Mario Méndez (Mexican footballer)

Mario Méndez

Personal information
Full name	Mario Méndez Olagüe
Date of birth	June 1, 1979 (1979-06-01) (age 32)
Place of birth	Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position	Right Back
Club information
Current club	Toluca
Number	26
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1998–2004	Atlas	195	(11)
2004–2005	Toluca	71	(2)
2006	Monterrey	10	(0)
2006	Tigres UANL	15	(0)
2007	Vélez Sársfield	29	(0)
2008–	Toluca	68	(4)
2009–2010	Atlas (Loan)	26	(0)
2011	Irapuato (loan)
National team‡
2000–2008	Mexico	37	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 12 June 2011. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 12 June 2011

Mario Méndez Olagüe (born on June 1, 1979, in Guadalajara, Jalisco) is a Mexican football player, specializing as both a defender and midfielder, who plays for Toluca.

Biography

Mario Méndez started his career with Club Atlas in the year 1998, in the golden age that included many (at the time, promising) players like Rafael Márquez, Daniel Osorno, Juan Pablo Rodriguez and Miguel Zepeda. With Atlas he got a sub-championship in the year of 1999 having been a vital part in the defense. He stayed with this club until 2004. In 2004 Mario Mendéz was bought by Club Toluca, where he was an important player in the squad playing 49 games and scoring one goal.

Later on Méndez was sent to Monterrey to play for the Rayados of Monterrey. Unfortunately he did not have mauch participation due to national team duty with Mexico in the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup. Later that year he was transferred to Tigres on May 29, 2006. He previously played for Tigres arch-rival Rayados, but was playing there only on loan, and was signed with Club Toluca who negotiated the transference with Tigres.

He was called up to the Mexico national team to participate in the 2006 World Cup. He started for Mexico's first two games against Iran, Angola and later, in the Elimination Round of 16 against Argentina. In the game against Iran he made an assist in the goal of Zihna. Although he has been criticized for his occasional careless plays and team work abilities on the national team, he continues to be one of Mexico's important talented players.

During the Winter Transfer period, Ricardo Lavolpe, headcoach of Vélez Sársfield, called for the talents of Mario Méndez for the Argentinen club, Vélez Sársfield. After Lavolpe's resignation as coach Mendez returned to Mexico, joining Toluca.

During the Hugo Sanchez era, Mendez was not called up for the Mexican team. Méndez returned to the team under the new manager Sven-Göran Eriksson. He appeared in the September 2008 friendly match against Chile (1-0 defeat), coming on as a substitute for Jaime Correa Córdoba. He now plays for CD Irapuato as of June 12, 2011 after being transferred from Deportivo Toluca F.C..

Honours

Toluca

• Primera División de México (1): Apertura 2008

• Mexico
  • CONCACAF Gold Cup: 2003

International goals

Goal	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	January 19, 2000	Estadio Tecnológico, Monterrey, Mexico	Romania	2–1	3–1	Friendly

External links

• Mario Méndez (Mexican footballer) at Esmas.com (Spanish)
• Football Database.com provides Mario Méndez's profile and stats
• Mario Méndez stats at Medio Tiempo.com (Spanish)

Persondata
Name	Mendez, Mario
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1979-06-01
Place of birth	Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
Date of death
Place of death