Diogo Mendes is not a household name in European football — yet his journey from Benfica’s academy to representing Cape Verde on the international stage tells a compelling story.
If you have searched for Diogo Mendes net worth, salary, or career earnings, this guide breaks down everything that is publicly known.
Diogo Mendes’s Biography
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Diogo Alexandre de Almeida Mendes |
| Date of Birth | January 24, 1998 |
| Age | 28 years old |
| Place of Birth | Faro, Portugal |
| Nationality | Cape Verdean (Portuguese descent) |
| Height / Weight | 1.82 m (6’0″) / 76 kg (168 lb) |
| Position | Defensive Midfielder (CDM) |
| Current Club | FC Rapid București (contract expires June 2026) |
| Turned Professional | 2016 (Benfica B) |
| Estimated Net Worth | ~$250,000 |
| Monthly Salary | €14,500/month |
| Annual Salary | ~€174,000/year |
Early Life & Career
Diogo Mendes was born on January 24, 1998, in Faro, Portugal, a city in the southern Algarve region.
He carries Cape Verdean heritage through his family, which would later define his international path.
From a young age, Mendes showed enough technical ability to attract attention from one of Portugal’s biggest clubs. He joined Benfica’s famed youth academy and worked his way through the age groups before earning a place in the club’s reserve side.
The Benfica youth system is widely regarded as one of Europe’s most structured development programs, and graduating from it speaks to Mendes’s early potential.
He also had stints representing Portugal at youth international level before eventually choosing to represent Cape Verde as a senior international — a decision that brought him greater visibility on the African stage.
Professional Career
Mendes made his first senior appearances for Benfica B in Portugal’s second division, the LigaPro, starting in the 2016–17 season.
Over several seasons, he accumulated consistent minutes in the reserve team but never made a Primeira Liga appearance for the main Benfica squad.
According to Flashscore career data, he made 72 total appearances across all competitions for Benfica B.
The real turning point came in July 2021 when he signed for CS Marítimo in the top flight of Portuguese football.
He spent three solid seasons on the island of Madeira, featuring regularly across Primeira Liga and Liga Portugal 2 campaigns.
His best statistical season at Marítimo came in 2023–24, when he started 32 league games and scored 2 goals while accumulating 9 yellow cards — a sign of his combative defensive style.
In August 2024, FC Rapid București signed him for a reported fee of €200,000, bringing him to Romania’s Superliga. However, his time at Rapid has been severely disrupted by injury.
Club president Victor Angelescu confirmed in early 2026 that Mendes had not played a meaningful minute in over 18 months and would leave the club when his contract expires in June 2026.
On the international stage, Mendes earned his first senior Cape Verde call-up in October 2023 and has so far collected 4 international caps with no goals.
Diogo Mendes Net Worth Details
As of 2026, Diogo Mendes has an estimated net worth of approximately $250,000.
He built this wealth primarily through professional football contracts in Portugal and Romania, most recently earning €14,500 per month at FC Rapid București — a salary he continued collecting even while injured.
Contract
Mendes joined FC Rapid București in August 2024 on a contract running until June 30, 2026.
According to Romanian sports media, Rapid paid a transfer fee of €200,000 to CS Marítimo to secure his services. His time in Bucharest, however, was largely spent on the sidelines due to a persistent injury.
Club president Victor Angelescu publicly stated in March 2026 that the club would not renew his deal, citing his lack of contribution during the contract period.
The Transfermarkt profile for Diogo Mendes currently places his market value at just €50,000, reflecting his long absence from competitive football.
Salary
At FC Rapid București, Diogo Mendes earned a confirmed salary of €14,500 per month, which equals approximately €174,000 per year.
During his three seasons at CS Marítimo in Portuguese football, he would have earned a salary consistent with a regular first-team squad player in the Primeira Liga — estimated at between €5,000 and €10,000 per month based on the club’s typical wage structure for mid-tier players.
While at Benfica B, his earnings were likely in the range of €1,500 to €3,000 per month, standard for reserve-team footballers in Portugal at that level. His peak earning period has been his time in Romania, despite not playing.
Career Earnings By Year
| Season | Club | League | Est. Monthly Salary | Est. Annual Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016–2021 | Benfica B | LigaPro (Portugal) | ~€2,000 | ~€24,000/yr |
| 2021–2022 | CS Marítimo | Primeira Liga | ~€6,000 | ~€72,000 |
| 2022–2023 | CS Marítimo | Primeira Liga | ~€7,000 | ~€84,000 |
| 2023–2024 | CS Marítimo | Liga Portugal 2 | ~€6,000 | ~€72,000 |
| 2024–2026 | FC Rapid București | Superliga (Romania) | €14,500 | ~€174,000/yr |
Career Statistics
Club Career
| Season | Club | Competition | Apps | Goals | Assists | Yellow Cards | Red Cards |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016–17 | Benfica B | LigaPro | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2017–18 | Benfica B | LigaPro | 14 | 0 | — | 3 | 1 |
| 2018–19 | Benfica B | LigaPro | 11 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2019–20 | Benfica B | LigaPro | 14 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 |
| 2019–20 | Benfica U23 | Liga Revelação | 1 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 |
| 2020–21 | Benfica B | Liga Portugal 2 | 31 | 3 | — | 4 | 0 |
| 2021–22 | CS Marítimo | Primeira Liga | 27 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 |
| 2022–23 | CS Marítimo | Primeira Liga | 22 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 |
| 2023–24 | CS Marítimo | Liga Portugal 2 | 32 | 2 | — | 9 | 1 |
| 2024–25 | FC Rapid București | Superliga | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 155 | 6 | 0 | 28 | 2 |
International Career
| National Team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Verde | 2023 | 1 | 0 |
| Cape Verde | 2024 | 3 | 0 |
| Total | 4 | 0 |
FAQs
What is Diogo Mendes’s net worth?
Diogo Mendes has an estimated net worth of approximately $250,000. He earned this primarily through professional contracts in Portugal with CS Marítimo and in Romania with FC Rapid București.
How much does Diogo Mendes earn per month?
At FC Rapid București, he earned €14,500 per month — confirmed by Romanian sports media. That equals roughly €174,000 per year, making it his highest-paid contract to date.
What club does Diogo Mendes play?
His contract at FC Rapid București expires, and the club confirmed it will not renew the deal. He is currently a free agent as of mid-2026.
How many caps does Diogo Mendes have for Cape Verde?
He has earned 4 senior international caps for Cape Verde since his debut in October 2023, scoring no international goals across those appearances.
Where was Diogo Mendes born?
Diogo Mendes was born in Faro, Portugal, on January 24, 1998. He is of Cape Verdean descent and chose to represent Cape Verde internationally rather than Portugal.
