John Steven Mendoza Valencia

Palmira produced a run of players who bounced between South American clubs and unlikely detours abroad, and John Steven Mendoza Valencia followed that pattern more than most. He started at Envigado before a string of loan spells around Colombia took him to América Cali, Cúcuta Deportivo and Deportivo Cali, and it was one of those loans, to Chennaiyin in India, that turned into the clearest highlight of his career: 13 goals in the 2015 Indian Super League season earned him the competition's Golden Boot and the Hero of the League award, and Chennaiyin won the title that year.

That form carried him to Corinthians, where he spent parts of four years interrupted by further loans to New York City and Bahia, and where he won the Brazilian championship in 2015. A move to Europe followed at Amiens in France, before he returned to Brazil with spells at Ceará and Santos. His route since has taken him to Adana Demirspor in Turkey and León in Mexico, and he joined Athletico Paranaense in 2025.

Mendoza's numbers moved with the level of competition: modest returns in his early Colombian appearances, a heavier goal tally during loan spells such as the 10 in 41 games at América Cali, and steadier contributions later at Ceará, where he made 96 appearances and scored 22 goals over two seasons. He has also represented Colombia at senior level, making his debut in October 2019 against Peru, after coming through the under-17 and under-20 national teams.