Jhegson Méndez

Jhegson Sebastián Méndez Carabalí (born 26 April 1997) is an Ecuadorian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club São Paulo and the Ecuador national team.[3]

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Méndez and the second or maternal family name is Carabalí.

Jhegson Méndez
Méndez with Ecuador U20 in 2017
Personal information
Full name Jhegson Sebastián Méndez Carabalí[1]
Date of birth (1997-04-26) 26 April 1997
Place of birth Mira, Ecuador
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 São Paulo
Number 21
Youth career
2010–2011 Norte América
2011–2015 Independiente DV
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2018 Independiente DV 81 (4)
2015–2016 → Cultural Leonesa (loan) 1 (0)
2019–2022 Orlando City 72 (1)
2022 Los Angeles FC 9 (0)
2023– São Paulo 17 (0)
International career‡
2015 Ecuador U17 4 (0)
2015–2017 Ecuador U20 10 (0)
2018– Ecuador 36 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 28 September 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 28 March 2023

Club career

Independiente DV

Méndez joined the Independiente del Valle academy in 2011. By 2014 he had been promoted to the club's B team and made his first-team debut on 7 March 2015 in a victory over L.D.U. Loja in the Serie A Primera Etapa. After two substitute appearances, Méndez was loaned to Cultural Leonesa in Spain, making one substitute appearance for the club on 29 November 2015. Upon his return to the club, Méndez had to wait until gameweek 15 of the 2016 season to play his next game, appearing as a substitute in a defeat to Fuerza Amarilla on 13 May 2016. He followed that up by playing the full 90 minutes in six of the final ten games of the Serie A Primera Etapa and a further 12 appearances in the Segunda Etapa as he cemented himself as a first-team regular.

Orlando City

On 28 December 2018, Méndez signed to Major League Soccer team Orlando City.[4] He made his debut in the season opener at home to New York City FC on 2 March 2019. In July 2019, Méndez was part of the Orlando City team alongside Nani and Chris Mueller that won the 2019 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge, beating teams from the MLS All-Stars and Atlético Madrid to win the $25,000 prize for charity.[5]

On 7 November 2021, Méndez scored his first goal for the club on his 65th appearance. The goal, a spectacular knuckling 20-yard strike, was the opener in an eventual 2–0 win away at CF Montréal. It was the final match of the regular season in which Orlando entered knowing a draw would guarantee qualification to the 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs.[6]

Los Angeles FC

On 19 July 2022, Méndez was acquired by Los Angeles FC via trade in exchange for $300,000 of General Allocation Money (GAM). Orlando could receive an additional $450,000 in GAM if certain contract conditions are met and also retained an undisclosed percentage of any future transfer fee.[7]

With LAFC, he won both the Supporters' Shield, after a 3-0 win over Austin FC,[8] and the MLS Cup Final, following a penalty shoot-out win over Philadelphia Union.[9] At the end of the 2022 season, he was released by the club.[10]

São Paulo

On 9 January 2023, Méndez joined Brazilian club São Paulo on a free transfer, signing a three-year contract.[11]

International career

Méndez was a member of Ecuador’s 2017 South American U-20 Championship squad which reached the final of the tournament.[12]

In October 2018, Méndez was called up to the senior Ecuador national team by manager Hernán Darío Gómez for the first time.[13] He made his debut on 11 September 2018, playing 73 minutes in a 2–0 friendly victory over Guatemala at Toyota Park, Bridgeview, Illinois.[14][15] In May 2019, he was called into the squad for the 2019 Copa América, his first senior international tournament.[16] After sitting out the first group game, Méndez started against Chile and drew a foul from goalkeeper Gabriel Arias to win a penalty, Ecuador's only goal of a 2–1 defeat.[17] He started the following game, a 1–1 draw with Japan. Ecuador were eliminated after finishing bottom of Group C with one point.

In June 2021, Mendez was named to the final roster for the 2021 Copa América.[18]

Personal life

His uncle is former professional footballer and fellow Ecuadorean international player Édison Méndez.[19]

Career statistics

Club
As of 19 July 2022
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Playoffs Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsAppsGoalsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Independiente del Valle 2015 Serie A 200000——20
2016 1900000——190
2017 2010000——201
2018 4020020——422
Total 81300200000833
Cultural Leonesa (loan) 2015–16 Segunda División B 1000———10
Orlando City 2019 MLS 23020———250
2020 190——004[lower-alpha 1]0230
2021 171—0010—181
2022 13040———170
Total 72160001040831
Career total 1544602010401674
  1. MLS is Back Tournament knockout stage

International
As of 28 March 2023[20]
Ecuador
YearAppsGoals
201850
2019100
202010
2021100
202280
202320
Total360

Honours

Los Angeles FC

São Paulo

References
  1. "FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Squad list: Ecuador (ECU)" (PDF). FIFA. 15 November 2022. p. 10. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  2. "Sebas Méndez". Los Angeles FC. Retrieved 20 August 2022.
  3. "Ecuador – J. Méndez – Profile with news, career statistics and history – Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com.
  4. "Orlando City SC Signs Ecuadorian Midfielder Jhegson Sebastián Méndez | Orlando City Soccer Club".
  5. "Nani gives Orlando City the win at the MLS Skills Challenge". AS.com. 31 July 2019.
  6. "Man of the Match Spotlight: Sebas Mendez". www.orlandocitysc.com.
  7. "LAFC Acquires Midfielder Sebastian Méndez". LAFC.
  8. "LAFC advances to MLS Cup final with 3-0 win over Austin FC". The Washington Post. Associated Press. 30 October 2022. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  9. Stejskal, Sam (5 November 2022). "LAFC finds Hollywood ending, beats Philadelphia on penalty kicks for first MLS Cup title". The Athletic. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  10. "LAFC Announces Roster Moves For 2023 Season". Los Angeles FC. 15 November 2022. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  11. "São Paulo contrata equatoriano Méndez". São Paulo FC (in Brazilian Portuguese). 9 January 2023. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  12. "Selección Sub-20 de Ecuador definida para Sudamericano". eluniverso.com. 4 January 2017.
  13. TIEMPO, EL (6 October 2018). "Carlos Cuero sufre lesión muscular".
  14. "Ecuador vs. Guatemala – Football Match Summary – September 11, 2018 – ESPN". ESPN.com.
  15. PERU21, NOTICIAS (12 September 2018). "Deportes: Ecuador ganó 2–0 a Guatemala por amistoso internacional en Chicago | NOTICIAS PERU21 PERÚ". Peru21 (in Spanish).
  16. "LOS 23 CONVOCADOS DE ECUADOR PARA COPA AMÉRICA DE BRASIL 2019" (in Spanish). FEF. 20 May 2019.
  17. "Ecuador vs. Chile – Football Match Report – June 21, 2019 – ESPN". ESPN.com.
  18. "Copa America 2021: Ecuador's squad for the competition". Bolavip US.
  19. "World Cup 2022: complete guide to all 831 players. Everything you need to know (and more) about every squad member in Qatar". The Guardian.
  20. Jhegson Méndez at National-Football-Teams.com
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