Marauding Mendes flourishes for PSG and has World Cup in sights

He does not grab too many of the headlines among Paris Saint-Germain’s plethora of stars, but Nuno Mendes has been so impressive charging forward down the left wing for the reigning European champions that he might now stake a claim to be the world’s best fullback.

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"I see myself as a good fullback but I don't like to say I am the best," the 23-year-old Portugal international said in an interview at the PSG's training ground just outside the French capital.

Left-back Mendes has scored three goals and set up three more in 11 matches this season, including a goal and an assist in last week's 7-2 Champions League win at Bayer Leverkusen and a brilliant run to set up Senny Mayulu for the equaliser in the 2-1 defeat of Barcelona.

Perhaps the only other fullback on a level with Mendes just now is Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi, who occupies the right-back position in Luis Enrique’s PSG side.