David Mitogo

David Edú García Mitogo (18 May 1990 – May 2023) was an Equatorial Guinean footballer who played as a forward. He capped for the Equatorial Guinea national team.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is García and the second or maternal family name is Mitogo.

David Mitogo
Personal information
Full name David Edú García Mitogo
Date of birth (1990-05-18)18 May 1990
Place of birth Bata, Equatorial Guinea
Date of death May 2023 (aged 32)
Place of death A Reza, A Arnoia, Spain
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
La Morenica
Ponferradina
La Morenica
2006–2008 Ponferradina
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2012 Ponferradina B 78 (14)
2009–2010 Ponferradina 7 (1)
2012–2013 Teruel 31 (4)
2013 Atlético Bembibre 16 (9)
2014 Vittoriosa Stars 12 (2)
2015 Atlético Bembibre 7 (3)
2015–2016 Barco 31 (10)
2016 Compostela 16 (4)
2017 Unionistas 18 (4)
2017–2018 Barco 34 (6)
2018–2019 Arenteiro 27 (4)
2020 Somozas 4 (0)
2020–2021 As Pontes 31 (11)
2021 Sarriana 12 (3)
2022–2023 Atlético Arnoia 36 (13)
International career‡
2010 Equatorial Guinea U20 1 (1)
2010–2016 Equatorial Guinea 6 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 7 May 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 11 October 2016

On 11 May 2023, Mitogo went missing by the river Minho.[1][2] He was found dead in the river Avia on 23 May.[3]

Club career

Born in Bata, Mitogo moved to Spain at the age of only three. He began his youth career with CD La Morenica, and later joined SD Ponferradina as a cadet; however, he was dissatisfied with his time at the club and returned to his previous team at the end of the season.[4]

At 16, Mitogo ultimately returned to Ponferradina to complete his formation.[5] He made his senior debut with the reserve side, in the fourth division.[6]

On 20 September 2009, aged 19, Mitogo made his first appearance for Ponferradina's main squad, in a third level match against SD Eibar, scoring the only goal of the game in the process.[7] Still mainly registered with the B's, he appeared in a further six games for the first team as they finally achieved promotion to division two.

Playing for Ponferradina B against CD Huracán Z on 24 October 2010, Mitogo suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, being sidelined for six months.[8]

International career

In April 2010, Mitogo was called by the Equatoguinean national under-20 team for the second match against Gabon in the 2011 African Youth Championship qualifiers (preliminary round).[9] He scored the Equatoguinean goal, in a 1–1 draw.[10]

In late July 2010, Mitogo received his first callup for the full side, for a friendly with Morocco on 11 August.[11] He came on as a substitute for Juan Mbela in the 67th minute.

Personal life

Mitogo came from a multiracial background. His white father, whose surname is García, was Spanish, while his black mother, surnamed Mitogo, was a Fang.[4]

Disappearance and death

On 11 May 2023, Mitogo disappeared. Before his disappearance, he sent several messages of gratitude to his teammates.[12] At the time, only trace found by the authorities was his cell phone, which appeared on the bridge that connects the cities of Arnoia and Ribadavia. His body was recovered from river Avia two weeks later, on 23 May.[3]

See also

References
  1. "Buscan a Mitogo, exfutbolista de la Ponferradina y Unionistas de Salamanca, en el río Miño". 12 May 2023.
  2. "Máxima preocupación por el futbolista David Mitogo, que se encuentra desaparecido". 11 May 2023.
  3. "Soccer player Mitogo found dead". Mundo Deportivo. 23 May 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  4. De Guinea Ecuatorial a Villafrancadel [sic] Bierzo (From Equatorial Guinea to Villafranca del Bierzo); Diario de León, 22 September 2009 (in Spanish)
  5. «Fue el debut perfecto» («It was the perfect debut»); Diario de León, 22 September 2009 (in Spanish)
  6. El GCE Villaralbo manda en su debut en la liga y golea a la Ponferradina B (GCE Villaralbo rule in league debut and run Ponferradina B over); El Norte de Castilla, 14 September 2008 (in Spanish)
  7. Un gol del debutante Mitogo salva el partido y aúpa a la Deportiva al liderato (1–0) (Goal from debutant Mitogo saves match and puts Deportiva in first place (1–0)); Bierzo Diario, 20 September 2009 (in Spanish)
  8. Mitogo será baja en la Ponferradina B durante seis meses (Mitogo out in Ponferradina B for six months); Bierzo Diario, 26 October 2010 (in Spanish)
  9. La selección sub’20 de Guinea convoca a Mitogo (Guinea's under-20 call Mitogo) Archived 23 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine; La Crónica de León, 27 April 2010 (in Spanish)
  10. Con ustedes, David Mitogo (Ladies and gentlemen, David Mitogo) Archived 7 May 2010 at the Wayback Machine; La Crónica de León, 4 May 2010 (in Spanish)
  11. Benjamín e Iván Zarandona jugarán un amistoso con Guinea Ecuatorial (Benjamín and Iván Zarandona will play friendly for Equatorial Guinea); El Día de Valladolid, 21 July 2010 (in Spanish)
  12. "Atacante se despede de companheiros, some e celular é achado em ponte". Gávea News (in Brazilian Portuguese). 14 May 2023. Retrieved 14 May 2023.
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