Édison Méndez

Édison Méndez
Personal information
Full name Édison Vicente Méndez Méndez
Date of birth (1979-03-16) March 16, 1979
Place of birth Ibarra, Ecuador
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Playing position Winger, Attacking Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 El Nacional
Number 8
Youth career
1996–2001 Deportivo Quito
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–2002 Deportivo Quito 193 (18)
2002–2003 El Nacional 34 (3)
2004 Irapuato 16 (5)
2004 Santos Laguna 14 (2)
2005–2007 LDU Quito 60 (6)
2006–2007 → PSV (loan) 26 (5)
2007–2009 PSV 46 (4)
2009–2010 LDU Quito 23 (6)
2010 Atlético Mineiro 9 (0)
2011 Emelec 35 (5)
2012–2013 LDU Quito 47 (6)
2014 Santa Fe 10 (0)
2015– El Nacional 5 (0)
National team‡
2000–2014 Ecuador 111 (18)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of May 29, 2015.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of June 25, 2014
This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Méndez and the second or maternal family name is Méndez.

Édison Vicente Méndez Méndez (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈeðison ˈmendes]; born March 16, 1979 in Ibarra) is an Ecuadorian football attacking midfielder who currently plays for El Nacional of the Ecuadorian Serie A. Méndez is a former Ecuador International and holds the distinction of being the 2nd most capped player for his country.

Playing style

He is known for his pace, accurate passing and long range shooting. He is also known as a dead-ball specialist, and generally takes free kicks and corners for his country and club. While he is right-footed, he can play on either wing as well as in the middle.

Club career

Deportivo Quito

Méndez began his career with Sociedad Deportivo Quito of his native Ecuador. After his 2002 FIFA World Cup performances, during which he scored the winning goal in Ecuador's 1-0 win over Croatia, he was rumored to have attracted interest from English clubs, notably Aston Villa and Everton.[2]

Short spells in Ecuador and Mexico

He transferred to Club Irapuato of the Primera División de México for the latter part of the 2004 season, starting 16 games and scoring 5 goals during the remainder of that season. Following Irapuato's relegation the following year, Méndez moved to Santos Laguna, where he struggled to find a place, in 14 games, and scoring 2 goals

He returned to Ecuador, and was part of the LDU Quito team who won the Ecuadorian Apertura season in 2005.

PSV Eindhoven

In 2006, shortly after the World Cup, there was speculation of a move to Germany, more specifically Hannover.[3] He ended all rumours in August 2006 by signing a one season loan deal with PSV Eindhoven, which was followed by a contract for three and a half years which would tie him to the Philips Stadion outfit until 2010. He made his debut in the Eredivisie against Willem II, and marked his stamp in his new club by scoring two goals for a 3-1 win. The following week he became the first Ecuadorian to play in the UEFA Champions League and made his debut against Liverpool F.C.. He was voted Man of the Match in the game.[4]

In March 2007, he became the first Ecuadorian to score in the UEFA Champions League by getting the only goal in the round of 16 match against Arsenal.[5] Mendez, along with fellow midfielders Timmy Simons and veteran Philip Cocu helped PSV reach the quarterfinals.

Mendez's reputation was enhanced when he was among 50 players nominated for the Ballon d'Or-award for the best players in Europe.[6] In Winter 2007, rumors stated that Mendez wanted a move back to Ecuador.[7]

Return to Ecuador

On August 4, 2009, Mendez returned to Ecuador for personal reasons to play for his former team LDU Quito. However, there is speculation that he could return to the club for the 2012 season.[8]

Going to Brazil

In March, Brazilian club Clube Atlético Mineiro announced Méndez as its new player. The Ecuadorian midfielder started defending his new team after the 2010 FIFA World Cup.[9]

Independiente Santa Fe

On December 11, 2013 it was confirmed that Mendez would join Colombian side Santa Fe.[10]

Return to El Nacional

On January 7, 2015, It was confirmed that would Méndez return to Ecuador to play for El Nacional.[11]

International career

Ecuador U20

He participated at the South American U-20 Championship in Paraguay in 1999, and Olympic qualifying tournament in Brazil in January 2000. Two months later, he was called up to the full squad and made his debut in a 3-1 defeat against Honduras in Quito.

Ecuador national team

He played all three games of Ecuador's 2002 World Cup campaign, scoring in the 1-0 victory in the final group stage match over Croatia, the country's first ever victory in a FIFA World Cup. The win against Croatia came as a surprise, eliminating them and sealing Méndez's reputation as a star.[12] He was seen by many to be the promise or Ecuadorian football and gained interest from many clubs.[13]

He scored five goals in the qualifying stage for the FIFA World Cup, including a dazzling double from long range against Paraguay in 2005, helping Ecuador to a 5-2 win in Quito. With his goals, he helped Ecuador qualify to the Germany 06 edition.

Méndez again played throughout his team's historic campaign in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, which culminated in a 1-0 defeat to England in the round of sixteen. He was credited with two assists throughout the whole tournament.

He played for Ecuador in the Copa América 2007. In that tournament he scored a consolation goal against Mexico as they were eliminated 2-1. On February 26, 2008, Mendez announced his retirement from the national team, to the surprise of most Ecuadorians and the Latin American world.[14] He has stated that one of the reasons for his early retirement is dissatisfaction with the newly appointed Ecuador coach, Sixto Vizuete. However, on 12 May 2008, Méndez announced his return to the national team,[15] after a meeting with Vizuete and the FEF president, Luis Chiriboga, in which they solved any differences and misunderstandings that could have led the player to his early retirement.[16]

On June 30, 2014, After the 2014 FIFA World Cup held in Brazil, Méndez stated that "His cycle is over", retiring from the Ecuador national team after a span of 14 years, ending with 111 Caps and 18 Goals for his country.[17]

Career statistics

Club performance League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Ecuador League Cup South America Total
1997Deportivo QuitoSerie A271N/A——271
1998281N/A????
1999390N/A——390
2000312N/A——312
2001354N/A——354
20023310N/A——3310
2003El NacionalSerie A343N/A????
Mexico League Cup North America Total
2003–04Deportivo IrapuatoPrimera División165N/A——165
2004–05Santos LagunaPrimera División142N/A——142
Ecuador League Cup South America Total
2005LDU QuitoSerie A424N/A143567
2006182N/A103285
Netherlands League KNVB Cup Europe Total
2006–07PSVEredivisie265??91??
2007–08201??60??
2008–09263??60??
Ecuador League Cup South America Total
2009LDU QuitoSerie A80N/A107187
2010156N/A00156
Brazil League Copa do Brasil South America Total
2010Atlético MineiroSérie A90——30120
Ecuador League Cup South America Total
2011EmelecSerie A355N/A30385
2012LDU QuitoSerie A191N/A——191
2013285N/A00285
Colombia League Cup South America Total
2014Santa FePrimera A1000081181
Ecuador League Cup South America Total
2015El NacionalSerie A40N/A——40
Total Ecuador 39644N/A????
Mexico 307N/A——307
Netherlands 728??211??
Brazil 900030120
Colombia 1000081181
Career total 51759??????

Honors

LDU Quito

PSV Eindhoven

References

  1. ↑ LDU player card
  2. ↑ "Mendez tipped for move". Sky Sports. 2002-07-31. Retrieved 2009-06-08.
  3. ↑ "Mendez wanted by Hannover". Sky Sports. 2006-06-19. Retrieved 2009-06-08.
  4. ↑ "Fan's Man of the Match". UEFA. 2006-08-12. Retrieved 2007-09-20.
  5. ↑ "Edison Mendez goal boosts PSV hopes". PSV Eindhoven. 2007-02-20. Retrieved 2007-09-13.
  6. ↑ "Mendez shortlisted for Ballon d'Or". PSV Eindhoven. 2006-10-17. Retrieved 2007-09-13.
  7. ↑ Archived December 20, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
  8. ↑ Archived August 7, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
  9. ↑ "Edison Mendez deve chegar a Belo Horizonte na próxima semana". GloboEsporte.com. 2010-04-29. Retrieved 2010-05-02.
  10. ↑ "Edison Mendez es nuevo jugador de Santa Fe" (in Spanish). Goal.com. Retrieved 2014-05-16.
  11. ↑ http://www.ecuagol.com/ecuagol/index.php?n=64958
  12. ↑ "Ecuador end Croatia hopes". BBC Sport. 2002-06-13. Retrieved 2007-09-13.
  13. ↑ Vickery, Tim (2003-04-28). "Ecuador start European quest". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2007-09-13.
  14. ↑ "PSV's Méndez quits Ecuador national side". Goal.com. 2008-02-26. Retrieved 2008-02-27.
  15. ↑ "Méndez recapacita para integrar Tricolor". eluniverso.com. 2008-05-12. Retrieved 2008-05-12.
  16. ↑ "Rebel Mendez recalled to Ecuador squad". ESPNsoccernet. 2008-05-31. Retrieved 2008-06-02.
  17. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zw935gIJY6M
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