John Mercado

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Mercado and the second or maternal family name is Cuero.

John Anthony Mercado Cuero (born 3 June 2002) is an Ecuadorian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Primeira Liga club AVS Futebol SAD and the Ecuador national team.

John Mercado

Personal information
Full name	John Anthony Mercado Cuero
Date of birth	(2002-06-03) 3 June 2002 (age 22)
Place of birth	Guayaquil, Ecuador
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Winger
Team information
Current team	AVS
Number	17
Youth career
	Clan Juvenil
2016–2019	Panamá
2020–2022	Athletico Paranaense
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2022	Athletico Paranaense	1	(0)
2022	→ CSA (loan)	9	(0)
2023	Vilafranquense	13	(2)
2023–	AVS	28	(4)
International career‡
2017	Ecuador U15
2019	Ecuador U17	13	(3)
2020	Ecuador U20	2	(0)
2024–	Ecuador	2	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 June 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10 September 2024

Club career

Born in Guayaquil, Mercado agreed to a contract with Athletico Paranaense in July 2019,^[1] but only moved to his new side in August 2020, after his 18th birthday.^[2] After playing for the under-20s, he impressed manager Alberto Valentim in 2022, and was promoted to the first team squad.^[3]

Mercado made his professional debut on 2 March 2022, coming on as a second-half substitute for Léo Cittadini in a 0–2 away loss against Palmeiras, for the year's Recopa Sudamericana.^[4][5] In July, Athletico sent him on loan to Série B club CSA until the end of the season.^[6]

In January 2023, Mercado terminated his contract with Athletico Paranaense and moved to Portugal, joining Liga Portugal 2 side Vilafranquense.^[7] At the end of the 2022–23 season, Vilafranquense relocated to Vila das Aves and was rebranded as AVS Futebol SAD.^[8] On 18 December 2023, he extended his contract with AVS until 2027.^[9]

International career

Mercado represented Ecuador at under-15 level in the 2017 South American U-15 Championship, and at under-17 level in the 2019 South American U-17 Championship^[10] and the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup.^[11]

Mercado debuted for the senior Ecuador national team on 6 September 2024 in a World Cup qualifier against Brazil at the Estádio Couto Pereira. He substituted Kevin Rodríguez in the 68th minute, Brazil won 1–0.^[12]

Career statistics

Club

As of 20 June 2023^[13]

Club	Season	League			State League		Cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Athletico Paranaense	2022	Série A	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1[lower-alpha 1]	0	2	0
CSA (loan)	2022	Série B	9	0	—		—		—		—		9	0
Vilafranquense	2022–23	Liga Portugal 2	13	2	—		0	0	—		—		13	2
Total			23	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	24	2

1. Appearance(s) in Recopa Sudamericana

International

As of match played 10 September 2024

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Ecuador	2024	2	0
Total		2	0

References

1. "Athletico contrata três novatos que estavam no futebol do Exterior" [Athletico sign three youngsters who were in the foreign football] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Bem Paraná. 8 July 2019. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
2. "El juvenil John Mercado fue fichado por el Atlético Paranaense brasileño" [The youngster John Mercado was signed up by Brazilian Atlético Paranaense] (in Spanish). El Comercio. 31 August 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
3. ""Vem gostando muito"; Valentim se rende ao talento de atacante e Athletico muda de ideia" ["He is liking a lot"; Valentim surrenders to the talent of forward and Athletico change their mind] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Bolavip. 7 February 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
4. "Atuações do Athletico: atacantes somem, e John Mercado estreia contra o Palmeiras na Recopa" [Performances of Athletico: forwards disappear, and John Mercado debuts against Palmeiras in the Recopa] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 2 March 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
5. "Atacante John Mercado estreou entre os profissionais do Furacão" [Forward John Mercado debuted amongst the professionals of Furacão] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Club Athletico Paranaense. 2 March 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
6. "John Mercado é emprestado para o CSA" [John Mercado loaned to CSA]. OneFootball (in Brazilian Portuguese). 6 July 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
7. "John Mercado rescinde com o Athletico e acerta com time de Portugal" [John Mercado terminated contract with Athletico and reaches agreement with Portuguese team]. Globo Esporte (in Brazilian Portuguese). 20 January 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
8. "Vilafranquense SAD assume nova imagem na transferência para Vila das Aves" [Vilafranquense SAD takes on new image over relocation to Vila das Aves]. Público (in European Portuguese). 17 April 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
9. "Aves SAD: avançado equatoriano John Mercado renova contrato" [Aves SAD: Ecuadorian forward John Mercado renews contract] (in European Portuguese). O Jogo. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
10. "ELLOS SON NUESTROS TRICOLORES SUB 17" [THESE ARE OUR UNDER-17 TRICOLORES] (in Spanish). FEF. 7 March 2019. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
11. "Los convocados de Ecuador para el Mundial Sub 17 de Brasil" [The called up ones for Ecuador for the Under-17 World Cup in Brazil] (in Spanish). El Canal de Fútbol. 8 October 2019. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
12. "Brazil v Ecuador game report". ESPN. 6 September 2024.
13. John Mercado at Soccerway. Retrieved 11 March 2022.

External links

• Athletico Paranaense profile (in Brazilian Portuguese)