Edison Mendez

Edison Mendez - Quinito, La Luz ("The light")

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

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.

Club career

Méndez began his career with Sociedad Deportivo Quito of his native Ecuador. He transferred to Irapuato of the Mexican league for the latter part of the 2004 season, starting 16 games and scoring five 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, starting only six of 14 games, and scoring only two 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.

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. 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.

Career Stats

Season Club Country Competition Matches Goals
1997 Deportivo Quito Ecuador Campeonato 27 1
1998 Deportivo Quito Ecuador Campeonato 28 1
1999 Deportivo Quito Ecuador Campeonato 39 0
2000 Deportivo Quito Ecuador Campeonato 31 2
2001 Deportivo Quito Ecuador Campeonato 33 4
2002 Deportivo Quito Ecuador Campeonato 31 2
2003 El Nacional Ecuador Campeonato 34 4
2004/2005 Santos Laguna Mexico Primera División de México 14 2
2005 LDU Quito Ecuador Campeonato 42 4
2006 LDU Quito Ecuador Campeonato 18 2
2006/2007 PSV Netherlands Eredivisie 12 6
Total Matches 309 and 27 goals

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. He was seen by many to be the promise or Ecuadorian football and gained interest from many clubs.

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.