Santiago Mele

Santiago Andrés Mele Castañero (born 6 September 1997) is a Uruguayan professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Categoría Primera A club Atlético Junior, on loan from Plaza Colonia and the Uruguay national team.[1][2]

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Mele and the second or maternal family name is Castañero.
Santiago Mele
Mele in 2017
Personal information
Full name Santiago Andrés Mele Castañero
Date of birth (1997-09-06) 6 September 1997
Place of birth Montevideo, Uruguay
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Atlético Junior
(on loan from Plaza Colonia)
Number 77
Youth career
Fénix
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2017 Fénix 6 (0)
2017–2020 Osmanlıspor 13 (0)
2017 → Ankaragücü (loan) 0 (0)
2018 → Lleida Esportiu (loan) 0 (0)
2020– Plaza Colonia 41 (0)
2022–2023 → Unión Santa Fe (loan) 38 (0)
2023– → Atlético Junior (loan) 0 (0)
International career‡
2015 Uruguay U18 3 (0)
2015–2017 Uruguay U20 28 (0)
2019 Uruguay U22 4 (0)
2023– Uruguay 3 (0)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Uruguay
South American U-20 Championship
Winner2017 Ecuador
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18 March 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12 October 2023

Club career

A youth academy graduate of Fénix, Mele made his professional debut on 30 August 2016 in a 1–0 loss against Cerro.[3]

On 4 September 2017, Turkish top division club Osmanlıspor announced the signing of Mele on a five-year deal.[4] He was immediately loaned out to second division club Ankaragücü for 2017–18 season.[5] However, with Korcan Çelikay and Altay Bayındır ahead of him in pecking order, he didn't receive any playing minutes.[6]

Mele's loan was cut short in following January and he subsequently got loaned out to Spanish third division side Lleida Esportiu.[7] With Diego Rivas Rego as first-choice goalkeeper, Mele failed to find playing minutes again.

Two years after joining the club, Mele made his debut for Osmanlıspor on 17 August 2019 in a 2–1 win against Boluspor.[8]

International career

Mele is a former Uruguay youth international. He was part of Uruguay under-20 team which won 2017 South American U-20 Championship and finished fourth at 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup.[2] He was also part of Uruguay under-22 team which finished fourth at 2019 Pan American Games.[9]

On 21 October 2022, Mele was named in Uruguay's 55-man preliminary squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.[10]

Career statistics

Club
As of 26 March 2021[1]
ClubSeasonLeagueCupContinentalTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Fénix2016Uruguayan Primera División60——60
201700——00
Total60000060
Osmanlıspor2017–18Süper Lig0000—00
2018–19TFF First League0000—00
2019–2013000—130
Total1300000130
Ankaragücü (loan)2017–18TFF First League0000—00
Lleida Esportiu (loan)2017–18Segunda División B0000—00
Plaza Colonia2020Uruguayan Primera División190—20210
Career total3800020400

International
As of 12 October 2023[1]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Uruguay 202330
Total30

Honours

Uruguay U20

Individual

References
  1. Santiago Mele at Soccerway
  2. "1 - Santiago Mele - AUF". Retrieved 5 August 2019.
  3. "Fénix vs. Cerro - 30 August 2016". Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  4. "Uruguaylı kaleci Santiago Mele Osmanlıspor'da". Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  5. "Osmanlıspor, Uruguaylı kaleci Mele'yi aldı, Ankaragücü'ne kiraladı". Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  6. Santiago Mele, atajando en la locura turca elobservador.com.uy
  7. "El golero Santiago Mele dejó Turquía y arregló en el Lleida Esportiu de España". Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  8. "Osmanlıspor vs. Boluspor - 17 August 2019". Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  9. "Convocados para los Panamericanos de Lima 2019". Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  10. "Selección: Diego Alonso entregó la lista de 55 reservados para el Mundial de Catar" (in Spanish). 21 October 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  11. "Se definieron los Premios AUF anuales 2021". 28 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
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