| Zezinho | |
| Fullname: | José Luís Mendes Lopes[1] |
| Birth Date: | 23 September 1992 |
| Birth Place: | Bissau, Guinea-Bissau |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Currentclub: | Omonia Aradippou |
| Clubnumber: | 77 |
| Youthyears2: | 2008–2011 |
| Youthclubs2: | Sporting CP |
| Years1: | 2008 |
| Caps1: | 6 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Years2: | 2011–2014 |
| Caps2: | 5 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Years3: | 2011–2012 |
| Clubs3: | → Atlético (loan) |
| Caps3: | 22 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Years4: | 2012–2016 |
| Caps4: | 61 |
| Goals4: | 2 |
| Years5: | 2013–2014 |
| Clubs5: | → Veria (loan) |
| Caps5: | 25 |
| Goals5: | 1 |
| Years6: | 2014 |
| Clubs6: | → AEL Limassol (loan) |
| Caps6: | 2 |
| Goals6: | 0 |
| Years7: | 2016–2017 |
| Caps7: | 17 |
| Goals7: | 0 |
| Years8: | 2018–2019 |
| Caps8: | 39 |
| Goals8: | 0 |
| Years9: | 2019 |
| Caps9: | 11 |
| Goals9: | 0 |
| Years10: | 2021 |
| Caps10: | 4 |
| Goals10: | 0 |
| Years11: | 2021– |
| Caps11: | 27 |
| Goals11: | 0 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2010– |
| Nationalcaps1: | 31 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 2 |
| Club-Update: | 20:10, 1 November 2022 (UTC) |
| Nationalteam-Update: | 25 June 2019 |
José Luís Mendes Lopes (born 23 September 1992), known as Zezinho, is a Bissau-Guinean professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Cypriot club Omonia Aradippou and the Guinea-Bissau national team.
Born in Bissau, Zezinho finished his development with Sporting CP after joining its youth system at the age of 16.[2] He made his debut as a senior in the 2011–12 season, being loaned to Atlético Clube de Portugal[3] and helping them to the ninth position in the Segunda Liga.
Subsequently, returned to the Estádio José Alvalade, Zezinho appeared almost exclusively with the B team during his tenure. His maiden Primeira Liga appearance occurred on 13 January 2013, as he came on as a 75th-minute substitute for Zakaria Labyad in a 2–0 away win against S.C. Olhanense.[4]
Zezinho served a further two loans before being released in June 2016, at Veria F.C. from the Super League Greece[5] and Cypriot First Division club AEL Limassol.[6]
Zezinho earned his first cap for Guinea-Bissau on 4 September 2010 – 19 days before his 18th birthday – in a 1–0 home victory over Kenya for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Selected to the 2017 edition of the tournament by manager Baciro Candé,[7] he featured in three games[8] in an eventual group stage exit.
Zezinho was also included in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations squad.[9]
(Guinea-Bissau score listed first, score column indicates score after each Zezinho goal)[10]
| No | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 5 September 2015 | align=center | 1–3 | align=center | 2–4 | 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification | |||
| 2. | 4 June 2016 | 24 de Setembro, Bissau, Guinea-Bissau | align=center | 1–0 | align=center | 3–2 | 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification |