Ale Meléndez

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Meléndez and the second or maternal family name is Ruiz.

Ale Meléndez

Personal information
Full name	Alejandro Meléndez Ruiz
Date of birth	(1999-05-13) 13 May 1999 (age 25)
Place of birth	Utrera, Spain
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder
Team information
Current team	Albacete
Number	17
Youth career
2013–2018	Betis
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2017–2020	Betis B	48	(4)
2019	Betis	0	(0)
2020–2021	Badalona	9	(0)
2021	Oviedo B	16	(0)
2021–2022	Linares	36	(1)
2022–2023	Mérida	38	(0)
2023–2024	Ceuta	36	(5)
2024–	Albacete	9	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 November 2024

Alejandro "Ale" Meléndez Ruiz (born 13 May 1999) is a Spanish footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Albacete Balompié.

Career

Meléndez was born in Utrera, Seville, Andalusia, and was a Real Betis youth graduate. He made his senior debut with the reserves on 20 August 2017, coming on as a late substitute for Loren Morón in a 4–1 Segunda División B home win over CF Lorca Deportiva.^[1]

Meléndez scored his first senior goal on 5 May 2019, netting the B's second in a 2–0 Tercera División away win over Coria CF. He made his first team debut on 19 December, replacing fellow youth graduate Ismael Gutiérrez and scoring Betis' fourth in a 4–0 away routing of CA Antoniano, for the season's Copa del Rey.^[2]

On 29 July 2020, Meléndez signed for CF Badalona in the third division.^[3] The following 28 January, after featuring sparingly, he moved to fellow league team Real Oviedo Vetusta.^[4]

On 20 July 2021, Meléndez agreed to a one-year contract with Primera División RFEF side Linares Deportivo.^[5] On 13 July of the following year, he joined Mérida AD of the same category.^[6]

On 4 July 2023, Meléndez was announced at AD Ceuta FC also in division three.^[7] After being an undisputed starter as the club missed out promotion in the play-offs, he signed a two-year deal with Segunda División side Albacete Balompié.^[8]

Meléndez made his professional debut on 15 August 2024, replacing Juan Antonio Ros late into a 2–1 away win over Granada CF.^[9]

References

1. "Betis Deportivo 4–1 Lorca Deportiva: Retorno a lo grande" [Betis Deportivo 4–1 Lorca Deportiva: return through the big door] (in Spanish). Estadio Deportivo. 24 August 2017. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
2. "Meléndez, el último talento de una factoría inagotable de futbolistas" [Mélendez, the latest talent of an inexhaustible factory of footballers] (in Spanish). Marca. 21 December 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
3. "El jugador de fútbol de Utrera, Alejandro Meléndez, ficha por el C.F. Badalona de Segunda División B" [The football player from Utrera, Alejandro Meléndez, signs for C.F. Badalona from Segunda División B] (in Spanish). Utrera Web. 29 July 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
4. "Alex Meléndez Signs for Real Oviedo Vetusta". Real Oviedo. 28 January 2021. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
5. "Alex Meléndez, nuevo jugador del Linares Deportivo" [Alex Meléndez, new player of Linares Deportivo] (in Spanish). Cadena COPE. 20 July 2021. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
6. "Álex Meléndez, nuevo centrocampista romano" [Álex Meléndez, new romano central midfielder] (in Spanish). Mérida AD. 13 July 2022. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
7. "Romero recluta para el Ceuta al mediocentro Álex Meléndez, del Mérida" [Romero recruits to Ceuta the central midfielder Álex Meléndez, from Mérida] (in Spanish). Ceuta Deportiva. 4 July 2023. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
8. "Ale Meléndez, nuevo jugador del Albacete Balompié" [Ale Meléndez, new player of Albacete Balompié] (in Spanish). Albacete Balompié. 26 June 2024. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
9. "El Alba amarga el debut de Abascal" [Alba bitter Abascal's debut] (in Spanish). Marca. 15 August 2024. Retrieved 15 August 2024.

External links

• Ale Meléndez at BDFutbol
• Ale Meléndez at LaPreferente.com (in Spanish)
• Ale Meléndez at Soccerway