María Méndez

María Méndez Fernández (born 10 April 2001) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Liga F club Levante UD, where she serves as fourth captain, and the Spain women's national team.

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[1]
Place of birth Oviedo, Spain[2]
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Centre back
Team 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 48 (3)
International career‡
2018 Spain U17 11 (0)
2019 Spain U19 2 (0)
2019–2023 Spain U20
2021– Spain U23
2022– Spain 1 (0)
Medal record
Women's football
Representing  Spain
UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship
First place2018 Lithuania
FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup
First place2018 Uruguay
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 5 November 2022
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 11 November 2022

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

Méndez made her senior debut on 11 November 2022, starting in a 7-0 friendly home win over Argentina.

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. "María Méndez, segundo fichaje del Deportivo ABANCA 19-20". Riazor.org (in Spanish). 17 June 2019. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  5. Candal, Rocío (15 November 2019). "María Méndez: "Soy una jugadora muy exigente, si juego un partido mal, estoy rayada durante varios días"". Riazor.org (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  6. "María Méndez Fernández - Defensa Levante UD - Futboleras". www.futboleras.es (in Spanish). Futboleras. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  7. "El Real Oviedo Femenino, campeón del grupo primero de Segunda". El Comercio (in Spanish). El Comercio. 31 August 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  8. "El sueño de María Méndez, hecho realidad". ElDesmarque Asturias (in Spanish). ElDesmarque. 24 December 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  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 2 November 2021.
  10. Antelo, Iván (13 November 2020). "Reencuentro con María Méndez, la baja que destrozó al Deportivo femenino". La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). La Voz de Galicia. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  11. Arroyo Torres, Matías (1 November 2021). "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 2 November 2021.
  12. "El Levante UD ficha a la defensa María Méndez para las próximas tres temporadas". LevanteUD (in Spanish). Levante UD. 24 June 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  13. Alberto, Martínez de la Calle (18 August 2021). "Por Europa con paso firme". Las Provincias (in Spanish). Las Provincias. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  14. "La ovetense María Méndez, protagonista del Levante en la Copa". La Voz de Asturias (in Spanish). La Voz de Asturias. 5 May 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  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 2 November 2021.
  16. "Barça Women 4-2 Levante: Cup champions!". www.fcbarcelona.com. FC Barcelona. 30 May 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  17. "Alharilla, Alba Redondo, Toletti y María Méndez serán las capitanas del Levante UD en la 2021-22". LevanteUD (in Spanish). Levante UD. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  18. G. Gil, Aimara (8 September 2021). "El Levante cayó ante el Lyon con la cabeza muy alta". AS.com (in Spanish). Diario AS. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  19. "María Méndez jugará el mundial sub 17". Juventud Estadio Club de Fútbol - Oviedo (in European Spanish). 2 November 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  20. "María Méndez ya es finalista del Mundial Sub-17". La Voz de Asturias (in Spanish). La Voz de Asturias. 28 November 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  21. Rubio, Héctor (1 December 2018). "CRÓNICA | ¡¡¡CAMPEONAS DEL MUNDO SUB-17!!! España toca el cielo en Uruguay". www.sefutbol.com (in Spanish). RFEF. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  22. Fernández, Pablo (30 October 2019). "El paso adelante de María Méndez". La Voz de Asturias (in Spanish). La Voz de Asturias. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  23. Fernández, Pablo (27 November 2019). "Miguel Méndez, nuevo entrenador del Real Oviedo Femenino". La Voz de Asturias (in Spanish). La Voz de Asturias. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  24. "El Real Oviedo Femenino prescinde de Miguel Méndez". La Voz de Asturias (in Spanish). La Voz de Asturias. 29 August 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
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