Luis Mejía

Luis Ricardo Mejía Cajar (born 16 March 1991 in Panama City) is a Panamanian footballer.

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
Place of birth Panama City, Panama
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
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– Nacional 51 (0)
National team‡
2005–2006 Panama U-17 4 (0)
2007–2010 Panama U-20 10 (0)
2010 Panama U-21 2 (0)
2012 Panama U-23 7 (0)
2009– Panama 26 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 12 January 2021
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 14 November 2020
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Mejía and the second or maternal family name is Cajar.

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]

In his return to Fénix, he gain the ownership in the first 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 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
  4. Luis Mejía at National-Football-Teams.com
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