Roberto Merino

{{About|the Peruvian footballer|the Chilean author|Roberto Merino (writer)}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Roberto Merino

| image = Roberto Merino Ramirez.jpg

| fullname = Roberto Merino Ramírez

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1982|5|19|df=y}}

| birth_place = Chiclayo, Peru

| height = 1.67 m

| position = Attacking midfielder

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 = 1997–1998

| youthclubs1 = Barcelona

| youthyears2 = 1998–2000

| youthclubs2 = Mallorca

| years1 = 2000–2002 | clubs1 = Mallorca B | caps1 = 42 | goals1 = 2

| years2 = 2003–2004 | clubs2 = Málaga B | caps2 = 55 | goals2 = 8

| years3 = 2004–2005 | clubs3 = Servette | caps3 = 12 | goals3 = 3

| years4 = 2005 | clubs4 = Ciudad Murcia | caps4 = 8 | goals4 = 0

| years5 = 2005–2006 | clubs5 = Akratitos | caps5 = 8 | goals5 = 0

| years6 = 2006–2008 | clubs6 = Atromitos | caps6 = 42 | goals6 = 8

| years7 = 2008–2011 | clubs7 = Salernitana | caps7 = 47 | goals7 = 5

| years8 = 2011 | clubs8 = → Al-Nasr (loan) | caps8 = 3 | goals8 = 0

| years9 = 2011 | clubs9 = Unión Comercio | caps9 = 8 | goals9 = 3

| years10 = 2011 | clubs10 = Juan Aurich | caps10 = 7 | goals10 = 0

| years11 = 2012 | clubs11 = Nocerina | caps11 = 29 | goals11 = 8

| years12 = 2013 | clubs12 = Deportes Tolima | caps12 = 8 | goals12 = 2

| years13 = 2013–2014 | clubs13 = Juan Aurich | caps13 = 12 | goals13 = 3

| years14 = 2014 | clubs14 = UTC | caps14 = 10 | goals14 = 1

| years15 = 2015 | clubs15 = Pattaya United | caps15 = 11 | goals15 = 2

| years16 = 2015–2016 | clubs16 = Unión Comercio | caps16 = 14 | goals16 = 3

| years17 = 2016 | clubs17 = Torres | caps17 = 2 | goals17 = 0

| years18 = 2019 | clubs18 = Puteolana 1902 | caps18 = 0 | goals18 = 0

| nationalyears1 = 2000–2001

| nationalteam1 = Spain U18

| nationalcaps1 = 9

| nationalgoals1 = 3

| nationalyears2 = 2009

| nationalteam2 = Peru

| nationalcaps2 = 1

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| club-update = 26 March 2017

}}

Roberto Merino Ramírez (born 19 May 1982) is a Peruvian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder.

He also holds Spanish citizenship, due to the many years spent in the country.

Club career

Having moved to Spain in his teens after being born in Chiclayo, Lambayeque Region, Merino played youth football with FC Barcelona (only one year) and RCD Mallorca. He made his senior debuts with the latter's reserves, in Segunda División B.

In January 2003, Merino joined Atlético Malagueño, being an important midfielder element as Málaga CF's B-team retained their newly acquired status in Segunda División, with the player having contributed with 20 games and five goals to the promotion (play-offs included).{{cite web|url=http://blogs.diariosur.es/danimarin/2008/4/8/roberto-merino-mago-del-balon/2/|title=Roberto Merino, el mago del balón|trans-title=Roberto Merino, the ball wizard|newspaper=Diario Sur|language=Spanish|date=8 April 2008|accessdate=29 March 2017}} Subsequently, he moved to Switzerland and signed with Servette FC but, with the club facing bankruptcy, left in the following transfer window to Ciudad de Murcia – also in Spain's second level – alongside teammate João Paulo Daniel.

Merino was signed by Atromitos F.C. in January 2006, from fellow Super League Greece side Akratitos FC.{{cite news|url=http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/news/newsid=384820.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026085114/http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/news/newsid=384820.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 October 2012|title=Ono makes Feyenoord farewell|publisher=UEFA|date=13 January 2006|accessdate=3 February 2009}} In February 2009, after two full seasons and two halves, he changed teams (and countries) again, joining U.S. Salernitana 1919 in Italy.

On 8 January 2011, Merino signed with Al-Nasr SC of the Kuwait Premier League, on loan from Salernitana.{{cite web|url=http://press.salernitana.it/?p=695|title=Merino in prestito al club Al-Nasr (Kuwait)). Il giocatore: "Ringrazio Lombardi e la società per la sensibilità dimostrata"|trans-title=Merino on loan to Al-Nasr (Kuwait). The player: "Thanks to Lombardi and the organization for their sensibility"|publisher=Salernitana Calcio|language=Italian|date=8 January 2011|accessdate=13 January 2011|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110118200843/http://press.salernitana.it/?p=695|archivedate=18 January 2011}} Less than one month after, however, he left the Asian club;{{cite web|url=http://www.kuwait.tt/ArticleDetails.aspx?Id=86327|script-title=ar:مارينو لعب 3 مباريات وحصل على 100 الف دولار!!!|trans-title=Merino played three games and got 100 thousand dollars!!!|newspaper=Al-Watan|language=Arabic|date=2 February 2011|accessdate=2 February 2011}} according to the player, he decided to leave because he did not feel comfortable and had other objectives for his football career.{{cite web|url=http://depor.pe/noticia/712619/merino-quiero-mostrarme-jugar-copa-america-eliminatorias|title=Merino: "Quiero mostrarme para jugar la Copa América y las eliminatorias"|trans-title=Merino: "I want to show my talent to play the Copa América and the qualifiers"|publisher=Depor|language=Spanish|date=12 February 2011|accessdate=18 February 2011}}

On 28 February 2011, Merino signed a half-season contract with Unión Comercio{{cite web|url=http://clubunioncomercio.com/site/?p=478|title=Confirmado: Roberto Merino llega a Unión Comercio|trans-title=Confirmed: Roberto Merino arrives to Unión Comercio|publisher=Unión Comercio|language=Spanish|date=28 February 2011|accessdate=22 July 2011|url-status=usurped|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110904034808/http://clubunioncomercio.com/site/?p=478|archivedate=4 September 2011}}– at almost 29, this marked the first time he would be playing in the Peruvian Primera División. He stated that his main reason for joining was to earn a regular starting spot on the Peru national team.{{cite web|url =http://peru.com/futbol/2680/noticia-merino-vine-al-peru-mostrarme-y-volver-seleccion|title=Merino: "Vine al Perú para mostrarme y volver a la selección"|trans-title=Merino: "I came to Peru to show my talent and return to the national team"|publisher=Peru.com|language=Spanish|date=23 April 2011|accessdate=22 July 2011}}

International career

Merino represented Spain at under-18 level, having already spent several years living in the country. He decided to play for Peru as a senior, earning his first and only cap on 7 June 2009 in a 1–2 home loss against Ecuador for the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.{{cite web|url=http://lahora.com.ec/index.php/noticias/show/887375/-1/Ecuador_vence_2-1_a_Per%C3%BA_en_Lima_por_eliminatorias_sudamericanas.html#.WNuRKE-FPcs|title=Ecuador vence 2–1 a Perú en Lima por eliminatorias sudamericanas|trans-title=Ecuador defeat Peru 2–1 in Lima for the South American qualifiers|newspaper=La Hora|language=Spanish|date=7 June 2009|accessdate=29 March 2017}}

Personal life

Merino's younger brother, Iván, was also a footballer. A defender, he too represented Mallorca B and Salernitana.{{cite web|url=http://archivo.depor.com/futbol-peruano/caimanes-hermano-roberto-merino-esta-prueba-equipo-1008080|title=Los Caimanes: hermano de Roberto Merino está a prueba en el equipo|work=Depor |trans-title=Los Caimanes: Roberto Merino's brother on trial with team|language=Spanish|date=14 January 2014|accessdate=29 March 2017}}

Honours

=Club=

;Juan Aurich

Peruvian Primera División: 2011

References

External links

{{BDFutbol|4909}}
[http://www.gazzetta.it/speciali/2008/calcio/Players/player_p179118.shtml Gazzetta dello Sport profile] {{in lang|it}}
{{NFT|31824}}
{{FIFA|309948}}
{{Soccerway|roberto-merino-ramirez/19204}}
{{WorldFootball.net|roberto-merino}}

Category:1982 births

Category:Living people

Category:Footballers from Chiclayo

Category:Peruvian people of Spanish descent

Category:Peruvian men's footballers

Category:21st-century Peruvian sportsmen

Category:Spanish men's footballers

Category:Men's association football midfielders

Category:Segunda División players

Category:Segunda División B players

Category:RCD Mallorca B players

Category:Atlético Malagueño players