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

Júnior Mendieta
Personal information
Full name Júnior Leandro Mendieta
Date of birth (1993-06-13) 13 June 1993 (age 31)
Place of birth Corrientes, Argentina
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Volos
Number 10
Youth career
0000 Quilmes
0000–2015 Deportivo Morón
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2016 Deportivo Morón 34 (14)
2016–2020 Lanús 0 (0)
2016–2018Los Andes (loan) 45 (11)
2018–2019Deportivo Morón (loan) 19 (5)
2019–2020Atlético de Rafaela (loan) 18 (3)
2020–2021Stellenbosch (loan) 21 (3)
2021–2023 Stellenbosch 51 (11)
2023–2024 Mamelodi Sundowns 18 (2)
2024– Volos 10 (4)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 November 2024

Club career

edit

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, before netting his second on 12 February against Golden Arrows.[1]

International career

edit

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

edit

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

edit
As of 16 July 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[a] 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 (loan) 2020–21 Premier Division 21 3 1 0 0 0 22 3
Career total 141 22 3 0 0 0 0 0 4 2 148 24
  1. ^ Appearance(s) in Primera B Metropolitana play-offs

Honours

edit
Mamelodi Sundowns

References

edit
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Argentina - J. Mendieta". Soccerway. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
  2. ^ a b "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. ^ a b "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.
edit