Ángel Israel Mena Delgado (born 21 January 1988) is an Ecuadorian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Liga MX club Pachuca and the Ecuador national team.
 Mena with Ecuador in 2015 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ángel Israel Mena Delgado[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 21 January 1988[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Guayaquil, Ecuador | ||
| Height | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Pachuca | ||
| Number | 10 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2004–2007 | Emelec | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2007–2016 | Emelec | 249 | (68) |
| 2010 | → Deportivo Cuenca (loan) | 30 | (5) |
| 2017–2018 | Cruz Azul | 52 | (10) |
| 2019–2024 | León | 187 | (70) |
| 2024– | Pachuca | 5 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2015–2024 | Ecuador | 61 | (8) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23 October 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 14 November 2024 | |||
Club career
editEmelec
editMena had extended his contract until 2017 with Club Sport Emelec. He played in 129 games for the national championship and scored 25 goals, according to records of the Ecuadorian Football Federation (FEF).[2]
He debuted in the first division in 2007. He scored his first official goal on 16 March 2008 at the Técnico Universitario.[citation needed]
In 2010, he was loaned to Deportivo Cuenca. In 2011, he returns to Club Sport Emelec, and was champion in 2013 and 2014.[citation needed]
After scoring 14 goals as Emelec won the 2014 championship, Mena extended his contract with the club for two years in February 2015.[3] Mena scored the first goal in the 2014 Ecuadorian Serie A season final match against Barcelona SC, winning 3–0.
Cruz Azul
editIn 2017 Mena joined Mexican side Cruz Azul. On 12 February Mena scored an impressive free-kick goal against Santos Laguna which earned Cruz Azul a 2–2 draw.[4]
International career
editIn April 2014, being in Emelec, Mena was first called up to the Ecuador national football team, led by coach Reinaldo Rueda, for a microcycle. Mena was called for Ecuador's provisional 30-man squad for World Cup 2014 in Brazil.[5]
Later in 2014, the interim coach of the Ecuador national team, Sixto Vizuete called up Mena to play friendly matches against Bolivia and Brazil.[6] However, Mena suffered an injury that prevented him playing with the national team.[citation needed]
Mena made his debut on 28 March 2015 in a match against Mexico, coming in as a sub for Jefferson Montero.
Personal life
editMena is married to Shirley Posligua with whom he has two daughters. He and his family are devout Christians. Mena is good friends with fellow footballer Joao Rojas with whom he shared a locker while at Emelec, the fact that Rojas played for Cruz Azul was a significant factor in motivating Mena to join the club.[7]
Career statistics
edit
Club
edit- As of match played 22 October 2024[8]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Emelec | 2007 | Serie A | 4 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | ||
| 2008 | Serie A | 18 | 2 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 18 | 2 | |||
| 2009 | Serie A | 24 | 2 | — | 1[a] | 0 | — | 25 | 2 | |||
| 2010 | Serie A | 0 | 0 | — | 2[b] | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | |||
| 2011 | Serie A | 36 | 6 | — | 6[b] | 0 | — | 42 | 6 | |||
| 2012 | Serie A | 21 | 2 | — | 7[c] | 1 | — | 28 | 3 | |||
| 2013 | Serie A | 31 | 3 | — | 4[a] | 1 | — | 35 | 4 | |||
| 2014 | Serie A | 41 | 14 | — | 14[d] | 4 | — | 55 | 18 | |||
| 2015 | Serie A | 38 | 13 | — | 14[e] | 3 | — | 52 | 16 | |||
| 2016 | Serie A | 36 | 16 | — | 9[f] | 3 | — | 45 | 19 | |||
| Total | 249 | 58 | — | 57 | 12 | — | 306 | 70 | ||||
| Deportivo Cuenca (loan) | 2010 | Serie A | 30 | 5 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 30 | 5 | ||
| Cruz Azul | 2016–17 | Liga MX | 16 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 20 | 7 | |
| 2017–18 | Liga MX | 27 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 33 | 3 | ||
| 2018–19 | Liga MX | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 11 | 0 | ||
| Total | 52 | 8 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 64 | 10 | |||
| León | 2018–19 | Liga MX | 23 | 14 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 26 | 15 | |
| 2019–20 | Liga MX | 30 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 1[g] | 1 | — | 31 | 17 | ||
| 2020–21 | Liga MX | 37 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 2[g] | 0 | — | 39 | 17 | ||
| 2021–22 | Liga MX | 35 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 2[g] | 0 | 4[h] | 3 | 41 | 17 | |
| 2022–23 | Liga MX | 30 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5[g] | 3 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 6 | |
| 2023–24 | Liga MX | 32 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 5[g] | 3 | 4[i] | 1 | 41 | 10 | |
| Total | 187 | 70 | 3 | 1 | 18 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 213 | 82 | ||
| Pachuca | 2024–25 | Liga MX | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[j] | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Career total | 523 | 141 | 15 | 3 | 72 | 16 | 10 | 4 | 622 | 171 | ||
- ^ a b Appearance(s) in the Copa Sudamericana
- ^ a b Appearance(s) in the Copa Libertadores
- ^ Four appearances and one goal in the Copa Libertadores, three appearances in the Copa Sudamericana
- ^ Eight appearances and three goals in the Copa Sudamericana, six appearances and one goal in the Copa Libertadores
- ^ Nine appearances and three goals in the Copa Libertadores, five appearances in the Copa Sudamericana
- ^ Five appearances and two goals in the Copa Libertadores, four appearances and one goal in Copa Sudamericana
- ^ a b c d e Appearance(s) in the CONCACAF Champions League
- ^ Three appearances and three goals in Leagues Cup, one appearance in Campeón de Campeones
- ^ Three appearances and one goal in Leagues Cup, one appearance in FIFA Club World Cup
- ^ Appearances in Leagues Cup
International
edit- As of match played 14 November 2024[9]
| Ecuador | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals | |
| 2015 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2017 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 8 | 3 | |
| 2020 | 4 | 2 | |
| 2021 | 15 | 1 | |
| 2022 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 6 | 0 | |
| Total | 61 | 8 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24 March 2016 | Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa, Quito, Ecuador |  Paraguay |
2–2 | 2–2 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 9 June 2019 | AT&T Stadium, Arlington, United States |  Mexico |
1–1 | 2–3 | Friendly |
| 3 | 24 June 2019 | Mineirão, Belo Horizonte, Brazil |  Japan |
1–1 | 1–1 | 2019 Copa América |
| 4 | 13 October 2019 | Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero, Elche, Spain |  Argentina |
1–3 | 1–6 | Friendly |
| 5 | 12 November 2020 | Estadio Hernando Siles, La Paz, Bolivia |  Bolivia |
2–1 | 3–2 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 6 | 17 November 2020 | Estadio Rodrigo Paz Delgado, Quito, Ecuador |  Colombia |
2–0 | 6–1 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 7 | 27 June 2021 | Estádio Olímpico Pedro Ludovico, Goiânia, Brazil |  Brazil |
1–1 | 1–1 | 2021 Copa América |
| 8 | 21 November 2023 | Estadio Rodrigo Paz Delgado, Quito, Ecuador |  Chile |
1–0 | 1–0 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Honours
editEmelec
Cruz Azul
- Copa MX (1): Apertura 2018
León
- Liga MX (1): Guardianes 2020
- CONCACAF Champions League (1): 2023
- Leagues Cup (1): 2021
Individual
- Serie A Assist Leader: 2014
- Liga MX Golden Boot: Clausura 2019
- Liga MX Offensive Midfielder of the Year: 2018–19
- Liga MX Best XI: Clausura 2019, Guardianes 2020,[10] Apertura 2021
- Liga MX All-Star: 2021[11]
References
edit- ^ a b c "FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Squad list: Ecuador (ECU)" (PDF). FIFA. 15 November 2022. p. 10. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
- ^ Universo, El (24 February 2015). "Ángel Mena seguirá en Emelec hasta el 2017". El Universo (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 March 2015.
- ^ "El 'Ángel' se queda en Emelec" (in Spanish). El Telegrafo. 25 February 2015.
- ^ "Golazo de Ángel Mena con el Cruz Azul". El Universo. 13 February 2017. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
- ^ "Valencia named in Ecuador World Cup squad". ITV – Player, TV Guide, ITV, ITV2, catchup, X Factor, Vera, Coronation Street, Emmerdale. 14 May 2014. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
- ^ juarango, Juan Arango – (22 August 2014). "Ecuador makes callup for Bolivia and Brazil friendlies". Soccerly. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
- ^ "Ángel Mena alista su viaje a México" (in Spanish). El Comercio. 14 December 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
- ^ Ángel Mena at Soccerway. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
- ^ Ángel Mena at National-Football-Teams.com
- ^ De la Cruz, Luis (16 December 2020). "Liga MX: León, Pumas y Cruz Azul se 'roban' el 11 ideal del Guardianes 2020". SoyFutbol.com (in Spanish).
- ^ "Liga MX unveils its final roster for the 2021 All-Star game". AS. 19 July 2021.
External links
edit- Ángel Israel Mena Delgado at Liga MX (archive) (in Spanish)
- Ángel Mena at Soccerway
- Brazilian pair collect tough wins at the Wayback Machine (archived 2015-04-02)