John Mercado

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Mercadoand the second or maternal family name is Cuero.

John Mercado

Personal information
Full name	John Anthony Mercado Cuero
Date of birth	(2002-06-03) 3 June 2002 (age 22)
Place of birth	Guayaquil, Ecuador
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Winger
Team information
Current team	AVS
Number	17
Youth career
	Clan Juvenil
2016–2019	Panamá
2020–2022	Athletico Paranaense
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2022	Athletico Paranaense	1	(0)
2022	→ CSA (loan)	9	(0)
2023	Vilafranquense	13	(2)
2023–	AVS	38	(5)
International career‡
2017	Ecuador U15
2019	Ecuador U17	13	(3)
2020	Ecuador U20	2	(0)
2024–	Ecuador	3	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 9 November 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 November 2024

John Anthony Mercado Cuero (born 3 June 2002) is an Ecuadorian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Primeira Liga club AVS Futebol SAD and the Ecuador national team.

Club career

Born in Guayaquil, Mercado agreed to a contract with Athletico Paranaense in July 2019, ^[1] but only moved to his new side in August 2020, after his 18th birthday. ^[2] After playing for the under-20s, he impressed manager Alberto Valentim in 2022, and was promoted to the first team squad. ^[3]

Mercado made his professional debut on 2 March 2022, coming on as a second-half substitute for Léo Cittadini in a 0–2 away loss against Palmeiras, for the year's Recopa Sudamericana. ^{[4] [5]} In July, Athletico sent him on loan to Série B club CSA until the end of the season. ^[6]

In January 2023, Mercado terminated his contract with Athletico Paranaense and moved to Portugal, joining Liga Portugal 2 side Vilafranquense. ^[7] At the end of the 2022–23 season, Vilafranquense relocated to Vila das Aves and was rebranded as AVS Futebol SAD. ^[8] On 18 December 2023, he extended his contract with AVS until 2027. ^[9]

International career

Mercado represented Ecuador at under-15 level in the 2017 South American U-15 Championship, and at under-17 level in the 2019 South American U-17 Championship ^[10] and the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup. ^[11]

Mercado debuted for the senior Ecuador national team on 6 September 2024 in a World Cup qualifier against Brazil at the Estádio Couto Pereira. He substituted Kevin Rodríguez in the 68th minute, Brazil won 1–0. ^[12]

Career statistics

Club

As of 9 November 2024 ^[13]

Club	Season	League			State League		Cup		League cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Athletico Paranaense	2022	Série A	1	0	0	0	0	0	—		0	0	1 [a]	0	2	0
CSA (loan)	2022	Série B	9	0	—		—		—		—		—		9	0
Vilafranquense	2022–23	Liga Portugal 2	13	2	—		0	0	—		—		—		13	2
AVS	2023–24	Liga Portugal 2	28	4	—		1	0	3	1	—		2 [b]	1	34	6
	2024–25	Primeira Liga	10	1	—		1	1	—		—		—		11	2
	Total		38	5	—		2	1	3	1	—		2	1	45	8
Career total			61	7	0	0	2	1	3	1	0	0	3	1	69	10

1. Appearance(s) in Recopa Sudamericana
2. Appearance(s) in Liga Portugal 2 Playoffs

International

As of match played 19 November 2024

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Ecuador	2024	3	0
Total		3	0

References

1. "Athletico contrata três novatos que estavam no futebol do Exterior" [Athletico sign three youngsters who were in the foreign football] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Bem Paraná. 8 July 2019. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
2. "El juvenil John Mercado fue fichado por el Atlético Paranaense brasileño" [The youngster John Mercado was signed up by Brazilian Atlético Paranaense] (in Spanish). El Comercio. 31 August 2020. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
3. ""Vem gostando muito"; Valentim se rende ao talento de atacante e Athletico muda de ideia" ["He is liking a lot"; Valentim surrenders to the talent of forward and Athletico change their mind] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Bolavip. 7 February 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
4. "Atuações do Athletico: atacantes somem, e John Mercado estreia contra o Palmeiras na Recopa" [Performances of Athletico: forwards disappear, and John Mercado debuts against Palmeiras in the Recopa] (in Brazilian Portuguese). ge. 2 March 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
5. "Atacante John Mercado estreou entre os profissionais do Furacão" [Forward John Mercado debuted amongst the professionals of Furacão] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Club Athletico Paranaense. 2 March 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
6. "John Mercado é emprestado para o CSA" [John Mercado loaned to CSA]. OneFootball (in Brazilian Portuguese). 6 July 2022. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
7. "John Mercado rescinde com o Athletico e acerta com time de Portugal" [John Mercado terminated contract with Athletico and reaches agreement with Portuguese team]. Globo Esporte (in Brazilian Portuguese). 20 January 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
8. "Vilafranquense SAD assume nova imagem na transferência para Vila das Aves" [Vilafranquense SAD takes on new image over relocation to Vila das Aves]. Público (in European Portuguese). 17 April 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
9. "Aves SAD: avançado equatoriano John Mercado renova contrato" [Aves SAD: Ecuadorian forward John Mercado renews contract] (in European Portuguese). O Jogo. 18 December 2023. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
10. "ELLOS SON NUESTROS TRICOLORES SUB 17" [THESE ARE OUR UNDER-17 TRICOLORES] (in Spanish). FEF. 7 March 2019. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
11. "Los convocados de Ecuador para el Mundial Sub 17 de Brasil" [The called up ones for Ecuador for the Under-17 World Cup in Brazil] (in Spanish). El Canal de Fútbol. 8 October 2019. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
12. "Brazil v Ecuador game report". ESPN. 6 September 2024.
13. John Mercado at Soccerway. Retrieved 11 March 2022.

External links

• Athletico Paranaense profile (in Brazilian Portuguese)