María Méndez

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In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Méndez and the second or maternal family name is Fernández.
María Méndez
Personal information
Full name María Méndez Fernández
Date of birth (2001-04-10) 10 April 2001 (age 20)[1]
Place of birth Oviedo, Spain[2]
Height 170 cm (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Defender
Club information
Current team
 Levante
Number 4
Youth career
2015–2016 Oviedo Moderno B
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2019 Oviedo Moderno/Real Oviedo 3+
2019–2020 Deportivo La Coruña 20 (4)
2020– Levante 40 (3)
National team
Spain U17
Spain U19
2019– Spain U20
2021– Spain U23
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18:47, 31 October 2021 (UTC)

María Méndez Fernández (born 10 April 2001) is a Spanish footballer who plays as a defender for Levante. She currently serves as Levante's fourth captain.

Club career[]

Oviedo Moderno/Real Oviedo: (2014–2019)[]

Méndez began playing for Oviedo Moderno's youth teams at 13, and eventually moved up to their B team.[3][4] At 15, she made her debut for Oviedo's senior team, and for the 2016–17 season, she made the jump to the first team, which was relegated to the Segunda División in the previous season.[5][6] Around this time, Méndez began to play as a midfielder, which she would continue to do before leaving for Deportivo de La Coruña.[5]

In the 2017–18 season, Méndez won Group 1 of the Segunda División with Oviedo.[7] They advanced to promotion playoffs for the Primera División, but were knocked out 1–2 on aggregate by EdF Logroño. After Méndez won the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup with Spain, she was honored at the Estadio Carlos Tartiere, and Oviedo released a statement hailing her as a "club legend."[8][9]

While at Oviedo, Méndez was given the nickname "Pecas," meaning "freckles" in Spanish.[4][10] Later on in her time at Oviedo, Méndez became one of the club's captains.[11]

Deportivo la Coruña: (2019–2020)[]

On 17 June, 2019, Méndez joined newly-promoted Deportivo de La Coruña with a one-year deal upon the expiration of her contract with Oviedo.[4] In her first season playing in the Spanish top flight, she made 20 league appearances and scored 4 goals as the club finished in 6th place.

Levante UD: (2020– )[]

On 24 June, 2020, Méndez joined Levante UD on a three-year deal.[12] In her first season at Levante, Méndez played all but two of Levante's league matches as they finished third in the Primera División, qualifying for the UEFA Women's Champions League for the first time in 12 years.[13] She also played in each match of Levante's runner-up 2020–21 Copa de la Reina campaign. In the quarterfinals of the tournament, Méndez scored both goals in a 2–1 win against UDG Tenerife to send Levante through to the semifinals.[14] After beating Atlético Madrid in extra time, Méndez played the first Copa de la Reina final of her career as Levante lost 4–2 to FC Barcelona.[15][16]

Ahead of the 2021–22 season, Méndez was given the role of Levante's fourth captain.[11][17] She made her debut in the UEFA Women's Champions League with a win against Celtic in the first qualifying round, and Levante advanced to the final round after defeating Rosenborg BK.[13] Levante faced Olympique Lyonnais in the final round of qualifying and lost 4–2 on aggregate, ending their Champions League season.[18]

International career[]

Méndez was a regular starter in Spain's U17 team that won the 2018 UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship, which qualified them for the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.[8]

On 2 November, 2018, Méndez was called up to play in the 2018 FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup.[19] She started all of Spain's matches in the tournament, and on 1 December, 2018, Méndez started the final of the final against Mexico, which ended in a 2–1 victory for Spain.[20][21] Spain's U17s became the first Spanish team to win a Women's World Cup in any age category.

In 2019, Mendez was given her first call-up to Spain's U-19 women's national team.[22]

Personal life[]

Méndez is the younger sister of Miguel Méndez, a former player of Real Oviedo's youth teams and the former coach of Real Oviedo Femenino.[23][24]

Honors[]

Club[]

Oviedo Moderno/Real Oviedo

International[]

Spain U17

References[]

  1. ^ María Méndez at Soccerway. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  2. ^ "María Méndez". BDFutbol. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  3. ^ "Pecas". Txapeldunak. Retrieved 31 October 2021.
  4. ^ a b c "María Méndez, segundo fichaje del Deportivo ABANCA 19-20". Riazor.org (in Spanish). 2019-06-17. Retrieved 2021-11-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ a b Candal, Rocío (2019-11-15). "María Méndez: "Soy una jugadora muy exigente, si juego un partido mal, estoy rayada durante varios días"". Riazor.org (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-11-02.
  6. ^ "María Méndez Fernández - Defensa Levante UD - Futboleras". www.futboleras.es (in Spanish). Futboleras. Retrieved 2021-11-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ^ "El Real Oviedo Femenino, campeón del grupo primero de Segunda". El Comercio (in Spanish). El Comercio. 2018-08-31. Retrieved 2021-11-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ a b "El sueño de María Méndez, hecho realidad". ElDesmarque Asturias (in Spanish). ElDesmarque. 2018-12-24. Retrieved 2021-11-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ^ "Saque de honor de María Méndez | Real Oviedo - Web Oficial". Saque de honor de María Méndez | Real Oviedo - Web Oficial (in Spanish). Real Oviedo. 21 December 2018. Retrieved 2021-11-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ^ Antelo, Iván (2020-11-13). "Reencuentro con María Méndez, la baja que destrozó al Deportivo femenino". La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). La Voz de Galicia. Retrieved 2021-11-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ a b Arroyo Torres, Matías (2021-11-01). "GRADA 3 entrevista a María Méndez: "Empecé jugando muy pequeña en el equipo iba a todos los sitios con una pelota en la mano."". Grada3.COM (in Spanish). Grada3. Retrieved 2021-11-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. ^ "El Levante UD ficha a la defensa María Méndez para las próximas tres temporadas". LevanteUD (in Spanish). Levante UD. 24 June 2020. Retrieved 2021-11-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ^ a b Alberto, Martínez de la Calle (2021-08-18). "Por Europa con paso firme". Las Provincias (in Spanish). Las Provincias. Retrieved 2021-11-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ^ "La ovetense María Méndez, protagonista del Levante en la Copa". La Voz de Asturias (in Spanish). La Voz de Asturias. 2021-05-05. Retrieved 2021-11-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. ^ "CRÓNICA | El Levante UD se nombra "finalista" de la Copa de SM la Reina (0-1) | rfef.es". www.rfef.es. RFEF. 27 May 2021. Retrieved 2021-11-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  16. ^ "Barça Women 4-2 Levante: Cup champions!". www.fcbarcelona.com. FC Barcelona. 30 May 2021. Retrieved 2021-11-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ^ "Alharilla, Alba Redondo, Toletti y María Méndez serán las capitanas del Levante UD en la 2021-22". LevanteUD (in Spanish). Levante UD. Retrieved 2021-11-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. ^ G. Gil, Aimara (2021-09-08). "El Levante cayó ante el Lyon con la cabeza muy alta". AS.com (in Spanish). Diario AS. Retrieved 2021-11-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  19. ^ "María Méndez jugará el mundial sub 17". Juventud Estadio Club de Fútbol - Oviedo (in European Spanish). 2018-11-02. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
  20. ^ "María Méndez ya es finalista del Mundial Sub-17". La Voz de Asturias (in Spanish). La Voz de Asturias. 2018-11-28. Retrieved 2021-11-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  21. ^ Rubio, Héctor (2018-12-01). "CRÓNICA | ¡¡¡CAMPEONAS DEL MUNDO SUB-17!!! España toca el cielo en Uruguay". www.sefutbol.com (in Spanish). RFEF. Retrieved 2021-11-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  22. ^ Fernández, Pablo (2019-10-30). "El paso adelante de María Méndez". La Voz de Asturias (in Spanish). La Voz de Asturias. Retrieved 2021-11-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  23. ^ Fernández, Pablo (2019-11-27). "Miguel Méndez, nuevo entrenador del Real Oviedo Femenino". La Voz de Asturias (in Spanish). La Voz de Asturias. Retrieved 2021-11-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  24. ^ "El Real Oviedo Femenino prescinde de Miguel Méndez". La Voz de Asturias (in Spanish). La Voz de Asturias. 2020-08-29. Retrieved 2021-11-02.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)

External links[]

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