Barcelona set to sign Ronaldinho's son

Cameron Smith

• 12 Jan 2023 16:06 GMT
• 3 min read

Barcelona are working on completing the signing of Ronaldinho's son, Joao Mendes de Assis Moreira, according to reports in Spain.

Ronaldinho, 42, is a Blaugrana club legend after netting 94 goals and providing 70 assists in 207 appearances after arriving at Camp Nou from Paris Saint-Germain in 2003.

The Brazilian left the club as a hero when he departed to join AC Milan, and even received a standing ovation when he featured in a Barcelona legends game against Real Madrid in 2021.

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Now, he is working with Barcelona President Joan Laporta to ensure his son follows in his footsteps and plays for the Blaugrana.

Mendes, Ronaldinho's son, has terminated his contract at Brazilian side Cruzerio and he is now undergoing tests at Barcelona, according to Spanish publication SPORT.

Mendes, 17, plays as a forward and was contracted to Cruzerio until 2024, but he has cut the deal short and could sign for Barcelona soon.

READ: Neymar, Ronaldinho & eight players who almost joined Chelsea

He joined Cruzerio as a 14-year-old in 2019, and reportedly didn't let people know that he was the son of Ronaldinho in a bid to make his own name in football.

However, he could now follow his father and sign for Barcelona, one of the biggest clubs in world football.

Ronaldinho at Barcelona

Ronaldinho helped massively raise the profile of Spanish football and ensured Barcelona were able to compete with Real Madrid in the top flight, despite Los Blancos' huge spending power.

In total, the Brazilian won five trophies at Barcelona and was awarded the 2005 Ballon d'Or, which came while he was playing for the club. He also won The Best Fifa Men's Player award in both 2004 and 2005, and won the UEFA Best Player in Europe award in 2006.