Luis Ricardo Mejía Cajar (born 16 March 1991) is a Panamanian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Uruguayan Primera División club Nacional.
_(cropped).jpg) Mejía with Panama at the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Luis Ricardo Mejía Cajar | ||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 16 March 1991 | ||||||||||||||||
| 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
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*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) | |||||||||||||||||
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
External links
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