinaikos in 2014

In 2010 he transferred for an undisclosed fee to Red Bull Salzburg, whose coach Huub Stevens had identified Mendes da Silva as a major transfer target; he signed a three-year contract with the Austrian side. He had previously worked with Stevens' assistant Ton Lokhoff during his spell at NAC Breda.[1][2]

On 20 October 2009, Mendes da Silva scored a 93rd-minute equaliser against Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League to give his team somewhat of a historic result. He stayed with Red Bull until February 2013.[3]

On 4 July 2013, Mendes da Silva signed for Greek club Panathinaikos, managed by former Roda JC and Ajax triker Giannis Anastasiou,[4] on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee.[5][6] With his new team he won the Greek Cup in the 2013–14 season against PAOK with a 4–1 scoreline, and after finishing first in the Super League playoffs Panathinaikos played in the third and playoff rounds of the UEFA Champions League, where they were defeated and dropped into the group stage of the 2014–15 UEFA Europa League.

International career

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He having played for the Dutch U-20s team at the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship (losing to Egypt in the quarter-finals), Mendes da Silva made his full international debut for the Netherlands on 7 February 2007. In total he earned seven caps, with his last appearance for the Oranje in 2009, coming on in the 84th minute of a 0–0 draw with Australia.[7]

Honours

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AZ

Red Bull Salzburg

Panathinaikos

Arrest and conviction

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In August 2022, Mendes da Silva was arrested as part of an investigation into drug trafficking in the Netherlands. In July 2023, he was found guilty of directly importing 179 kilos of cocaine, preparing the import of more than 1,300 kilos of cocaine, selling cocaine, and bribing a shipping clerk €100,000 to find out the locations of shipping containers holding drugs. Mendes da Silva was sentenced to seven years in prison.[8][9]

See also

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  • Quincy Promes – another Dutch professional footballer involved with cocaine smuggling

Notes

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  1. ^ In isolation, Mendes is pronounced [ˈmɛndəs].

References

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  1. ^ "Mendes da Silva signs up for Salzburg". uefa.com. 9 July 2010.
  2. ^ "Official: Netherlands International David Mendes Da Silva Leaves AZ For Red Bull Salzburg". goal.com.
  3. ^ "Παναθηναϊκός: Έβαλε Νταβίντ Μέντες Ντα Σίλβα στη "μηχανή" του". betarades.gr. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  4. ^ "Mendes da Silva moves to Greeceeed". www.football-oranje.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  5. ^ "Panathinaikos F.C. and Mendes da Silva have agreed". paomprosta.gr. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  6. ^ "Panathinaikos inks Dutch Mendes da Silva". goltv.ca. Archived from the original on 19 April 2015.
  7. ^ "Mendes da Silva moves to Greeceeed". www.football-oranje.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  8. ^ "Ex-Netherlands international David Mendes da Silva sentenced to seven years in prison for drug trafficking". goal.com.
  9. ^ "Ex-Netherlands footballer sentenced to seven years in prison for cocaine smuggling plot". mirror.co.uk.
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