Brais Méndez

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In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Méndez and the second or maternal family name is Portela.
Brais Méndez
Méndez with Celta in 2018
Personal information
Full name Brais Méndez Portela[1]
Date of birth (1997-01-07) 7 January 1997 (age 27)[1]
Place of birth Mos, Spain
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Real Sociedad
Number 23
Youth career
2001–2002 Sárdoma
2002–2010 Santa Mariña
2010–2012 Villarreal
2012–2015 Celta
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2017 Celta B 56 (8)
2017–2022 Celta 153 (20)
2022– Real Sociedad 61 (11)
International career‡
2014 Spain U17 3 (0)
2015 Spain U18 2 (0)
2018 Spain U21 2 (0)
2018– Spain 4 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:10, 15 March 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 14 November 2021

Brais Méndez Portela (born 7 January 1997) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for La Liga club Real Sociedad and the Spain national team.

Club career[edit]

Celta[edit]

Born in Mos, Pontevedra, Galicia, Méndez joined RC Celta de Vigo's youth setup in 2012, from Villarreal CF.[2] On 7 September 2014, he made his senior debut with the reserves, starting in a 1–0 Segunda División B away win against Real Murcia.[3]

Méndez scored his first senior goal on 4 September 2016, netting his team's second in a 3–1 victory at CD Palencia.[4] The following 21 August, after spending the whole preseason with the main squad, he renewed his contract until 2021.[5]

On 21 September 2017, Méndez made his professional – and La Liga – debut, starting in the 1–1 home draw against Getafe CF.[6] He scored his first goal in the competition on 31 March 2018, equalising a 1–1 away draw with Athletic Bilbao.[7]

On 30 July 2020, Méndez extended his contract until 2024.[8] The ensuing season was his most prolific with nine goals,[9] including both in a win over Deportivo Alavés at Balaídos on 20 December.[10]

Real Sociedad[edit]

On 6 July 2022, Real Sociedad reached an agreement with Celta for the transfer of Méndez, with the player signing a contract until 2028.[11] On his European debut on 8 September, he scored the only goal to help defeat Manchester United at Old Trafford in the group stage of the UEFA Europa League, through a penalty.[12]

Méndez also scored in his maiden appearance in the UEFA Champions League, opening an eventual 1–1 home draw against Inter Milan on 20 September 2023 in the group phase.[13]

International career[edit]

After playing for Spain at under-17, under-18 and under-21 levels, Méndez was first called by the full side on 8 November 2018 for matches against Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.[14] He made his debut in the latter fixture, coming on as a 59th-minute substitute for Suso in the 1–0 friendly win in Las Palmas and scoring the only goal.[15]

Personal life[edit]

Méndez's father, Modesto (known as Pupi), was also a footballer. A forward, he appeared in one Segunda División match with Deportivo de La Coruña.[16][17]

Career statistics[edit]

Club[edit]

As of match played 15 March 2024[18][19]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Copa del Rey Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Celta B 2014–15 Segunda División B 3 0 — — — 3 0
2015–16 7 0 — — — 7 0
2016–17 36 6 — — 2[a] 0 38 6
2017–18 10 2 — — 4[a] 0 14 2
Total 56 8 0 0 0 0 6 0 62 8
Celta 2017–18 La Liga 20 1 4 0 — — 24 1
2018–19 31 6 1 0 — — 32 6
2019–20 31 0 3 1 — — 34 1
2020–21 34 9 2 0 — — 36 9
2021–22 37 4 3 1 — — 40 5
Total 153 20 13 2 0 0 0 0 166 22
Real Sociedad 2022–23 La Liga 34 8 5 1 8[b] 2 — 47 11
2023–24 27 3 5 0 7[c] 3 — 39 6
Total 61 11 10 1 15 5 0 0 86 17
Career total 270 39 23 3 15 5 6 0 314 47
  1. ^ a b Appearances in Segunda División B play-offs
  2. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  3. ^ Appearances in UEFA Champions League

International[edit]

As of match played 14 November 2021[20]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Spain 2018 1 1
2021 3 0
Total 4 1
As of 18 November 2018. Spain score listed first, score column indicates score after each Méndez goal.[15][20]
List of international goals scored by Brais Méndez
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 18 November 2018 Estadio Gran Canaria, Las Palmas, Spain  Bosnia and Herzegovina 1–0 1–0 Friendly

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Brais Méndez Portela". Real Sociedad. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  2. ^ Carballo, Berto (26 February 2015). "Brais Méndez, la zurda de oro de A Madroa" [Brais Méndez, the golden left foot from A Madroa] (in Spanish). Canteira Celeste. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  3. ^ "Al Celta B le basta con un gol" [A goal is enough for Celta B]. La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). 8 September 2014. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  4. ^ "El Celta B logra en Palencia el primer triunfo de la temporada" [Celta B get in Palencia their first triumph of the season]. Faro de Vigo (in Spanish). 4 September 2016. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  5. ^ Garrido, Clemente (21 August 2017). "Brais Méndez amplía cuatro años su contrato con el Celta" [Brais Méndez extends four years his contract with Celta]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  6. ^ García, Óscar (21 September 2017). "Ángel se cuela en la fiesta de Maxi" [Ángel crashes Maxi's party]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  7. ^ Carnerero, Fernando (31 March 2018). "Al Athletic le sobró el añadido" [Athletic did not need the stoppage time]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  8. ^ Garrido, Clemente (30 July 2020). "Oficial: Brais Méndez renueva con el Celta hasta 2024" [Official: Brais Méndez renews with Celta until 2024]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  9. ^ "Brais Méndez, 150 veces celeste" [Brais Méndez, 150 times sky blue]. La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). 24 January 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  10. ^ "Brais Méndez: "Estamos en un gran momento, tenemos que aprovecharlo"" [Brais Méndez: "We're in a great moment, we have to make the most of it"]. Faro de Vigo (in Spanish). 20 December 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  11. ^ "Brais es txuri urdin" [Brais is txuri urdin] (in Spanish). Real Sociedad. 6 July 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2022.
  12. ^ Stone, Simon (8 September 2022). "Manchester United 0–1 Real Sociedad". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 September 2022.
  13. ^ Mejías, Noelia (20 September 2023). "Definición de nota para estrenarse en Champions: el gol de Brais Méndez" [Top-notch finish in his Champions debut: Brais Méndez's goal] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  14. ^ Maroto, Joaquín (8 November 2018). "Jordi Alba recalled by Spain; Brais, Hermoso and Fornals make the list". Diario AS. Archived from the original on 15 March 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
  15. ^ a b Bell, Arch (18 November 2018). "Spain edge Bosnia to end 2018". Marca. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  16. ^ "El día en que el padre de Brais Méndez defendió la camiseta del Deportivo" [The day Brais Méndez's father donned the shirt of Deportivo]. La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). 21 December 2017. Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  17. ^ Cudeiro, Juan Luis (8 November 2018). "Brais Méndez, seda celeste para La Roja" [Brais Méndez, sky-blue silk for La Roja]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 19 November 2018.
  18. ^ Brais Méndez at BDFutbol
  19. ^ Brais Méndez at Soccerway
  20. ^ a b "Brais Méndez". EU-Football.info. Retrieved 16 March 2021.

External links[edit]

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