Camilo Andrés Mena Márquez (born 1 October 2002) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as a right winger for Polish club Lechia Gdańsk.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Camilo Andrés Mena Márquez[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 1 October 2002 | ||
| Place of birth | Concordia, Colombia[1] | ||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Right winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Lechia Gdańsk | ||
| Number | 7 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2016 | Alianza Platanera | ||
| 2017–2018 | Tigres | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2018–2019 | Tigres | 40 | (7) |
| 2020 | Deportivo Pereira | 13 | (0) |
| 2021–2023 | Valmiera | 63 | (16) |
| 2023 | → Jagiellonia (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2023– | Lechia Gdańsk | 40 | (8) |
| International career | |||
| 2017 | Colombia U15 | ||
| 2018–2019 | Colombia U17 | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 26 October 2024 | |||
Early life
editMena was born in Concordia, Antioquia, but was left displaced due to violence in Urabá Antioquia.[2]
Club career
editYouth career and Tigres
editMena started his career with Alianza Platanera.[3] After six months with Alianza Platanera, he moved to Bogotá in 2017, joining the academy of Tigres. He made his debut the following year, at the age of fifteen, and made his first start in a 2–1 home loss to Cortuluá.[4] In October 2019, after good performances for Tigres, he was named by English newspaper The Guardian as one of the best footballers born in 2002 worldwide.[5][6]
Deportivo Pereira
editIn December 2019, it was announced that Mena would join Categoría Primera A side Deportivo Pereira for the 2020 season.[7] After a year with Deportivo Pereira, he moved to Latvia to sign for Valmiera. During his time with Valmiera, he was named as the most influential under-20 player in world football, as he had more goals and assists than any other player under the age of twenty.[8] He also led the scoring charts for all players under the age of twenty worldwide, joint with Malaysian player Arif Aiman Hanapi.[8]
Loan to Jagiellonia Białystok
editIn February 2023, he joined Polish side Jagiellonia on a six-month loan deal,[9][10][11] where he was assigned with a squad number #10. He debuted there on 3 April, in a 87th minute of a 1–1 away draw with Stal Mielec. Mena played seven matches in Jagiellonia over the period of two months before his move to Lechia Gdańsk.[12]
Lechia Gdańsk
editIn August 2023, despite Mena's wishes to join the defending Ekstraklasa champions Raków Częstochowa,[13] Valmiera agreed on a deal to sell him to second division side Lechia Gdańsk. On 4 August, Mena signed a four-year contract with the Pomeranian club.[14]
International career
editMena represented Colombia at the 2017 South American U-15 Championship, scoring once in a 12–0 win over the Czech Republic.[15] He has also represented Colombia at under-17 level.[16]
Career statistics
editClub
edit- As of match played 21 September 2024.[17]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Tigres | 2018 | Categoría Primera B | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| 2019 | Categoría Primera B | 26 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 8 | |
| Total | 40 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 8 | ||
| Deportivo Pereira | 2020 | Categoría Primera A | 13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Valmiera | 2021 | Virslīga | 24 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 2 |
| 2022 | Virslīga | 35 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 14 | |
| 2023 | Virslīga | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[c] | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 3 | |
| Total | 63 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 74 | 19 | ||
| Jagiellonia (loan) | 2022–23 | Ekstraklasa | 7 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | ||
| Lechia Gdańsk | 2023–24 | I liga | 29 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 29 | 5 | ||
| 2024–25 | Ekstraklasa | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 9 | 2 | |||
| Total | 38 | 7 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 7 | ||||
| Career total | 161 | 30 | 10 | 1 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 178 | 34 | ||
- Notes
- ^ Includes Copa Colombia, Latvian Cup
- ^ a b Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa Conference League
- ^ Two appearances and one goal in UEFA Champions League, one appearance and two goals in UEFA Europa Conference League
Honours
editValmiera
Lechia Gdańsk
References
edit- ^ a b c Camilo Mena at WorldFootball.net
- ^ "Conozca al colombiano que es considerado el mejor futbolista sub-20 del mundo" [Meet the Colombian who is considered the best U-20 footballer in the world]. elcolombiano.com (in Spanish). 26 October 2022. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ "Camilo Mena, de la cantera de Alianza Platanera, si que brilla..." [Camilo Mena, from the Alianza Platanera quarry, really shines...]. capsulas.com.co (in Spanish). 5 October 2017. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ "Tras los pasos de Falcao: jugador de 15 años debutó como titular en el fútbol colombiano" [In the footsteps of Falcao: 15-year-old player made his debut as a starter in Colombian soccer]. pulzo.com (in Spanish). 24 July 2018. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ Christenson, Marcus; Powell, Jim; Blight, Garry (10 October 2019). "Next Generation 2019: 60 of the best young talents in world football". theguardian.com. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
- ^ Cifuentes Pérez, Jeison (11 October 2019). "Camilo Mena, el joven colombiano considerado como promesa mundial" [Camilo Mena, the young Colombian considered a world promise]. futbolete.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ "Directivos Matecañas le apuestan a un juvenil como su primer refuerzo" [Matecañas managers bet on a youth as their first reinforcement]. eldiario.com.co (in Spanish). 11 December 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ a b Beetar Peñuela, Juan David (6 October 2022). "Camilo Mena, el Sub 20 con mejores números en el mundo" [Camilo Mena, the Sub 20 with the best numbers in the world]. colombia.as.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ "Ekstraklasa: ciekawy transfer Jagiellonii. Camilo Mena odciąży Hiszpanów?" [Ekstraklasa: an interesting transfer of Jagiellonia. Camilo Mena will relieve the Spaniards?]. polskieradio24.pl (in Polish). 15 February 2023. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ Paczul, Paweł (14 February 2023). "Camilo Mena w Jagiellonii". weszlo.com (in Polish). Retrieved 15 October 2024.
- ^ "Camilo Mena nowym napastnikiem Jagiellonii Białystok - Dziennik.pl". sport.dziennik.pl. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
- ^ "Camilo Mena (season 2022–23)". www.90minut.pl. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
- ^ "Koniec zamieszania. Chciał go Raków, przechodzi do Lechii Gdańsk" [End of the commotion. Raków wanted him, he will join Lechia Gdańsk]. sport.pl (in Polish). 4 August 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
- ^ "Camilo Mena nowym zawodnikiem Lechii Gdańsk" [Camilo Mena is a new Lechia Gdańsk player] (in Polish). Lechia Gdańsk. 4 August 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
- ^ "12-0, la histórica goleada de la Selección Colombia sub 15 a República Checa" [12-0, the historic rout of the Colombian sub 15 team against the Czech Republic]. semana.com (in Spanish). 11 November 2017. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ "Este es Camilo Mena, promesa del FPC que sueña con Serie A" [This is Camilo Mena, promise of the FPC who dreams of Serie A]. colombia.as.com (in Spanish). 11 October 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
- ^ Camilo Mena at Soccerway. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
- ^ "Club history - Valmiera FC". Valmiera FC. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
- ^ Ptak, Jakub (19 May 2024). "Lechia górą w derbach! Cieszą się w... Katowicach [WIDEO]". sport.tvp.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 19 May 2024.
External links
edit- Camilo Mena at 90minut.pl (in Polish)