Sebas Méndez

Jhegson Sebastián "Sebas" Méndez Carabalí (born 26 April 1997) is an Ecuadorian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Major League Soccer club Orlando City and the Ecuador national team.[1]

Not to be confused with Sebastián Méndez.

Sebas Méndez
Méndez with Ecuador U20 in 2017
Personal information
Full name Jhegson Sebastián Méndez Carabalí
Date of birth (1997-04-26) 26 April 1997
Place of birth Mira, Ecuador
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Orlando City
Number 8
Youth career
2010–2011 Norte América
2011–2015 Independiente DV
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2018 Independiente DV 81 (4)
2015–2016 → Cultural Leonesa (loan) 1 (0)
2019– Orlando City 62 (1)
National team‡
2015 Ecuador U17 4 (0)
2015–2017 Ecuador U20 10 (0)
2018– Ecuador 28 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 19 March 2022
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 24 March 2022

Club career

Independiente DV

Méndez joined the Independiente del Valle academy in 2011. By 2014 he had been promoted to the club's B team and made his first-team debut on 7 March 2015 in a victory over L.D.U. Loja in the Serie A Primera Etapa. After two substitute appearances, Méndez was loaned to Cultural Leonesa in Spain, making one substitute appearance for the club on 29 November 2015. Upon his return to the club, Méndez had to wait until gameweek 15 of the 2016 season to play his next game, appearing as a substitute in a defeat to Fuerza Amarilla on 13 May 2016. He followed that up by playing the full 90 minutes in six of the final ten games of the Serie A Primera Etapa and a further 12 appearances in the Segunda Etapa as he cemented himself as a first-team regular.

Orlando City

On 28 December 2018, Méndez signed to Major League Soccer team Orlando City.[2] He made his debut in the season opener at home to New York City FC on March 2, 2019. In July 2019, Méndez was part of the Orlando City team alongside Nani and Chris Mueller that won the 2019 MLS All-Star Skills Challenge, beating teams from the MLS All-Stars and Atlético Madrid to win the $25,000 prize for charity.[3]

On 7 November 2021, Méndez scored his first goal for the club on his 65th appearance. The goal, a spectacular knuckling 20-yard strike, was the opener in an eventual 2–0 win away at CF Montréal. It was the final match of the regular season in which Orlando entered knowing a draw would guarantee qualification to the 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs.[4]

International career

Méndez was a member of Ecuador’s 2017 South American U-20 Championship squad which reached the final of the tournament.[5]

In October 2018, Méndez was called up to the senior Ecuador national team by manager Hernán Darío Gómez for the first time.[6] He made his debut on 11 September 2018, playing 73 minutes in a 2–0 friendly victory over Guatemala at Toyota Park, Bridgeview, Illinois.[7][8] In May 2019, he was called into the squad for the 2019 Copa América, his first senior international tournament.[9] After sitting out the first group game, Méndez started against Chile and drew a foul from goalkeeper Gabriel Arias to win a penalty, Ecuador's only goal of a 2–1 defeat.[10] He started the following game, a 1–1 draw with Japan. Ecuador were eliminated after finishing bottom of Group C with one point.

In June 2021, Mendez was named to the final roster for the 2021 Copa América.[11]

Career statistics

Club
As of 19 March 2022
Club Season Division League Cup Continental Playoffs Other Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsAppsGoalsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Independiente del Valle 2015 Serie A 200000——20
2016 1900000——190
2017 2010000——201
2018 4020020——422
Total 81300200000833
Cultural Leonesa (loan) 2015–16 Segunda División B 1000———10
Orlando City 2019 MLS 23020———250
2020 190——004[lower-alpha 1]0230
2021 171—0010—181
2022 3000———30
Total 62120001040691
Career total 1444202010401534
  1. MLS is Back Tournament knockout stage.

International
Statistics accurate as of match played 24 March 2022.
Ecuador
YearAppsGoals
2018 50
2019 100
2020 10
2021 100
2022 20
Total280

References
  1. "Ecuador – J. Méndez – Profile with news, career statistics and history – Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com.
  2. "Orlando City SC Signs Ecuadorian Midfielder Jhegson Sebastián Méndez | Orlando City Soccer Club".
  3. "Nani gives Orlando City the win at the MLS Skills Challenge". AS.com. 31 July 2019.
  4. "Man of the Match Spotlight: Sebas Mendez". www.orlandocitysc.com.
  5. "Selección Sub-20 de Ecuador definida para Sudamericano". eluniverso.com. 4 January 2017.
  6. TIEMPO, EL (6 October 2018). "Carlos Cuero sufre lesión muscular".
  7. "Ecuador vs. Guatemala – Football Match Summary – September 11, 2018 – ESPN". ESPN.com.
  8. PERU21, NOTICIAS (12 September 2018). "Deportes: Ecuador ganó 2–0 a Guatemala por amistoso internacional en Chicago | NOTICIAS PERU21 PERÚ". Peru21 (in Spanish).
  9. "LOS 23 CONVOCADOS DE ECUADOR PARA COPA AMÉRICA DE BRASIL 2019" (in Spanish). FEF. 20 May 2019.
  10. "Ecuador vs. Chile – Football Match Report – June 21, 2019 – ESPN". ESPN.com.
  11. "Copa America 2021: Ecuador's squad for the competition". Bolavip US.
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