The Colombian lost his brother over the summer, but the tragic assassination appears to have inspired the forward, who scored three goals in his first three games back.

Mental strength

"He was in good shape when he returned, even though he was absent over the summer," his coach, Luke Elsner, explained to the Ligue 1 Show on beIN SPORTS. "Mentally, he's very strong, he just wants to play and to be part of the project. He's a very good player and he's been a valuable addition for us up front!"

Watch: Mendoza's best goal so far this season helped Amiens to a 3-1 win over Marseille!

Amiens' top scorer with four goals in six games, Mendoza has played a key role in helping his side make their best ever start to a Ligue 1 Conforama campaign. A pacey wide forward who reads the game well, Mendoza can thank his spells in Brazil, the USA and India for his unusual array of skills.

Game-changer

"He's a brilliantly creative player, able to make the difference at any moment," Elsner continued of his attacker, who has turned out for Corinthians and New York City among others. "He can beat his man one on one, he's got a good pass on him, and he can finish too!"

Mendoza's goals to games rate this season is superior to Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe's, but he still has some way to go to become the complete player.

      Mendoza (l.) is a popular figure with his Amiens teammates.

One step back, two forward?

"At the moment, what I want from him, what the team wants from him is to work harder defensively," explained Elsner. "If he can win the ball back, he'll be able to attack more too.

"I hope he'll maintain that level, it's difficult to do it over a long period, but that's what makes a great player."