Álvaro Mejía (footballer)
Spanish footballer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Álvaro Mejía Pérez (born 18 January 1982) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played primarily as a central defender.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Álvaro Mejía Pérez[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 18 January 1982[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Madrid, Spain[1] | ||
| Height | 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1993–1998 | Las Rozas | ||
| 1998–2001 | Real Madrid | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2001–2002 | Real Madrid C | 10 | (1) |
| 2002–2004 | Real Madrid B | 44 | (0) |
| 2004–2007 | Real Madrid | 40 | (1) |
| 2007–2010 | Murcia | 100 | (4) |
| 2010–2011 | Arles-Avignon | 12 | (0) |
| 2011–2012 | Konyaspor | 42 | (2) |
| 2012–2013 | Almería | 22 | (1) |
| 2013–2014 | Ergotelis | 26 | (0) |
| 2014–2020 | Al Shahaniya | 137 | (0) |
| Total | 433 | (9) | |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Club career
Born in Madrid, Mejía started his career at Las Rozas. He signed for Real Madrid in 1998, subsequently moving up the various youth ranks.[2]
Mejía joined the third team for 2001–02 but moved shortly after to the reserves, being admitted to the main squad the following season and making his La Liga debut in a 2–1 home win against Villarreal on 24 January 2004.[3] He also appeared in the UEFA Champions League's round of 16 on 3 March (again playing the full match) in a 1–0 home victory over Bayern Munich.[4] In May he renewed his contract until 2010,[5] and he was subsequently put to use in different defensive positions.[6]
The following year, Mejía appeared in just eight games for Real Madrid in all competitions, adding 26 in the league over the next two seasons. His only goal came in a 2–0 away defeat of Real Betis on 29 October 2005 after one minute on the pitch, having come on as a substitute for Carlos Diogo.[7]
In July 2007, Mejía joined top-flight newcomers Real Murcia on a four-year deal,[8] and scored in the first league round in a 2–1 home win over Real Zaragoza.[9] A starter throughout the vast majority of the campaign, he faced relegation for the first time in his career.[10]
On 30 July 2010, after Murcia dropped another tier,[11] Mejía moved to Arles-Avignon in France, newly promoted to Ligue 1, on a one-year contract.[12] In January of the following year, he changed teams – and countries – again, signing for Turkish Süper Lig club Konyaspor.[13]
On 13 July 2012, Mejía agreed to a one-year deal with Almería in the Segunda División, after passing his medical.[14] On 18 June 2014, after one season in the Super League Greece with Ergotelis, he joined newly promoted Qatar Stars League side Al Shahaniya.[15]
Career statistics
- As of 4 April 2015
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Real Madrid | 2003–04[16] | La Liga | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3[a] | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| 2004–05[16] | La Liga | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2005–06[16] | La Liga | 17 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3[a] | 0 | 22 | 1 | |
| 2006–07[16] | La Liga | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 13 | 0 | |
| Total | 40 | 1 | 9 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 57 | 1 | ||
| Murcia | 2007–08[16] | La Liga | 30 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 31 | 1 | |
| 2008–09[16] | Segunda División | 33 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | 36 | 2 | ||
| 2009–10[16] | Segunda División | 37 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 39 | 1 | ||
| Total | 100 | 4 | 6 | 0 | — | 106 | 4 | |||
| Arles-Avignon | 2010–11[17] | Ligue 1 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 14 | 0 | |
| Konyaspor | 2010–11[17] | Süper Lig | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 10 | 0 | |
| 2011–12[17] | TFF First League | 32 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 32 | 2 | ||
| Total | 42 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | 42 | 2 | |||
| Almería | 2012–13[16] | Segunda División | 22 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4[b] | 0 | 28 | 1 |
| Ergotelis | 2013–14[17] | Super League Greece | 26 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 27 | 0 | |
| Al Shahaniya | 2014–15[17] | Qatar Stars League | 23 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 23 | 0 | |
| Career total | 265 | 8 | 20 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 297 | 8 | ||
- Appearances in UEFA Champions League
- Appearances in La Liga play-offs