Nacho Méndez

Nacho Méndez
Personal information
Full name Ignacio Méndez-Navia Fernández
Date of birth (1998-03-30) 30 March 1998
Place of birth Luanco, Spain
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Johor Darul Ta'zim
Number 28
Youth career
Roces
2010–2016 Sporting Gijón
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2018 Sporting B 51 (5)
2017–2025 Sporting Gijón 203 (15)
2025– Johor Darul Ta'zim 2 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 12 August 2025
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Méndez-Navia and the second or maternal family name is Fernández.

Ignacio "Nacho" Méndez-Navia Fernández (born 30 March 1998) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Malaysia Super League club Johor Darul Ta'zim.

Club career

Sporting Gijón

Born in Luanco, Asturias, Méndez joined Sporting de Gijón's youth setup in 2010, from TSK Roces. He made his senior debut with the reserves on 21 August 2016, coming on as a second-half substitute and scoring his team's sixth in a 7–0 Tercera División home routing of UC Ceares.[2]

On 26 April 2017, Méndez renewed his contract until 2019.[3] After spending the whole 2017 pre-season with the first team, he made his professional debut on 27 August by starting in a 2–0 home win against CD Lugo in the Segunda División.[4]

Méndez scored his first professional goal on 6 September 2017, netting the game's only in an away success over CF Reus Deportiu, in the season's Copa del Rey.[5] On 22 December, he extended his contract until 2021, being definitely promoted to the main squad ahead of the following season.[6]

On 8 October 2020, Méndez further extended his link with Sporting until 2025.[7]

Johor Darul Ta'zim

On 9 July 2025, Méndez joined Johor Darul Ta'zim on a free transfer to compete in the 2025–26 Malaysia Super League.[8]

Personal life

Born in Spain, Méndez is a player of Malaysian heritage.[9]

Career statistics

As of match played 4 November 2023[10][11]
Club statistics
Club Season League National Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Sporting Gijón B 2017–18 Segunda División B 19 0 — 4[a] 1 23 1
Sporting Gijón 2017–18 Segunda División 11 0 2 1 — 13 1
2018–19 Segunda División 31 2 5 0 — 36 2
2019–20 Segunda División 28 3 1 0 — 29 3
2020–21 Segunda División 23 0 1 0 — 24 0
2021–22 Segunda División 29 1 4 1 — 33 2
2022–23 Segunda División 3 0 0 0 — 3 0
2023–24 Segunda División 14 1 0 0 — 14 1
Total 139 7 13 2 0 0 152 9
Career totals 158 7 13 2 4 1 175 10
  1. ^ Appearances in the 2018 Segunda División B play-offs

References

  1. ^ "Nacho Méndez" (in Spanish). Sporting de Gijón. Archived from the original on 14 October 2022. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
  2. ^ "El Sporting B golea al Ceares en su estreno liguero" [Sporting B thrash Ceares in their league debut] (in Spanish). El Comercio. 21 August 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  3. ^ "Nacho Méndez rubrica su acuerdo de continuidad con el Real Sporting" [Nacho Méndez signs his agreement of continuity with Real Sporting] (in Spanish). Sporting Gijón. 26 April 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  4. ^ "Al Sporting le bastan 15 minutos para acabar con el Lugo" [Sporting only need 15 minutes to finish off Lugo] (in Spanish). Marca. 27 August 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
  5. ^ "Nacho Méndez da el pase al Sporting ante un Reus que falló dos penaltis" [Nacho Méndez gives pass to Sporting against a Reus which failed two penalties] (in Spanish). Marca. 6 September 2017. Retrieved 7 September 2017.
  6. ^ "Nacho Méndez amplía su contrato hasta junio de 2021" [Nacho Méndez extends his contract until June 2021] (in Spanish). Sporting Gijón. 22 December 2017. Archived from the original on 24 January 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2017.
  7. ^ "El Sporting renueva a Nacho Méndez hasta 2025" [Sporting renew Nacho Méndez until 2025] (in Spanish). Cadena SER. 8 October 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  8. ^ "JDT line-up in the Super League season 2025/2026". FAM-CMS. 12 August 2025.
  9. ^ "Malaysia heritage player Nacho Mendez joins JDT". officialjohor. 9 July 2025.
  10. ^ Nacho Méndez at Soccerway
  11. ^ "Nacho Méndez Statistics". bdfutbol.com. Retrieved 4 August 2020.
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