Gabriel Mercado

Gabriel Mercado
Mercado with Argentina at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
Personal information
Full name Gabriel Iván Mercado[1]
Date of birth (1987-03-18) 18 March 1987 (age 37)[1]
Place of birth Puerto Madryn, Argentina
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)[2]
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
 Internacional
Number 25
Youth career
Racing Club
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2010 Racing Club 96 (1)
2010–2012 Estudiantes LP 66 (10)
2012–2016 River Plate 144 (11)
2016–2019 Sevilla 78 (5)
2019–2021 Al-Rayyan 40 (4)
2021– Internacional 126 (6)
International career‡
2007 Argentina U20 11 (0)
2010–2019 Argentina 25 (4)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Argentina
FIFA U-20 World Cup
Winner 2007 U-20 Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 05:18, 29 November 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22 March 2019

Gabriel Iván Mercado (born 18 March 1987) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays for Internacional. Mainly a right back, he could also play as a central defender.

He began his career with Racing Club and Estudiantes before joining River Plate in 2012, going on to win six domestic and international tournaments including the 2015 Copa Libertadores. In 2016, he joined Sevilla for €2.5 million.

Mercado made his international debut for Argentina in 2010, and was part of their squad that came runners-up at the Copa América Centenario, and also took part at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Club career

Early career

Born in Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Mercado made his professional debut for Racing Club on 21 February 2007 in a 0–1 home defeat to San Lorenzo. He went to establish himself as a regular member of the Racing first team.

In July 2010, Mercado joined Estudiantes de La Plata for $800,000 and 50% of his rights.[3] He won the Apertura in his debut season, and stayed at the club until 2012.

In July 2012, he signed for River Plate.

Sevilla

On 4 August 2016, La Liga side Sevilla FC signed Mercado from River Plate on a three-year deal for a reported fee of €2.5 million, with River retaining 20% of a subsequent transfer fee. He was signed by compatriot manager Jorge Sampaoli to replace former captain Coke.[4]

He scored his first goal for the team on 20 September, deflecting Samir Nasri's free kick for the only score in a home Seville derby win over Real Betis.[5]

Al-Rayyan

On 11 June 2019, Al-Rayyan SC announced via their social media that they had signed Mercado.[6]

Internacional

On 5 July 2021, he was announced and signed with Internacional until December 2022 after being without a club at the end of his contract with Al-Rayyan. His chosen jersey number was jersey number 25.[7]

International career

Youth career

Mercado represented the Argentina Under-20 team at the 2007 South American Youth Championship in Paraguay and at the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada.

Senior career

Mercado made his full international debut for the Argentina national team after being called up to join Diego Maradona's squad of Argentina-based players who beat Jamaica 2–1 on 10 February 2010.

Mercado was first-choice in his position for Argentina in the 2016 Copa América Centenario squad, playing in the final against Chile for the full 120-minutes, a 4–2 loss on penalties.[4]

In May 2018, Mercado was named in Argentina's preliminary 35-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia;[8] later that month, he was included in Jorge Sampaoli's final 23-man squad for the tournament.[9] In the round of 16 match against France on 30 June, Mercado scored in a 4–3 defeat, which saw Argentina eliminated from the competition.[10]

Career statistics

International

As of match played 22 March 2019[11]
Argentina
Year Apps Goals
2010 1 0
2011 0 0
2012 0 0
2013 0 0
2014 0 0
2015 1 0
2016 10 2
2017 5 1
2018 7 1
2019 1 0
Total 25 4
Scores and results list Argentina's goal tally first
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1
 24 March 2016 Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos, Santiago, Chile  Chile
2–1
2–1
 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
2
 29 March 2016 Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes, Córdoba, Argentina  Bolivia
1–0
2–0
3
 9 June 2017 Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne, Australia  Brazil
1–0
1–0
 2017 Superclásico de las Américas
4
 30 June 2018 Kazan Arena, Kazan, Russia  France
2–1
3–4
 2018 FIFA World Cup

Honours

Estudiantes

River Plate

Argentina

References

  1. ^ a b "FIFA World Cup Russia 2018: List of Players: Argentina" (PDF). FIFA. 15 July 2018. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 June 2019.
  2. ^ "Gabriel Mercado". Sport Club Internacional. Retrieved 30 September 2022.
  3. ^ "Mercado, nuevo jugador de Estudiantes". ESPN Deportes (in Spanish). 6 July 2010. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  4. ^ a b "Sevilla sign Argentina right-back Gabriel Mercado to help replace Coke". ESPN FC. Retrieved 4 August 2016.
  5. ^ "Gabriel Mercado leads Sevilla past Betis; Málaga beat Eibar for first win". ESPN FC. 20 September 2016. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  6. ^ "Argentina defender Gabriel MERCADO leaves Sevilla, joins Qatari club". 11 June 2019. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  7. ^ "Inter anuncia a contratação de Gabriel Mercado até dezembro de 2022". Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  8. ^ "Revealed: Every World Cup 2018 squad - 23-man & preliminary lists & when will they be announced?". Goal.com. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  9. ^ "Argentina World Cup squad: Paulo Dybala included but Mauro Icardi misses out on 23-man group for Russia". The Independent. 21 May 2018. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  10. ^ Emlyn Begley (30 June 2018). "France 4-3 Argentina". BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 June 2018.
  11. ^ "Gabriel Mercado". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
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