Tribute to Fernando Mendes

The Portuguese League today announced a minute of silence at the start of all Liga NOS fixtures on matchday 28 and in Ledman LigaPro matchday 28, in tribute to Sporting's eternal captain, Fernando Mendes.

The statement from the League notes: "Fernando Mendes was national champion in 1958 and 1962 and was the captain of the Sporting team that won the Cup Winners' Cup (1964). As a coach, he was also won the youth (92/93) and senior (79/80) championships)."

The president of the Portuguese Football Federation also commented on the loss of Fernando Mendes: "It is with great sadness that I heard of the death of Fernando Mendes. He was a great player for the national team and Sporting Clube de Portugal, as well as being an icon for Portuguese coaches. Serving his club, he won three titles, a Cup Winners' Cup and he always did Portuguese football proud."

Bruno de Carvalho on the loss of captain Fernando Mendes

Bruno de Carvalho added his words to a growing list of dedications to Fernando Mendes today, after the Cup Winners' Cup captain sadly passed away at the age 0f 78.

"On the trip we made to Antwerp in May 2014, for the 50th anniversary of the Cup Winners' Cup Win, he couldn't make thr trip with us, but he was all we spoke about. It was his leadership and quality as a player and a coach. Today we lost the man who led the team in what was Sporting Clube de Portugal's first European trophy and he went on to claim his place as one of our heroes back home, winning the national championship as both a player and a coach", said the Sporting president, adding: "He was a man who stood our for showing us how men should behave. He is still one of the most emblematic icons of the Five Violins team and he is an example for everyone, including the players coming through the youth system. This isn't a goodbye Fenando Mendes, because like we said in Antwerp: diamonds are forever. On the day that the national team opened its new Football City, the world of football is that little bit poorer."

Cup Winners' Cup captain inspired both on and off the pitch

Sporting lost one of its great heroes today, with the captain of the club's Cup Winners' Cup team passing away at the age of 78.

Born in Seia, Fernando Mendes arrived in Lisbon aged just 10, with a natural talent with the ball at his feet. He joined Sporting five years later, tempted away from Benfica by his brother who was playing for Sporting's youth system at the time. It didn't take Mendes long to break into the senior team and in the 1957/58 season he made six a team in a championship winning side, full of stars including Travassos and Vasques.

1958 saw Mendes solidify his place in the team, with his determination nad leadership in the heart of midfield infecting everyone who played around him in Alvalade, but also wherever the Portuguese national team took to the pitch. He again won the national championship in 1962, but his most memorable moment came when he skippered the Sporting team that won the Cup Winners' Cup.

After a spell in South Africa with Lusitano and in the United Stated with Boston Astros, he returned to Portugal to coach Lourosa and eventually on to Vianense and back to his spiritual home of Alvalade to train the club's youth team in 1979. In November of that year he took over the senior team in place of Rodrigues Dias, leading Sporting to the 1980 national championship title with a memorable team which included Manuel Fernandes, Jordão, Inácio, Barão and Eurico. After leaving the club the following season, Mendes had spells coaching Marítimo, Belenenses, Farense and Trofense, only to once again return to Sporting to take on a variety of roles.

Sporting shares the most sincere condolences with all of Fernando Mendes' family and friends.

British magazine on one of Sporting's rising stars

The well-known British football website FourFourTwo has added to João Mário's already soaring fame. Portugal's last two international friendlies further affirmed the Alvalade midfielder's development this season, with a magnificent performance against Belgium seeing him pick out Cristiano Ronaldo for a decisive goal.

League announces matchday 30 fixture times

Sporting will visit Moreira de Cónegos at 20h45 on Saturday the 16th of April, to take on Moreirense on Liga NOS matchday 30.

Three-nil win against Jamaica puts Costa Rica in driving seat in CONCACAF group B.

Bryan Ruiz once again captained Costa Rica this week, this time for a 3-0 win against Jamaica that all put grantees his side top spot in CONCACAF group B.

After Borges opened the scoring in the 7th minute, the Alvalade forward found the back of the net in the 37th minute with a rocket of a shot. Venegas closed the scoresheet 12 minutes from time.

Tiago Martins for Liga NOS matchday 28

Tiago Martins, 25, from the Lisbon Football Association, has been named for Sporting's Liga NOS matchday 28 visit to Belenenses.

André Campos and Pedro Mota will act as linesmen.

This will be Martins' second Sporting match of the season, following the 0-0 draw in Guimarães on matchday 24.

Belenenses-Sporting CP will kick off at 21h00 on Monday the 4th of April, in Estádio do Restelo.

Academy renews EN ISO 9001:2008 stamp of approval

Sporting Clube de Portugal, Futebol SAD (Alcochete Football Academy), has once again been recognised with the International Organisation for Standardisation's quality management certificate, seeing the club once again awarded certificate NP EN ISO 9001:2008.

The external audit team analysed:

• Conformity and system effectiveness with the audit criteria;
• System Effectiveness for guaranteeing compliance with regulations, statutes, law and contract applicable to the activity of sports organisations (identification, control and verification of conformity);
• System effectiveness for guaranteeing continued compliance with defined objective and an organisational capacity to systematically provide a product and/or service in line with applicable requisites;
• Needs for improving the organisational system.

The certification was renewed after it was deemed that the Sporting Academy ticks all of the necessary boxes. The team responsible for the quality of Sporting's world famous academy would like to thank everybody involved.

Sales begin on Wednesday

Tickets for Liga NOS matchday 28, which will see Sporting visit Clube Futebol Os Belenenses, will go on sale at the Estádio José Alvalade ticket offices (from 10h to 20h) as follows:

WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY | Club Members with a 2015/2016 Gamebox
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY | Club Members
SUNDAY AND MONDAY | General public

A valid Gamebox or Member card must be shown (with March 2016 fees paid), with each card valid for one ticket. Each person can use a maximum of four cards.

Kick-off is scheduled for 21h00 on Monday the 4th of April, in Estádio do Restelo. Tickets are for the North Goal End and are priced at €13 each.

One-a-piece in friendly played in Rio Maior

Sporting B, bolstered by several youngsters from the club's under-19 squad, drew 1-1 with Japan's Olympic Team in a friendly in the Rio Maior Municipal Stadium this week.

With Guilherme Oliveira; Mama Baldé, Domingos Duarte, Tomas Rukas, Rúben Ribeiro; Kikas, Chaby, Francisco Geraldes; Luís Elói, Podence and Ponde given the nod for the opening whistle, Sporting raced out of the blocks and took the lead from the penalty spot through Podence, after the Japanese keeper brought down Ponde.

Japan made the most of a slowing of the pace as the game progressed and Sporting introduced several under-19 faces, drawing level from the penalty spot through Harakawa.