Erik Mendoza

Erik Mendoza's rise has followed a straight line through Ecuadorian football's lower tiers rather than a single dramatic breakthrough. He came up through the youth academy at Imbabura SC, joining as a child in Ibarra, and made his senior debut there in 2019. He stayed with the club through its climb from the Segunda Categoría to Serie B in 2021 and on to Serie A in 2023, becoming a key player along the way. In 2024 he was Imbabura's top scorer, with ten goals.

That form took him to Delfín SC in January 2025, initially on a short-term arrangement before a permanent move was agreed in early 2026. He kept scoring at his new club, with eight goals in 2025 and three more in the first half of 2026.

In July 2026 Mendoza signed for Barcelona SC as a free agent, agreeing a three-year contract that runs until 2029. The move gave the Guayaquil club a forward with a scoring record built almost entirely outside the traditional big-club system.

At international level, Mendoza has represented Ecuador's under-23 side. He has yet to add senior caps or major club honours to his record, with his career so far defined more by consistent goalscoring across three clubs than by silverware.