Luis Mejía

Luis Mejía
Mejía with Panama at the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup
Personal information
Full name Luis Ricardo Mejía Cajar
Date of birth (1991-03-16) 16 March 1991 (age 33)
Place of birth Panama City, Panama
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Nacional
Number 12
Youth career
2005–2007 Tauro
2008–2009 Fénix
2009 → Real Mallorca B (loan)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2015 Fénix 89 (0)
2011 → Toulouse FC (loan) 0 (0)
2015–2021 Nacional 51 (0)
2021 Fénix 20 (0)
2022–2024 Unión Española 21 (0)
2023 → Racing de Montevideo (loan) 13 (0)
2024– Nacional 18 (0)
International career‡
2005–2006 Panama U17 4 (0)
2007–2010 Panama U20 10 (0)
2010 Panama U21 2 (0)
2012 Panama U23 7 (0)
2009– Panama 52 (0)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Panama
CONCACAF Gold Cup
Runner-up 2023 United States–Canada Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 8 September 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17:31, 7 June 2024 (UTC)
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Mejía and the second or maternal family name is Cajar.

Luis Ricardo Mejía Cajar (born 16 March 1991) is a Panamanian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Uruguayan Primera División club Nacional.

Club career

Nicknamed Manotas, Mejia made his professional debut playing with Tauro in 2007.

In 2008, he was transferred to Uruguayan side Centro Atlético Fénix, but finally made his team debut on 21 August 2010 on a match against Tacuarembó, being rewarded as the man of the match.[1] His outstanding performances called the interest of various team of Europe.

In January 2011, he was loaned 6 months to Toulouse but was never able to win a place in the first team, so he had to cope with playing in the reserve team.[2]

Upon his return to Fénix, he moved to playing in the starting lineup of the team.

International career

Mejía was part of the Panama U-20 squad that participated in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada. He was the youngest goalkeeper in the world cup and the revelation. He was also part of the Panama U-20 squad that participated in the 2011 CONCACAF U-20 Championship where his outstanding performances led them to qualify to the Youth World Cup in Colombia.[3]

His senior international debut for Panama came on 8 June 2009 against Jamaica, in a Friendly match.[4]

He was part of the Panama U-23 squad that participated in the 2012 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament which they could not qualify to the 2012 Summer Olympics.

In 2011, he was called up by Julio Dely Valdés to play the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

References

  1. ^ "Brillante actuación de Luis Mejía en su debut" (in Spanish). Diariopro. 23 August 2010. Retrieved 25 August 2010.
  2. ^ "Luis "Manotas" Mejía presentado como jugador del Toulouse" (in Spanish). Diariopro. 5 January 2011. Retrieved 8 January 2011.
  3. ^ Luis Mejía – FIFA competition record (archived)
  4. ^ Luis Mejía at National-Football-Teams.com