Edison Méndez

Football player infobox| playername= Edison Mendez
fullname = Édison Vicente Méndez Méndez
nickname = El Quinito, La Luz


dateofbirth = birth date and age|1979|3|16
cityofbirth = Chota
countryofbirth = Ecuador
height = height|m=1.75
currentclub = PSV
clubnumber = 8
position = Winger (Left or Right)
Attacking Midfielder
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1997-2002 2002-2003 2004-2004 2004-2004 2005-2006 2006-Present
clubs =Sociedad Deportivo Quito El Nacional Club Irapuato Santos Laguna LDU Quito PSV
caps(goals) = 192 (18) 34 (4) 16 (5) 14 (2) 57 (6) 47 (6)
nationalyears = 2000-2008
nationalteam =Ecuador
nationalcaps(goals) = 83 (19)
pcupdate = April 6 2008
ntupdate = 15 June 2006

Edison Vicente Méndez Méndez (born March 16, 1979 in Ibarra) is an Ecuadorian football midfielder. He plays for PSV Eindhoven, and is a Ecuadorian national team player.

Ability/Playing Style

He is known for his pace, accurate passing and long range shooting. He is also known as a dead-ball specialist, and generally takes free kicks and corners for his country and club. While he is right-footed, he can play on either wing as well as in the middle.

Club career

Méndez began his career with Sociedad Deportivo Quito of his native Ecuador. He transferred to Club Irapuato of the Primera División de México for the latter part of the 2004 season, starting 16 games and scoring 5 goals during the remainder of that season. Following Irapuato's relegation the following year, Méndez moved to Santos Laguna, where he struggled to find a place, in 14 games, and scoring 2 goals

He returned to Ecuador, and was part of the Liga team who won the Ecuadorian Apertura season in 2005.

In 2006, shortly after the World Cup, he signed a one season loan deal with PSV Eindhoven, which was followed by a contract for three and a half years which would tie him to the Philips Stadion outfit until 2010. He made his debut in the Eredivisie against Willem II, and marked his stamp in his new club by scoring two goals for a 3-1 win. The following week he became the first Ecuadorian to play in the UEFA Champions League and made his debut against Liverpool F.C.. He was voted Man of the Match in the game and was easily the best player in the whole encounter. [cite news | date=2006-08-12 | url=http://www.uefa.com/competitions/ucl/motm/md=1/day=1.html | title=Fan's Man of the Match | publisher=UEFA | accessdate=2007-09-20]

In March 2007, he became the first Ecuadorian to score in the UEFA Champions League by getting the only goal in the round of 16 match against Arsenal. [cite news | date=2007-02-20 | url=http://english.psv.nl/web/show/id=58980/contentid=20345 | title=Edison Mendez goal boosts PSV hopes | publisher=PSV Eindhoven | accessdate=2007-09-13] Mendez, along with fellow midfielders Timmy Simons and veteran Philip Cocu helped PSV reach the quarterfinals.

Mendez's reputation was enhanced when he was among 50 players nominated for the Ballon d'Or(Golden Ball) award for the best players in Europe. [cite news | date=2006-10-17 | url=http://english.psv.nl/web/show/id=58980/contentid=12740 | title=Mendez shortlisted for Ballon d'Or | publisher=PSV Eindhoven | accessdate=2007-09-13] In Winter 2007, rumors stated that Mendez wanted a move back to the Ecuadorian League with possible suitors Barcelona SC. [http://goal.com/es/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=518311] Later on in the season, Méndez decided to stay at PSV Eindhoven.

Career Stats

International career

He participated at the South American U-20 Championship in Paraguay in 1999, and Olympic qualifying tournament in Brazil in January 2000.2 months later, he was called up to the full squad and made his debut in a 3-1 defeat against Honduras in Quito.

He played all three games of Ecuador's 2002 World Cup campaign, scoring in the 1-0 victory in the final group stage match over Croatia, the country's first ever victory in a FIFA World Cup. The win against Croatia came as a surprise, eliminating them and sealing Méndez's reputation as a star. [cite news | date=2002-06-13 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport3/worldcup2002/hi/matches_wallchart/ecuador_v_croatia/newsid_1927000/1927055.stm | title=Ecuador end Croatia hopes | publisher=BBC Sport | accessdate=2007-09-13] He was seen by many to be the promise or Ecuadorian football and gained interest from many clubs. [cite news | date=2003-04-28 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/2981221.stm | title=Ecuador start European quest | publisher=BBC Sport | accessdate=2007-09-13]

He scored 5 goals in the qualifying stage for the FIFA World Cup, including a dazzling double from long range against Paraguay in 2005, helping Ecuador to a 5-2 win in Quito. With his goals, he helped Ecuador qualify to the Germany 06 edition.

Méndez again played throughout his team's historic campaign in the 2006 FIFA World Cup, which culminated in a 1-0 defeat to England in the round of sixteen.He was credited with 2 assists throughout the whole tournament.

He played for Ecuador in the Copa América 2007. In that tournament he scored a consolation goal against Mexico as they were eliminated 2-1. On 26 February, 2008, Mendez announced his retirement from the national team, to the surprise of most Ecuadorians and the Latin American world. [cite news | date=2008-02-26 | url=http://www.goal.com/en-us/Articolo.aspx?ContenutoId=601749 | title=PSV’s Méndez quits Ecuador national side | publisher=Goal.com | accessdate=2008-02-27] He has stated that one of the reasons for his early retirement is dissatisfaction with the newly appointed Ecuador coach, Sixto Vizuete. However, on 12 May, 2008, Méndez announced his return to the national team [cite news | date=2008-05-12 | url=http://www.eluniverso.com/2008/05/12/0001/15/F9BA332768B04804968EBE35D64F69E5.html | title=Méndez recapacita para integrar Tricolor | publisher="eluniverso.com" | accessdate=2008-05-12] , after a meeting with Vizuete and the FEF president, Luis Chiriboga, in which they solved any differences and misunderstandings that could have leaded the player to his early retirement. [cite news | date=2008-05-31 | url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=541375&cc=5901 | title=Rebel Mendez recalled to Ecuador squad | publisher=ESPNsoccernet | accessdate=2008-06-02]

External links

* [http://arogeraldes.blogspot.com/2007/10/edison-mndez-el-mundial-nos-dio-mucha.html Interview in Copa America Official Program]
* [http://www.myspace.com/edison_mendez11 Official Myspace]

References