(CNN) — Barcelona announced the signing of 18-year-old Joao Mendes, son of former Brazilian soccer legend Ronaldinho, who previously played for the Catalan team.
Mendes signed a deal, Thursday, to join Barcelona, from Brazilian club Cruzeiro.
The youngster, who had previously concealed his identity as the son of the former Brazil star when he first joined Belo Horizonte, came to Barcelona for a trial in January before signing for the club permanently.
Mendes will join Barcelona’s famous ‘La Masia’ academy, which has produced some of the club’s greatest talents such as Pep Guardiola (now Manchester City coach), Lionel Messi (now playing for Paris Saint-Germain), and Xavi (currently coach of the Catalans).
Mendes is a left-footed attacker, who prefers playing as a striker but can play anywhere up front.
The young man follows in the footsteps of his father, who spent five successful years with the “Blaugrana”, as he participated in 207 matches and scored 94 goals.
During his time in Catalonia, Ronaldinho won two La Liga titles and the UEFA Champions League as well as a host of individual awards, including the 2005 Ballon d’Or.
Ronaldinho was at Barcelona with his son, as well as recently appearing in the Kings League for former teammate Gerard Pique.
The tournament, which kicked off in December, is a 7-man competition that Pique started alongside other Spanish players, celebrities and former footballers.
Each team has been selected by their coaches via a draft, plus there are two additional options for guests, such as Ronaldinho, who joins the squad for one match, and other superstars who will play in that competition include Sergio Agüero, Javier Saviola, Joan Capdevila and Iker Casillas.
Among its bizarre rules, which were voted on by fans on social media, are penalties taken from the middle of the field.
Matches are broadcast live on Twitch, YouTube and TikTok, and Ronaldinho’s appearance has attracted more than two million viewers across various streaming sites, according to esports charts.
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