Édison Méndez facts for kids
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Édison Vicente Méndez Méndez | ||
| Date of birth | March 16, 1979 | ||
| Place of birth | Ibarra, Ecuador | ||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Playing position | Winger, attacking midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Club Deportivo La Unión | ||
| 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 | 22 | (4) |
| Total | 535 | (64) | |
| National team | |||
| 2000–2014 | Ecuador | 111 | (18) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 2020 | El Nacional | ||
| 2022 | LDU Quito (caretaker) | ||
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Édison Vicente Méndez Méndez (born March 16, 1979, in Ibarra) is a famous Ecuadorian football coach and former player. He was known for playing as a winger or an attacking midfielder. He is currently the manager of Club Deportivo La Unión.
Méndez is a former player for the Ecuador national team. He is the second player with the most games played for his country. He was known for his speed, great passes, and powerful long-range shots. He was also very good at taking free kicks and corner kicks.
Contents
Club Career: A Journey Through Football
Starting His Journey in Ecuador
Édison Méndez began his football career with Sociedad Deportivo Quito in Ecuador. After his amazing performances at the 2002 FIFA World Cup, where he scored the winning goal against Croatia, many big clubs from England became interested in him.
Playing in Mexico
In 2004, Méndez moved to Mexico to play for Club Irapuato. He played 16 games and scored 5 goals there. After Irapuato was moved to a lower league, he joined Santos Laguna. He played 14 games and scored 2 goals for them.
Returning Home to Win Titles
He then returned to Ecuador and joined LDU Quito. He helped them win the Ecuadorian Apertura season in 2005.
Success in the Netherlands with PSV
In 2006, after the World Cup, Méndez signed a loan deal with PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands. He later signed a full contract until 2010. He made a great start, scoring two goals in his first game for PSV. The next week, he became the first Ecuadorian to play in the UEFA Champions League. He was even named "Man of the Match" in his debut Champions League game against Liverpool F.C..
In March 2007, he made history again by becoming the first Ecuadorian to score in the Champions League. He scored the only goal in a match against Arsenal, helping PSV reach the quarterfinals. Méndez was so good that he was even nominated for the Ballon d'Or award, which is given to the best players in Europe.
Adventures in South America
On August 4, 2009, Méndez returned to LDU Quito in Ecuador for personal reasons. Later, in March 2010, he moved to Brazil to play for Clube Atlético Mineiro.
In 2013, he joined Santa Fe in Colombia. Then, on January 7, 2015, Méndez returned to Ecuador once more to play for El Nacional.
International Career: Playing for Ecuador
Early Days with Ecuador's Youth Teams
Édison Méndez played for Ecuador's Under-20 team in 1999. He also played in an Olympic qualifying tournament in 2000. Soon after, he was called up to the main national team. He made his debut in a game against Honduras.
Making History at the World Cup
He played in all three of Ecuador's games at the 2002 FIFA World Cup. He scored a goal in the 1-0 win against Croatia. This was Ecuador's first-ever victory in a FIFA World Cup! This win surprised many and made Méndez a rising star.
He scored five goals during the qualifying games for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. This included two amazing long-range goals against Paraguay in 2005. His goals helped Ecuador qualify for the World Cup in Germany.
Méndez played a big part in Ecuador's journey at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. They reached the round of sixteen, where they lost 1-0 to England. He also helped with two assists during the tournament.
Later Years and Retirement
He played for Ecuador in the Copa América 2007. He scored a goal against Mexico in that tournament. On June 30, 2014, after the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, Méndez announced he was retiring from the Ecuador national team. He ended his international career with 111 games played and 18 goals scored for his country.
Personal Life
Édison Méndez has a nephew named Sebas Méndez who is also a professional footballer and plays for the Ecuadorian national team.
Honours: Trophies and Wins
- Ecuadorian League (2): 2005 Apertura, 2010
- Copa Sudamericana (1): 2009
- Dutch League (2): 2006–07, 2007–08
See also
In Spanish: Édison Méndez para niños
