Robert Méndez
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Robert Méndez Rodríguez | ||
| Date of birth | 28 August 1989 | ||
| Place of birth | Concepción, Chile | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Universidad de Concepción | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2007–2010 | Universidad de Concepción | ||
| 2009 | → Iberia (loan) | ||
| 2010 | → Fernández Vial (loan) | ||
| Chiguayante Sur | |||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Robert Méndez Rodríguez (born 28 August 1989) is a Chilean former footballer who played as a midfielder.
Club career
Méndez began his career with Universidad de Concepción, signing a professional contract with the club at the age of eighteen.[1] Despite showing promise at an early age, he was sent by then-manager Jorge Pellicer on loan to Tercera A side Iberia in 2009 - a move Méndez suggested may have simply been a mistake in a 2023 interview with Diario AS.[1][2] On 26 October 2009, Méndez was involved in a car accident while travelling on the highway from Los Ángeles to Concepción; after his partner, who was driving, fell asleep, the car crashed into a sign and Méndez suffered an injury to his left foot, later requiring one of his toes to be amputated.[1][2]
Having spent three months in hospital, and another three months recovering, Méndez was loaned again to the third division in 2010, this time joining Fernández Vial.[2] After suffering a meniscus tear, he struggled to get game-time, and with his contract at Universidad de Concepción set to expire, he decided to retire.[1] Following his retirement from professional football, he would feature for local amateur side Chiguayante Sur.[1]
International career
Though never called up to represent Chile in official games, Méndez was called up by then-Chile national team manager Marcelo Bielsa in 2007 to play for a squad of under-18 players, led by César Vaccia, in 'sparring' games with the senior squad.[3]
Style of play
Méndez was given the nickname "Chilean Messi" by then-Chile national team assistant manager, Eduardo Berizzo, as he shared a similar hairstyle and technical ability as Argentine football legend Lionel Messi.[2][4]
Later life
After his spell with Fernández Vial, he began to drink alcohol more frequently, and in a 2018 interview with El Mercurio, he stated that this led to him crashing his car a number of times.[1] His local side, Chiguayante Sur, offered him a position on the team, as well as helping him get a job as a driver for a construction company.[1] Following this, he became an electrical installer in Antofagasta, and later began studying to be a technician in mining processes.[1][2]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Harz, Matías (1 November 2018). "Qué fue del futbolista catalogado por Bielsa como el "Messi chileno" y que hoy trabaja como montajista eléctrico" [What happened to the footballer cataloged by Bielsa as the "Chilean Messi" and who today works as an electrical installer]. emol.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 August 2023.
- ^ a b c d e Silva, Felipe (31 May 2023). "Pasó por la Roja, le decían 'Messi chileno' y hoy es electricista: "Conocí la noche y toqué fondo"" [He went through La Roja, they called him 'Chilean Messi' and today he is an electrician: "I knew the night and I hit rock bottom"]. chile.as.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 August 2023.
- ^ González, Christian (10 August 2017). "¿Qué fue de los primeros 'sparrings' de Bielsa en la Roja?" [What happened to Bielsa's first 'sparrings' in La Roja?]. chile.as.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 August 2023.
- ^ "El inesperado presente del "Messi chileno": "Yo asumo mis errores, fui irresponsable"" [The unexpected present of the "Chilean Messi": "I assume my mistakes, I was irresponsible"]. 24horas.cl (in Spanish). 1 March 2019. Retrieved 11 August 2023.