Raúl Mendiola (born May 18, 1994) is a Mexican professional footballer who currently plays as an attacking midfielder for Central Valley Fuego in the USL League One.

Raúl Mendiola
Personal information
Date of birth (1994-05-18) 18 May 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth Ciudad Juárez, Mexico
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team
Central Valley Fuego
Number 11
Youth career
2011–2014 LA Galaxy
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2017 LA Galaxy 13 (0)
2014–2017 LA Galaxy II 69 (6)
2018 Las Vegas Lights 22 (10)
2019 Reno 1868 28 (4)
2020 San Diego Loyal 1 (0)
2020 Las Vegas Lights 10 (2)
2024– Central Valley Fuego 3 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of April 14, 2024

Career

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Born in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, Mendiola joined the LA Galaxy Academy in 2011.[1] While at the academy level Mendiola won back-to-back U-16 Development Academy Player of the Year awards after the 2009–10 and 2010–11 seasons, playing for California-based development academy club Arsenal FC.[1]

On February 20, 2014, it was announced that Mendiola was signed as a homegrown player by the Galaxy.[1] He then made his professional debut with the LA Galaxy II, the reserve side of the LA Galaxy, on March 22, 2014, in the side's first ever USL Pro match against the Orange County Blues. His first appearance with the LA Galaxy first team came on May 17, 2014, in a regular season MLS match against the Houston Dynamo.[2][3]

On May 31, 2018, Mendiola joined United Soccer League side Las Vegas Lights.[4]

Mendiola joined USL Championship side Reno 1868 on December 10, 2018.[5]

On July 23, 2020, Las Vegas Lights Head Coach Frank Yallop announced that Mendiola would reunite with the team for the remainder of the 2020 season.[6]

Mendiola signed with USL Championship side San Diego Loyal in January 2020. He returned to former side Las Vegas Lights on July 23, 2020.[7]

After three years without a professional club, Mendiola returned to the professional ranks signing with USL League One side Central Valley Fuego on February 20, 2024.[8]

Career statistics

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As of April 27, 2015[9]
Club Season League League Cup U.S. Open Cup CONCACAF Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
LA Galaxy 2014 Major League Soccer 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
2015 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 0
2016 6 0 0 0 3 1 9 1
2017 4 0 0 0 2 0 6 0
Major League Soccer Total 13 0 0 0 8 1 0 0 18 1
LA Galaxy II 2014 USL Pro 20 2 0 0 20 2
2015 23 4 23 4
2016 17 2 17 2
2017 13 1 13 1
Las Vegas Lights 2018 22 10 0 0 0 0 22 10
Reno 1868 2019 USL Championship 29 4 0 0 1 0 29 4
San Diego Loyal 2020 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Las Vegas Lights 2020 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
USL Championship Total 125 23 0 0 1 0 0 0 125 23
Career total 28 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 28 3

Honors

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LA Galaxy

References

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  1. ^ a b c "LA Galaxy sign forwards Bradford Jamieson, Raul Mendiola to Homegrown contracts". Major League Soccer. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
  2. ^ "No jitters for LA Galaxy Homegrown Player Raul Mendiola in confident MLS debut". Major League Soccer. Retrieved 20 May 2014.
  3. ^ @joetutino (23 March 2014). "@LAGalaxyII" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  4. ^ "Lights FC Bolsters Attack with Mendiola, Mathers". 31 May 2018.
  5. ^ "Reno Makes Mendiola First Addition of Offseason". 10 December 2018.
  6. ^ "Lights FC's Second All-Time Leading Scorer Raul Mendiola Signs for 2020 Season". 23 July 2020.
  7. ^ Staff, USLChampionship com (23 July 2020). "Playmaker Mendiola Makes Return to Lights FC". USL Championship.
  8. ^ "Central Valley Fuego FC Sign Midfielder Raul Mendiola".
  9. ^ Raúl Mendiola at Soccerway
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