Mikel Merino
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mikel Merino Zazón | ||
| Date of birth | 22 June 1996 | ||
| Place of birth | Pamplona, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Borussia Dortmund | ||
| Number | 24 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| CD Amigó | |||
| Osasuna | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2014 | Osasuna B | 5 | (0) |
| 2014–2016 | Osasuna | 67 | (8) |
| 2016– | Borussia Dortmund | 1 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2014–2015 | Spain U19 | 12 | (1) |
| 2016– | Spain U21 | 4 | (0) |
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 16 October 2016. | |||
Mikel Merino Zazón (born 22 June 1996) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for German club Borussia Dortmund as a midfielder.
Club career
Osasuna
Born in Pamplona, Navarre, Merino began his career with CD Amigó, and later moved to CA Osasuna.[1] He made his senior debuts with the reserves in the 2013–14 season, in Tercera División.[1]
On 23 August 2014, Merino made his first competitive appearance with the first team, starting in a 2–0 home win against FC Barcelona B for the Segunda División championship.[2] On 21 December he scored his first professional goal, netting the winner in a 2–1 away success over UD Las Palmas.[3]
On 31 January 2015, Merino was definitely promoted to the main squad, being awarded the number 8 jersey.[4] He was a regular starter in his first year, helping them narrowly avoid relegation.
In the 2015–16 campaign, Merino scored four goals from 34 appearances to help Osasuna finish sixth and reach the promotion play-offs.[5] In that stage's first round, he netted a brace in a 3–1 home win against Gimnàstic de Tarragona,[6] and added another goal in the second leg (3–2 triumph).[7]
Borussia Dortmund
On 15 February 2016, Merino signed a five-year deal with Borussia Dortmund, which was made effective on 1 July.[8] His first appearance in the Bundesliga occurred on 14 October, when he played the full 90 minutes in a 1–1 home draw to Hertha BSC.[9]
International career
Merino was part of the Spain under-19 team which won the 2015 UEFA European Championship in Greece. He scored their first goal of the tournament, opening a 3–0 win over holders Germany at the AEL FC Arena in Larissa.[10]
Personal life
Merino's father, Ángel, was also a footballer. His career was also associated with Osasuna, as both a player and manager.[11]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 28 October 2016[12]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Osasuna B | 2013–14 | Tercera División | 5 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 5 | 0 |
| Total | 5 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 5 | 0 | ||
| Osasuna | 2014–15 | Segunda División | 29 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 29 | 1 |
| 2015–16 | Segunda División | 35 | 6 | - | - | - | - | 35 | 6 | |
| Total | 64 | 7 | - | - | - | - | 64 | 7 | ||
| Borussia Dortmund | 2016–17 | Bundesliga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Career total | 70 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 70 | 7 | ||
Honours
Country
- Spain U19
Individual
- Segunda División Player of the Month: June 2016[14]
References
- 1 2 Mikel Merino, noveno juvenil en debutar (Mikel Merino, ninth youth player to debut); Diario de Navarra, 17 March 2014 (Spanish)
- ↑ El equipo también responde (The team also answers); CA Osasuna, 23 August 2014 (Spanish)
- ↑ Osasuna asalta el Gran Canaria (Osasuna takes Gran Canaria); Marca, 21 December 2014 (Spanish)
- ↑ Mikel Merino llevará el dorsal 8 y Kenan Kodro, el 9 (Mikel Merino will have the number 8 jersey and Kenan Kodro, the 9); Diario de Navarra, 31 January 2015 (Spanish)
- ↑ Merino: "No sé si le saldré barato o caro al Borussia, me centro en jugar" (Merino: "I don't know if Borussia will get me for a lot of money or not, I just play"); Diario de Navarra, 22 May 2016 (Spanish)
- ↑ Osasuna toma ventaja, pero no sentencia (Osasuna gets the upper hand, but does not get job done); Marca, 8 June 2016 (Spanish)
- ↑ "Y el primer finalista es... Osasuna" [And the first finalist is... Osasuna] (in Spanish). Marca. 11 June 2016. Retrieved 14 June 2016.
- ↑ Borussia Dortmund verpflichtet Mikel Merino (Borussia Dortmund acquires Mikel Merino); Borussia Dortmund, 15 February 2016 (German)
- ↑ "Merino überzeugt als Ballmagnet" [Merino gets job done as ball magnet] (in German). Sport1. 14 October 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
- ↑ "Slick Spain too strong for holders Germany". UEFA.com. 7 July 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
- ↑ "Merino, la nueva joya de Tajonar" [Merino, Tajonar's new gem] (in Spanish). Marca. 26 September 2014. Retrieved 13 February 2016.
- ↑ "Mikel Merino". Soccerway. Retrieved 26 September 2014.
- ↑ "Spain see off Russia for seventh Under-19 crown". UEFA.com. 19 July 2015. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
- ↑ "Mikel Merino named Liga Adelante Player of the Month for June". La Liga. 28 June 2016. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
External links
- Osasuna official profile (Spanish)
- Mikel Merino profile at BDFutbol