Mendoza made his Campeonato Brasileiro Série A debut in the first game of the 2015 season, replacing Malcom at the end of a 1–0 win at Cruzeiro on 10 May.[13] He scored once in ten appearances over the campaign, a consolation in a 3–1 loss at Grêmio on 4 June.[14] Corinthians finished the season as national champions.[15]
Loan to Chennaiyin
On 31 August 2015, Mendoza was loaned back to Chennaiyin for the 2015 season.[8] In their opening game, away to FC Goa, he scored a hat-trick in a 4–0 victory,[16] and five days later he scored both goals in a win over Mumbai City.[17] His sixth goal of the campaign came on 24 October, assisted by Elano in a 2–1 home triumph over Pune City.[18] On 21 November, he recorded his second hat-trick of the campaign, in a 4–1 win over Kerala Blasters,[19] and three days later he opened the scoring in a 4–0 home win over Delhi Dynamos with his tenth goal of the season.[20] Mendoza scored his eleventh of the season on 1 December, beginning a 3–0 win over Mumbai which ended their chances of the play-offs.[21]
On 12 December, in the first leg of the semi-finals, Mendoza concluded a 3–0 home win over reigning champions Atlético de Kolkata (4–2 aggregate).[22] In the final at Goa eight days later, he won two penalty kicks; Bruno Pelissari took the first, which was blocked by Laxmikant Kattimani but he scored the rebound, however Mendoza took the second and had it saved. Losing 2–1 with three minutes remaining, Mendoza scored an added-time winner as his team won 3–2.[23] Mendoza was named the Hero of the League and also won the Golden Boot with 13 goals, two more than second-placed Iain Hume.[24]
Loans to New York City and Bahia
On 8 March 2016, Mendoza moved to the third continent of his career, signing a season-long loan at New York City FC of Major League Soccer.[25] He made his debut five days later, playing the final 23 minutes in place of Tony Taylor in a 2–2 draw against Toronto FC at the Yankee Stadium. On 30 April, his eighth game, he scored his first goal for the team to decide a 3–2 home victory within five minutes of replacing Khiry Shelton.[26]
On 17 January 2018, Mendoza moved to the fourth continent of his career, signing for Ligue 1 club Amiens until 2021.[29][30] He made his debut that same day, starting in a 1–1 home draw with Montpellier HSC.[31] He scored twice in 13 games over the remainder of the season, starting with a consolation in a 3–2 loss at Bordeaux ×on 10 February.[32]
In the summer of 2019, Mendoza sought a transfer out of France after scoring just 4 times in 41 games for Amiens. His negotiations were abandoned due to two personal crises in his country; he was robbed at gunpoint in Medellín on 19 August and his brother was shot dead in Cali on 5 September. Twenty days later, he scored in 106 seconds against Bordeaux, and followed it on 28 September by opening a 1–1 draw at Angers; on 4 October he concluded his club's first-ever win over Marseille by making it 3–1.[33]
The 2019–20 season was Mendoza's best in France with five goals from 15 games, but his team were relegated. On 5 December 2020, he scored twice in a 2–1 Ligue 2 win at Rodez.[34]
Ceará
In late February 2021, Mendoza returned to the Brazilian top flight, signing with Ceará until the end of 2023; the team paid €600,000 for 60% of his economic rights.[35] He made his debut on 20 March in a goalless home draw with rivals Fortaleza, playing 81 minutes;[36] he scored twice in nine games for the runners-up, in group wins over CSA and Sport Recife at the start of April.[37] On 8 May, his team lost the final on penalties to Bahia, and he was one of five players sent off in a brawl at the end, being suspended for a month.[38] His first national season with the club saw him score once in 28 games – opening a 1–1 draw on his return to Bahia on 27 October.[39]
Mendoza was the top scorer of Vozão during the 2022 season, scoring 22 goals overall, but his team suffered relegation from the top tier.[40]
Santos
On 8 December 2022, Mendoza was announced as the new signing of Santos for the upcoming season, and signed a three-year contract with the club.[41] He made his debut for the club the following 14 January, starting in a 2–1 Campeonato Paulista home win over Mirassol.[42]
Mendoza scored his first goal for Peixe on 28 January 2023, netting the equalizer in a 1–1 home draw against Ferroviária.
Adana Demirspor
On 5 February 2024, Santos announced the contract rescision of Mendoza, and a transfer to Turkish club Adana Demirspor; Santos also retained 20% of the player's economic rights.[43]
In late October 2019, following good form for Amiens, manager Carlos Queiroz called up Mendoza for the senior team, for friendlies against neighbours Peru and Ecuador in the United States.[44] His debut was as a 61st-minute substitute for Luis Díaz at the Hard Rock Stadium, in a 1–0 win over the former.[45]
^Lepère, Alexandre (5 December 2020). "Ligue 2 (J14) : Amiens renverse Rodez (2-1)" [Ligue 2: (matchday 14): Amiens come back against Rodez (2-1)] (in French). France Bleu. Retrieved 25 September 2022.