Nacho Méndez

Ignacio "Nacho" Méndez-Navia Fernández (born 30 March 1998) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Malaysia Super League club Johor Darul Ta'zim.

Club career Sporting Gijón Born in Luanco, Asturias, Méndez joined Sporting de Gijón's youth setup in 2010, from TSK Roces. He made his senior debut with the reserves on 21 August 2016, coming on as a second-half substitute and scoring his team's sixth in a 7–0 Tercera División home routing of UC Ceares.

On 26 April 2017, Méndez renewed his contract until 2019. After spending the whole 2017 pre-season with the first team, he made his professional debut on 27 August by starting in a 2–0 home win against CD Lugo in the Segunda División.

Méndez scored his first professional goal on 6 September 2017, netting the game's only in an away success over CF Reus Deportiu, in the season's Copa del Rey. On 22 December, he extended his contract until 2021, being definitely promoted to the main squad ahead of the following season.

On 8 October 2020, Méndez further extended his link with Sporting until 2025.

Johor Darul Ta'zim On 9 July 2025, Méndez joined Johor Darul Ta'zim on a free transfer to compete in the 2025–26 Malaysia Super League. He was the fourth foreign-born player with reported Malaysian ancestry signed by the club during the transfer window, after Héctor Hevel, Jon Irazábal and João Figueiredo. He was registered in the league as a local player rather than as one of the club's foreign imports.

Personal life In July 2025, the Malaysian broadcaster Astro Awani reported that Méndez had Malaysian ancestry through a grandfather said to have been born in Penang, and that he was completing documentation to become eligible for the Malaysia national football team. The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) denied that any naturalisation process involving him was under way and described the reports as speculation.

In September 2025, FIFA sanctioned the FAM and seven foreign-born players who had been fielded by Malaysia on the basis of claimed ancestry. The seven included Méndez's Johor Darul Ta'zim teammates Hevel, Irazábal and Figueiredo. The FIFA Appeal Committee upheld the decision in November 2025, and the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled in March 2026 that the falsification of eligibility documents had been established.

Méndez was not among the players sanctioned but was repeatedly left out of Malaysia squads. Malaysia head coach Peter Cklamovski said in August 2025 that Méndez faced a "physical and medical situation" and needed time to recover fully. After a further omission in November 2025, sections of the Malaysian press questioned his status as a heritage player. In March 2026, Cklamovski said an injury sustained with his club had ruled Méndez out of a 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifier. , he has not played for Malaysia.

Career statistics

Honours Individual ASEAN Club Championship: Allstar XI 2025–26