Football fans were left stunned by the appearance of a former Premier League star and Champions League winner who looks unrecognisable from his playing days.
The 45-year-old made a rare appearance at the Scottish Masters Football event earlier this week representing his former club Rangers.
It’s been 12 years since his hung up his boots, but supporters probably thought they would easily recognise the ex-Tottenham and Portsmouth midfielder thanks to his trademark long hair.
They were therefore caught off guard to see that Pedro Mendes has trimmed back his hair and is now sporting a thick grey beard also.
Mendes began his career with hometown club Vitoria de Guimaraes, before joining Portuguese giants Porto, then-managed by a young Jose Mourinho.
Though he only spent one season there, it was a memorable one as Porto stunned the world to win the Champions League in 2004, as well as the Primeira Liga.
He moved to Spurs shortly after, where he was infamously denied a wonder goal against Manchester United.
Mendes hit a speculative, 55-yard shot, with keeper Roy Carroll fumbling his catch and spilling the ball into his own net, only for referee Mark Clattenburg and his linesman to be the only people at Old Trafford to miss that the ball had clearly crossed the line.
After just 18 months at White Hart Lane, Mendes was sold to Portsmouth and played a key role in keeping them in the Premier League.
He later started the 2008 FA Cup final, helping Pompey beat Cardiff 1-0 at Wembley before departing for Rangers where he won the Scottish Premier League in 2009.
He returned to Portugal via Sporting Lisbon, before finishing his career where it began at Vitoria in 2012.
Mendes also won 11 caps for his country, playing for Portugal at the 2010 World Cup.
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