Santiago Mele

Santiago Mele's career has been defined as much by the numbers attached to his transfers as by what he has done between the posts. He came through the youth ranks at Estrella del Sur and Centro Atlético Fénix, making his senior debut for Fénix in August 2016 before a move to Turkey's Osmanlıspor a year later, where loan spells at MKE Ankaragücü and Lleida Esportiu passed without a single appearance. A free transfer took him back to Uruguay with Plaza Colonia in October 2020.

His value then rose sharply through a string of loans. A 2022 loan to Unión de Santa Fe, agreed for $750,000 for 70% of his rights, ended in a dispute at FIFA over unpaid fees. A year later he moved to Junior de Barranquilla, who exercised a purchase option in May 2024 to take 80% of his economic rights for around $1 million. Barely more than a year on, Monterrey paid roughly $3.7 million for his rights, before loaning him to Independiente in July 2026 with a $3 million purchase option attached.

Internationally, Mele won the South American U-20 Championship with Uruguay in 2017. He made his senior debut against South Korea in March 2023 and has since collected eight caps, including a place in the squad that took bronze at the 2024 Copa América, although he did not feature in the tournament. In Colombia, his form was recognised with the Best Save of 2024 award.