Mendieta

Date of birth27 March 1974
Place of birthBilbao
NationalitySpanish
Weight69 kg
Height1.73 m
PositionMidfielder

Mendieta is a skilful midfield playmaker with great vision that is capable of scoring spectacular goals.

After beginning his club career with Castellon, he spent nine seasons with Valencia whom he joined in 1992.

He took two seasons to establish himself as a regular and was in the side that reached two successive European Champions League Finals.

He had won several Under-21 caps and played at won his first full cap for Spain in the 9-0 thrashing of Austria in March 1999 and made the 2000 European Championship Finals squad.

He made a big move to Italy to play for Lazio for £28million in the summer of 2001 but took time to settle.

He is a gifted midfielder with great touch and vision, rarely giving away possession.

Following his woes at Lazio, he wasn't selected for Spain's first two games in the 2002 World Cup finals, but made his mark by scoring from a free kick in their final Group B game - a 3-2 defeat of South Africa.

He then netted the winning penalty in the shoot-out with Ireland that put Spain through to the quarter-finals.

After a season on loan, he joined Middlesbrough in July 2004 with a four-year contract.

Club history

Team Joined Left Loan / Trialist
Castellon 00 Jul 1991 00 Jul 1992
Valencia 00 Jul 1992 20 Jul 2001
Lazio 20 Jul 2001 30 Jun 2004
Barcelona 20 Jul 2002 01 Jul 2003 L
Middlesbrough 21 Aug 2003 31 May 2004 L
Middlesbrough 01 Jul 2004 30 Jun 2008

Club stats

Season Team Competition Apps Subs Goals Y R
1998-99 Valencia UEFA Cup 2
1999-00 Valencia UEFA Champions League 3
1
2
2000-01 Valencia Primera Liga 31
10
5
2000-01 Valencia UEFA Champions League 16
4
5
2001-02 Lazio Serie A 12
8
2001-02 Lazio UEFA Champions League 7
2002-03 Barcelona Primera Liga 29
4
4
6
2002-03 Barcelona UEFA Champions League 10
5
2
1
2003-04 Middlesbrough FA Cup 1
2003-04 Middlesbrough League Cup 6
1
2003-04 Middlesbrough Premier League 30
1
2
3
2004-05 Middlesbrough Premier League 7
1
2004-05 Middlesbrough UEFA Cup
1
2005-06 Middlesbrough FA Cup 6
1
2005-06 Middlesbrough Premier League 15
2
2
2
2005-06 Middlesbrough UEFA Cup 6
1
2006-07 Middlesbrough League Cup 1
2006-07 Middlesbrough Premier League 4
3


Please note: Career stats are based on performances in the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.

Club matches

Date Match Result Competition Round
20 Oct 1998 Liverpool v Valencia D 0-0 UEFA Cup 2nd round 1st leg
03 Nov 1998 Valencia v Liverpool D 2-2
Agg: 2-2
UEFA Cup 2nd round 2nd leg
15 Sep 1999 Valencia v Rangers W 2-0 UEFA Champions League Group F
26 Oct 1999 Rangers v Valencia W 1-2 UEFA Champions League Group F
08 Dec 1999 Manchester United v Valencia L 3-0 UEFA Champions League Phase 2 group B
09 Aug 2000 FC Tirol Milch Innsbruck v Valencia D 0-0 UEFA Champions League 3rd round 1st leg
23 Aug 2000 Valencia v FC Tirol Milch Innsbruck W 4-1
Agg: 4-1
UEFA Champions League 3rd round 2nd leg
09 Sep 2000 Real Madrid v Valencia L 2-1 Primera Liga 1
12 Sep 2000 Valencia v Olympiakos W 2-1 UEFA Champions League Group C
16 Sep 2000 Valencia v Real Mallorca W 4-0 Primera Liga 2
20 Sep 2000 Heerenveen v Valencia W 0-1 UEFA Champions League Group C
24 Sep 2000 Numancia v Valencia W 0-3 Primera Liga 3
27 Sep 2000 Valencia v Olympique Lyonnais W 1-0 UEFA Champions League Group C
01 Oct 2000 Valencia v Las Palmas W 5-1 Primera Liga 4
14 Oct 2000 Villarreal v Valencia D 1-1 Primera Liga 5
17 Oct 2000 Olympique Lyonnais v Valencia W 1-2 UEFA Champions League Group C
21 Oct 2000 Valencia v Real Zaragoza W 1-0 Primera Liga 6
29 Oct 2000 Osasuna v Valencia W 1-2 Primera Liga 7
01 Nov 2000 Valencia v Celta Vigo W 1-0 Primera Liga 8
04 Nov 2000 Español v Valencia L 1-0 Primera Liga 9
12 Nov 2000 Valencia v Rayo Vallecano D 2-2 Primera Liga 10
18 Nov 2000 Alavés v Valencia D 1-1 Primera Liga 11
21 Nov 2000 Valencia v Sturm Graz W 2-0 UEFA Champions League Group A
26 Nov 2000 Valencia v Oviedo W 2-0 Primera Liga 12
06 Dec 2000 Panathinaikos v Valencia D 0-0 UEFA Champions League Group A
09 Dec 2000 Valencia v Real Sociedad W 2-0 Primera Liga 14
17 Dec 2000 Valencia v Malaga W 2-0 Primera Liga 15
20 Dec 2000 Athletic Bilbao v Valencia D 1-1 Primera Liga 16
07 Jan 2001 Valencia v Racing Santander W 1-0 Primera Liga 17
13 Jan 2001 Deportivo La Coruña v Valencia L 2-0 Primera Liga 18
20 Jan 2001 Valencia v Barcelona L 0-1 Primera Liga 19
28 Jan 2001 Valencia v Real Madrid L 0-1 Primera Liga 20
04 Feb 2001 Real Mallorca v Valencia D 2-2 Primera Liga 21
10 Feb 2001 Valencia v Numancia W 3-0 Primera Liga 22
14 Feb 2001 Valencia v Manchester United D 0-0 UEFA Champions League Group A
20 Feb 2001 Manchester United v Valencia D 1-1 UEFA Champions League Group A
25 Feb 2001 Valencia v Villarreal W 3-1 Primera Liga 24
03 Mar 2001 Real Zaragoza v Valencia D 1-1 Primera Liga 25
07 Mar 2001 Sturm Graz v Valencia W 0-5 UEFA Champions League Group A
10 Mar 2001 Valencia v Osasuna W 1-0 Primera Liga 26
31 Mar 2001 Valencia v Español L 0-1 Primera Liga 28
04 Apr 2001 Arsenal v Valencia L 2-1 UEFA Champions League Quarter-final 1st leg
07 Apr 2001 Rayo Vallecano v Valencia W 1-4 Primera Liga 29
14 Apr 2001 Valencia v Alavés L 1-2 Primera Liga 30
17 Apr 2001 Valencia v Arsenal W 1-0
Agg: 2-2
UEFA Champions League Quarter-final 2nd leg
22 Apr 2001 Oviedo v Valencia D 0-0 Primera Liga 31
28 Apr 2001 Valencia v Valladolid W 1-0 Primera Liga 32
02 May 2001 Leeds United v Valencia D 0-0 UEFA Champions League Semi-final 1st leg
08 May 2001 Valencia v Leeds United W 3-0
Agg: 3-0
UEFA Champions League Semi-final 2nd leg
13 May 2001 Malaga v Valencia L 3-0 Primera Liga 34
23 May 2001 Bayern München v Valencia D 1-1 UEFA Champions League Final
27 May 2001 Racing Santander v Valencia D 1-1 Primera Liga 36


Please note: Match history is complete for the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.

International stats

Season Team Competition Apps Subs Goals Y R
1996-97 Spain Olympics 2
1998-99 Spain International Friendly
1
1998-99 Spain UEFA European Championship
2
1
1999-00 Spain International Friendly 2
5
1
1999-00 Spain UEFA European Championship 3
4
2
2000-01 Spain FIFA World Cup 5
2
2000-01 Spain International Friendly 5
2001-02 Spain FIFA World Cup 2
3
2
2001-02 Spain International Friendly 1
2
2002-03 Spain International Friendly 3
2002-03 Spain UEFA European Championship
2


Please note: Career stats are based on performances in the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.

International matches

Date Match Result Competition Round
20 Jul 1996 Spain v Saudi Arabia W 1-0 Olympics Finals Group B
24 Jul 1996 Spain v Australia W 3-2 Olympics Finals Group B
27 Mar 1999 Spain v Austria W 9-0 UEFA European Championship Group 6
05 May 1999 Spain v Croatia W 3-1 International Friendly
05 Jun 1999 Spain v San Marino W 9-0 UEFA European Championship Group 6
18 Aug 1999 Poland v Spain W 1-2 International Friendly
04 Sep 1999 Austria v Spain W 1-3 UEFA European Championship Group 6
08 Sep 1999 Spain v Cyprus W 8-0 UEFA European Championship Group 6
10 Oct 1999 Spain v Israel W 3-0 UEFA European Championship Group 6
13 Nov 1999 Spain v Brazil D 0-0 International Friendly
17 Nov 1999 Spain v Argentina L 0-2 International Friendly
26 Jan 2000 Spain v Poland W 3-0 International Friendly
23 Feb 2000 Croatia v Spain D 0-0 International Friendly
03 Jun 2000 Sweden v Spain D 1-1 International Friendly
07 Jun 2000 Luxembourg v Spain W 0-1 International Friendly
13 Jun 2000 Spain v Norway L 0-1 UEFA European Championship Finals Group C
18 Jun 2000 Slovenia v Spain W 1-2 UEFA European Championship Finals Group C
21 Jun 2000 Yugoslavia v Spain W 3-4 UEFA European Championship Finals Group C
25 Jun 2000 France v Spain L 2-1 UEFA European Championship Finals quarter-final
16 Aug 2000 Germany v Spain L 4-1 International Friendly
02 Sep 2000 Bosnia and Herzegovina v Spain W 1-2 FIFA World Cup Europe group 7
07 Oct 2000 Spain v Israel W 2-0 FIFA World Cup Europe group 7
11 Oct 2000 Austria v Spain D 1-1 FIFA World Cup Europe group 7
15 Nov 2000 Spain v Netherlands L 1-2 International Friendly
28 Feb 2001 England v Spain L 3-0 International Friendly
24 Mar 2001 Spain v Liechtenstein W 5-0 FIFA World Cup Europe group 7
28 Mar 2001 Spain v France W 2-1 International Friendly
25 Apr 2001 Spain v Japan W 1-0 International Friendly
02 Jun 2001 Spain v Bosnia and Herzegovina W 4-1 FIFA World Cup Europe group 7
01 Sep 2001 Spain v Austria W 4-0 FIFA World Cup Europe group 7
05 Sep 2001 Liechtenstein v Spain W 0-2 FIFA World Cup Europe group 7
14 Nov 2001 Spain v Mexico W 1-0 International Friendly
13 Feb 2002 Spain v Portugal D 1-1 International Friendly
17 Apr 2002 Northern Ireland v Spain W 0-5 International Friendly
12 Jun 2002 South Africa v Spain W 2-3 FIFA World Cup Finals Group B
16 Jun 2002 Spain v Republic of Ireland W 1-1 (3-2) FIFA World Cup Finals 2nd round
22 Jun 2002 Korea Republic v Spain L 0-0 (3-5) FIFA World Cup Finals quarter-final
21 Aug 2002 Hungary v Spain D 1-1 International Friendly
07 Sep 2002 Greece v Spain W 0-2 UEFA European Championship Group 6
12 Oct 2002 Spain v Northern Ireland W 3-0 UEFA European Championship Group 6
16 Oct 2002 Spain v Paraguay D 0-0 International Friendly
20 Nov 2002 Spain v Bulgaria W 1-0 International Friendly


Please note: Match history is complete for the Premier and Football Leagues and (in most cases all) internationals.