Júnior Mendieta

Júnior Leandro Mendieta (born 13 June 1993) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Stellenbosch.[1]

Júnior Mendieta

Personal information
Full name	Júnior Leandro Mendieta
Date of birth	13 June 1993
Place of birth	Corrientes, Argentina
Height	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[1]
Position(s)	Midfielder
Club information
Current team	Stellenbosch
Number	10
Youth career
	Quilmes
	Deportivo Morón
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2015–2016	Deportivo Morón	34	(7)
2016–2020	Lanús	0	(0)
2016–2018	→ Los Andes (loan)	45	(7)
2018–2019	→ Deportivo Morón (loan)	19	(2)
2019–2020	→ Atlético de Rafaela (loan)	18	(1)
2020–	Stellenbosch	6	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20:14, 3 February 2021 (UTC)

Club career

Mendieta started his senior career with Deportivo Morón in Primera B Metropolitana, having played for Quilmes at youth level.[2] His professional debut arrived on 14 February 2015 during a draw with Deportivo Merlo, prior to Mendieta receiving red cards in consecutive appearances in August against Defensores de Belgrano and Platense.[1][3] A month later, he scored his senior goal against Almagro.[1] Mendieta scored twice more that year, which preceded six goals in fourteen games in the next campaign.[1] On 30 June 2016, Argentine Primera División side Lanús signed Mendieta.[1] He was immediately loaned to Los Andes.[1]

Mendieta remained with Los Andes for the 2016–17 and 2017–18 Primera B Nacional seasons, scoring seven times in forty-six matches in all competitions.[1] After returning to Lanús in June, Mendieta subsequently agreed to rejoin Deportivo Morón; signing a loan contract.[1] He netted twice for Morón, both came in a fixture with Instituto in November 2018, across nineteen appearances.[1] Mendieta had a third loan spell away from Lanús in 2019–20, joining Atlético de Rafaela for twelve months in July 2019.[1] One goal in eighteen matches followed, in a campaign that was curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[1]

Mendieta's contract with Lanús expired on 30 June 2020, with the midfielder subsequently revealing that a potential move to South African Premier Division side Stellenbosch was being finalized; amid interest from Rafaela for a permanent contract.[4] The move to Africa was belatedly confirmed on 30 October.[5] His first appearance arrived on 4 November against SuperSport United, as he replaced Jayden Adams with twenty-five minutes left of an eventual 1–0 defeat.[1] He scored his first goal on 21 November versus Chippa United.[1]

International career

Mendieta received a call-up to the Argentina U23s for the 2016 Sait Nagjee Trophy in India.[2][6] However, due to contractual issues, he was deselected prior to the tournament.[6]

Personal life

In 2017, Mendieta was arrested by police after trespassing at Morón Air Base.[7] He was released without charge soon later, having claimed he accidentally entered the base after becoming lost.[8]

Career statistics

As of 3 February 2021.[1]

Club statistics

Club	Season	League			Cup		League Cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Deportivo Morón	2015	Primera B Metropolitana	21	1	0	0	—		—		4[lower-alpha 1]	2	25	3
	2016		13	6	1	0	—		—		0	0	14	6
	Total		34	7	1	0	—		—		4	2	39	9
Lanús	2016–17	Primera División	0	0	0	0	—		0	0	0	0	0	0
	2017–18		0	0	0	0	—		0	0	0	0	0	0
	2018–19		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	2019–20		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	Total		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Los Andes (loan)	2016–17	Primera B Nacional	25	6	1	0	—		—		0	0	26	6
	2017–18		20	1	0	0	—		—		0	0	20	1
	Total		45	7	1	0	—		—		0	0	46	7
Deportivo Morón (loan)	2018–19	Primera B Nacional	19	2	0	0	—		—		0	0	19	2
Atlético de Rafaela (loan)	2019–20		18	1	0	0	—		—		0	0	18	1
Stellenbosch	2020–21	Premier Division	6	1	1	0	—		—		0	0	7	1
Career total			122	18	3	0	0	0	0	0	4	2	129	20

1. Appearance(s) in Primera B Metropolitana play-offs

References

1. "Argentina - J. Mendieta". Soccerway. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
2. "Anhelos teñidos de celeste y blanco". Argentine Football Association. 24 December 2015. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
3. "Ficha Estadistica de JUNIOR MENDIETA". BDFA. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
4. "Mendieta seguirá su carrera en África". Diario La Opinión. 16 July 2020. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
5. "Breaking: Stellenbosch announce Argentine number 10 Junior Mendieta". Futaa. 30 October 2020. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
6. "El Gallo Junior Mendieta se va a Lanús". El Diario de Morón. 10 February 2016. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
7. "Alerta por un intruso en la base aérea donde vive María Eugenia Vidal". Perfil. 13 August 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
8. "Futbolista entrerriano puso en jaque a la seguridad de María Eugenia Vidal". El Día Online. 1 September 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2018.

External links

• Júnior Mendieta at Soccerway