Santiago Andrés Mele Castañero (born 6 September 1997) is a Uruguayan professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Categoría Primera A club Atlético Junior and the Uruguay national team.[1][2]
![]() Mele in 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Santiago Andrés Mele Castañero | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Date of birth | 6 September 1997 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Montevideo, Uruguay | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Atlético Junior | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Number | 77 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Fénix | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||
2016–2017 | Fénix | 6 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
2017–2020 | Osmanlıspor | 13 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
2017 | → Ankaragücü (loan) | 0 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
2018 | → Lleida Esportiu (loan) | 0 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
2020–2024 | Plaza Colonia | 40 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
2022–2023 | → Unión Santa Fe (loan) | 48 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
2023 | → Atlético Junior (loan) | 20 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
2024– | Atlético Junior | 21 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||
2015 | Uruguay U18 | 3 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
2015–2017 | Uruguay U20 | 28 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
2019 | Uruguay U22 | 4 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
2023– | Uruguay | 4 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 3 June 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 26 March 2024 |
Club career
editA youth academy graduate of Fénix, Mele made his professional debut on 30 August 2016 in a 1–0 loss against Cerro.[3]
On 4 September 2017, Turkish top division club Osmanlıspor announced the signing of Mele on a five-year deal.[4] He was immediately loaned out to second division club Ankaragücü for 2017–18 season.[5] However, with Korcan Çelikay and Altay Bayındır ahead of him in pecking order, he didn't receive any playing minutes.[6]
Mele's loan was cut short in following January and he subsequently got loaned out to Spanish third division side Lleida Esportiu.[7] With Diego Rivas Rego as first-choice goalkeeper, Mele failed to find playing minutes again.
Two years after joining the club, Mele made his debut for Osmanlıspor on 17 August 2019 in a 2–1 win against Boluspor.[8]
International career
editMele is a former Uruguay youth international. He was part of Uruguay under-20 team which won the 2017 South American U-20 Championship and finished fourth at the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup.[2] He was also part of the Uruguay under-22 team which finished fourth at the 2019 Pan American Games.[9]
On 21 October 2022, Mele was named in Uruguay's 55-man preliminary squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.[10] He made his senior team debut on 28 March 2023 in a 2–1 win against South Korea.[11]
In June 2024, Mele was named in Uruguay's 26-man squad for the 2024 Copa América.[12]
Career statistics
editClub
edit- As of 26 March 2021[1]
Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Fénix | 2016 | Uruguayan Primera División | 6 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 0 | ||
2017 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
Total | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | ||
Osmanlıspor | 2017–18 | Süper Lig | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
2018–19 | TFF First League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | ||
2019–20 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 13 | 0 | |||
Total | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | ||
Ankaragücü (loan) | 2017–18 | TFF First League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
Lleida Esportiu (loan) | 2017–18 | Segunda División B | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
Plaza Colonia | 2020 | Uruguayan Primera División | 19 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 21 | 0 | |
Career total | 38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 40 | 0 |
International
edit- As of match played 26 March 2024[1]
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
Uruguay | 2023 | 3 | 0 |
2024 | 1 | 0 | |
Total | 4 | 0 |
Honours
editAtlético Junior
Uruguay U20
Uruguay
- Copa América third place: 2024[13]
Individual
- Uruguayan Primera División Team of the Year: 2021[14]
References
edit- ^ a b c Santiago Mele at Soccerway
- ^ a b "1 - Santiago Mele - AUF". Retrieved 5 August 2019.
- ^ "Fénix vs. Cerro - 30 August 2016". Retrieved 14 June 2020.
- ^ "Uruguaylı kaleci Santiago Mele Osmanlıspor'da". Retrieved 14 June 2020.
- ^ "Osmanlıspor, Uruguaylı kaleci Mele'yi aldı, Ankaragücü'ne kiraladı". Retrieved 14 June 2020.
- ^ Santiago Mele, atajando en la locura turca elobservador.com.uy
- ^ "El golero Santiago Mele dejó Turquía y arregló en el Lleida Esportiu de España". Retrieved 14 June 2020.
- ^ "Osmanlıspor vs. Boluspor - 17 August 2019". Retrieved 14 June 2020.
- ^ "Convocados para los Panamericanos de Lima 2019". Retrieved 14 June 2020.
- ^ "Selección: Diego Alonso entregó la lista de 55 reservados para el Mundial de Catar" (in Spanish). 21 October 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
- ^ "Así fue el debut de Santiago Mele en el arco de la Selección Uruguaya". 28 March 2023. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
- ^ "Uruguay presentó los 26 convocados para la Copa América, con Luis Suárez en la lista". 8 June 2024. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
- ^ "Uruguay beats Canada on penalties to finish CONMEBOL Copa América™ in 3rd Place". 14 July 2024. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
- ^ "Se definieron los Premios AUF anuales 2021". 28 December 2021. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
External links
edit- Profile at the Uruguayan Football Association website (in Spanish)