Lester Meléndez

Football player infobox
playername= Lester Melendez
fullname = Lester Meléndez


dateofbirth =May 18 , 1981
cityofbirth =Chinandega
countryofbirth =Nicaragua
height = 1.75m (5'9")
position = Goalkeeper
clubs = flagicon|United StatesUniversity of Massachusetts
flagicon|South KoreaPegasus FC
flagicon|EnglandHarrow Borough F.C.
flagicon|EnglandWalsall FC
flagicon|PolandMKS Cracovia Krakow
flagicon|South KoreaAsan Red Ox
flagicon|United StatesUniversity of Miami

years = 2002-2004
2004
2005
2005 (trial)
2005 (trial)
2005
2006-Present
caps(goals) = 0 (0)
17 (0)
11 (0)
1 (0)
3 (0)
13 (0)
62 (0)
nationalyears = 2002-2007
nationalteam = flagicon|Nicaragua Nicaragua
nationalcaps(goals) = 14 (0)

Lester Meléndez (born on May 18 , 1981) is a Nicaraguan footballer (goalkeeper) coaching currently for The University of Miami. He is also a member of Nicaragua national football team. Melendez is the only Nicaraguan to ever play professionally outside of Central America. Melendez was rumored to be making a January 2008 move to Maltese Premier League side Ħamrun Spartans F.C..

On May 18, 2008 Melendez trained with Estonian Meistriliiga club JK Tallinna Kalev. Estonian media reports the training session was part trial and part publicity stunt for the Backstreet Boys Unbreakable Tour (Backstreet Boys) on which Melendez's band, The Drive Home, served as the support act.

On August 12, 2008 in an interview posted on a band fan site, Melendez explained that he abandoned the Nicaraguan national team training camp in February 2007 due to the Sandinista National Liberation Front returning to power in his native country. He added corruption within the Federación Nicaragüense de Fútbol and abhorrent playing conditions as reasons for his departure from international football.

External links

* [http://hurricanesports.cstv.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/melendez_lester00.html Player profile on www.hurricanesports.com]
* [http://umassathletics.cstv.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/melendez_lester00.html Player profile on www.umassathletics.com]
* [http://www.elu24.ee/?r=1&id=15252&d=20080519 Article and Gallery on ELU24 News]
* [http://www.myspace.com/drivehomemusic The Drive Home's Official Myspace Site]