# Alexander Mejía

Alexander Mejía Sabalza (born 11 July 1988) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder. He is described by FIFA's official website as "a linchpin noted for his ability to tidy up mistakes, rob possession and track down and pressurize opponents".

## Club career
### Colombia

Mejía made his professional debut for Deportes Quindío in 2005, where he played for seven years, including a loan spell at Once Caldas. In 2012, he joined Atlético Nacional and won both the Copa Colombia and the Superliga Colombiana in his first season. In the following seasons, Mejía helped Nacional to three consecutive Colombian league titles, becoming team captain after the departure of Macnelly Torres.

### Mexico

Mejía finished his loan at Nacional in June 2016. He was then transferred to León in the Liga MX for the Apertura 2016. However, as a part of the deal, he was able to stay with Nacional until after the Medellín club had finished its campaign in the Copa Libertadores.

### Libertad

On 29 December 2018, Mejia joined Club Libertad of Paraguay on a free transfer for two years.

## International career

In 2012, Mejía made his debut for the Colombia national team in a FIFA World Cup qualifier against Peru. He went on to become a regular member of the squad in the remainder of the campaign, making five appearances overall.

### 2014 World Cup

On 9 June 2014, he was named in Colombia's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and played in four of the five matches Colombia had. On 14 June, Mejía appeared as a sixty-ninth-minute substitute in Colombia's opening match of the tournament, a 3–0 victory over Greece in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Mejía also appeared in the following match against Ivory Coast on 19 June 2014, coming on as a substitute in the seventy-ninth minute, and seeing out a 2–1 victory in Brazil's capital, Brasília. In Colombia's third – and last – game of the Group Stage, they played against Japan. Mejía started at a defensive midfielder role alongside Fredy Guarín, playing the entire eighty-minute game. Colombia won 1–4. Mejía's last game of the 2014 World Cup came against Uruguay in the Round of 16 in the Maracanã Stadium, Rio de Janeiro on 28 June. Colombia won 2–0, and progressed to the Quarter-finals, playing against the hosts, Brazil, losing 2–1.

## Season statistics

Domestic club statistics :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Cup | Cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Atlético Nacional | 2012 | Categoría Primera A | 27 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 48 | 0 |
| Atlético Nacional | 2013 | Categoría Primera A | 36 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | — | 48 | 0 |
| Atlético Nacional | 2014 | Categoría Primera A | 19 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 33 | 0 |
| Atlético Nacional (loan) | 2015 | Categoría Primera A | 23 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 24 | 0 |
| Atlético Nacional (loan) | 2016 | Categoría Primera A | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 31 | 0 |
| Atlético Nacional (loan) | Total | Total | 122 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 38 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 184 | 0 |
| Monterrey | 2014–15 | Liga MX | 14 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 17 | 0 |
| León | 2016–17 | Liga MX | 23 | 0 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 26 | 1 |
| León | 2017–18 | Liga MX | 25 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 29 | 0 |
| León | 2018–19 | Liga MX | 10 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 15 | 0 |
| León | Total | Total | 74 | 0 | 12 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 86 | 1 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 196 | 0 | 31 | 1 | 38 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 270 | 1 |
* ↑ Appearances in the Copa Colombia and Copa MX
* ↑ Includes appearances in the Copa Libertadores and the Copa Sudamericana
* ↑ Appearances only in the Superliga Colombiana

## Honours
### Club

Atlético Nacional
* Categoría Primera A
** Winner: 2013-I, 2013-II, 2014-I
* Copa Colombia
** Winner: 2012, 2013
* Superliga Colombiana
** Winner: 2012
* Copa Libertadores
** Winner: 2016