Santiago Mele

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Full name Santiago Andrés Mele Castañero[1]
Date of birth (1997-09-06) 6 September 1997 (age 28)[1]
Place of birth Montevideo, Uruguay
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Santiago Mele
Mele in 2017
Personal information
Full name Santiago Andrés Mele Castañero[1]
Date of birth (1997-09-06) 6 September 1997 (age 28)[1]
Place of birth Montevideo, Uruguay
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Position Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
Monterrey
Number 25
Youth career
Fénix
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2017 Fénix 6 (0)
2017–2020 Osmanlıspor 13 (0)
2017Ankaragücü (loan) 0 (0)
2018Lleida Esportiu (loan) 0 (0)
2020–2024 Plaza Colonia 40 (0)
2022–2023Unión Santa Fe (loan) 48 (0)
2023Atlético Junior (loan) 20 (0)
2024–2025 Atlético Junior 53 (0)
2025– Monterrey 1 (0)
International career
2015 Uruguay U18 3 (0)
2015–2017 Uruguay U20 28 (0)
2019 Uruguay U22 4 (0)
2023– Uruguay 8 (0)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Uruguay
Copa América
Third place2024 United States
South American U-20 Championship
Winner2017 Ecuador
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 15 May 2025
‡ National team caps and goals as of 16 November 2025

Santiago Andrés Mele Castañero (born 6 September 1997) is a Uruguayan professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Liga MX club Monterrey and the Uruguay national team.[2][3]

A youth academy graduate of Fénix, Mele made his professional debut on 30 August 2016 in a 1–0 loss against Cerro.[4]

On 4 September 2017, Turkish top division club Osmanlıspor announced the signing of Mele on a five-year deal.[5] He was immediately loaned out to second division club Ankaragücü for 2017–18 season.[6] However, with Korcan Çelikay and Altay Bayındır ahead of him in pecking order, he didn't receive any playing minutes.[7]

Mele's loan was cut short in following January and he subsequently got loaned out to Spanish third division side Lleida Esportiu.[8] 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.[9]

International career

Mele is a former Uruguay youth international. He was part of Uruguay under-20 team which won the 2017 South American U-20 Championship and finished fourth at the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup.[3] He was also part of the Uruguay under-22 team which finished fourth at the 2019 Pan American Games.[10]

On 21 October 2022, Mele was named in Uruguay's 55-man preliminary squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.[11] He made his senior team debut on 28 March 2023 in a 2–1 win against South Korea.[12]

In June 2024, Mele was named in Uruguay's 26-man squad for the 2024 Copa América.[13]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 8 December 2024[2]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Fénix 2013–14 Uruguayan Primera División 0000
2014–15 Uruguayan Primera División 0000
2015–16 Uruguayan Primera División 0000
2016 Uruguayan Primera División 6060
2017 Uruguayan Primera División 0000
Total 6060
Osmanlıspor 2018–19 TFF First League 00000000
2019–20 TFF First League 13000130
Total 1300000130
Ankaragücü (loan) 2017–18 TFF First League 000000
Lleida Esportiu (loan) 2017–18 Segunda División B 000000
Plaza Colonia 2020 Uruguayan Primera División 20020220
2021 Uruguayan Primera División 20010210
Total 4002010430
Unión (loan) 2022 Argentine Primera División 2202070100410
2023 Argentine Primera División 16010170
Total 3803070100580
Atlético Junior (loan) 2023 Categoría Primera A 20020220
Atlético Junior 2024 Categoría Primera A 370108020480
Career total 1540601701301900

International

As of match played 15 November 2025[2]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Uruguay 202330
202410
202540
202600
Total80

Honours

References

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