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Jordi Govea

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In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Govea and the second or maternal family name is Merlín.
Jordi Govea
Personal information
Full name Jordi Jair Govea Merlín[1]
Date of birth (1999-03-09) 9 March 1999 (age 25)
Place of birth Esmeraldas, Ecuador[1]
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Left-back, left-winger
Team information
Current team
 Olimpija Ljubljana
Number 33
Youth career
2005–2010 Colmenar Viejo
2010–2011 E.F. Siete Picos
2011–2018 Real Madrid
2018–2021 Swansea City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022–2023 FC Cincinnati 2 6 (0)
2023–2024 Beroe 32 (1)
2024– Olimpija Ljubljana 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 08:57, 18 October 2024 (UTC)

Jordi Jair Govea Merlín (born 9 March 1999) is an Ecuadorian professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Olimpija Ljubljana.

Club career

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Early career

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Born in Esmeraldas in Ecuador, Govea moved to Spain at the age of three, joining the academy of Colmenar Viejo in 2005, before spending a season with E.F. Siete Picos.[2][3] It was at Siete Picos where he was scouted and signed by La Liga side Real Madrid, and he would go on to spend seven years with the Madrid-based side.[2]

In July 2018 he joined Welsh side Swansea City, who were then in the Championship, on a free transfer, signing a three-year deal.[4][5] Govea's time in Swansea was plagued by injury; after playing in a match against Tottenham Hotspur in April 2019, he missed the entirety of the 2019–20 season, and had to wait until February 2021 to make his next appearance for the club's reserve team - a total of 687 days.[6] He marked his return with a goal in a 2–0 win against the under-21 side of Millwall on 30 February 2021.[6]

Having been released at the end of the 2020–21 season, he received offers from clubs in Spain and Poland, before returning to Ecuador and coming close to signing for Emelec.[3] While in Ecuador he trained with Independiente del Valle, but would return to Britain to trial with Birmingham City in early 2022, though this was ultimately unsuccessful, in part due to his injury problems.[3][7]

FC Cincinnati 2

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Govea signed with MLS Next Pro side FC Cincinnati 2 on 11 August 2022.[8] In November of the same year his contract came to an end, but he was offered an extension, with the hope that he would fight for a place in the FC Cincinnati squad, despite only making two appearances for the reserves.[3]

Beroe

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After only four appearances the following season, he was linked with a return to Ecuador with Barcelona de Guayaquil.[9] However, he would go on to join Bulgarian side Beroe in August 2023.[10]

On 28 August 2024, Govea joined Slovenian PrvaLiga side Olimpija Ljubljana on a three-year deal.[11]

Personal life

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Govea's brother, Aimar, is also a professional footballer, and currently plays for Swansea City.[12]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of 27 October 2023.[13]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Swansea U23 2018–19 — — 2[a] 0 2 0
FC Cincinnati 2 2022 MLS Next Pro 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
2023 4 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
Total 6 0 0 0 0 0 6 0
Beroe 2023–24 Bulgarian First League 11 0 0 0 0 0 11 0
Career total 17 0 0 0 2 0 19 0
Notes
  1. ^ Appearances in the EFL Trophy

References

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  1. ^ a b Jordi Govea at WorldFootball.net
  2. ^ a b "Jordi Govea". realmadrid.com. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d Fierro Neira, Alejandro (28 December 2022). "Jordi Govea: Cristiano Ronaldo me decía que yo tenía que ser mejor que Fábio Coentrão" [Jordi Govea: Cristiano Ronaldo told me that I had to be better than Fábio Coentrão]. eluniverso.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  4. ^ "Swansea City sign ex-Real Madrid defender Govea". bbc.co.uk. 6 July 2018. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  5. ^ Huertas, Adrià (6 July 2018). "El Swansea City ficha a Jordi Govea, Juvenil A del Real Madrid" [Swansea City signs Jordi Govea, Real Madrid's Youth A player]. sport.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  6. ^ a b Coleman, Tom (4 March 2021). "The tears of forgotten Swansea City starlet Jordi Govea, the Real Madrid talent missing for 687 days". walesonline.co.uk. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  7. ^ Ray, James (24 January 2022). "Birmingham City casting eye over ex-Swansea City youngster Jordi Govea". the72.co.uk. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  8. ^ "FC Cincinnati 2 sign defender Jordi Govea". fccincinnati.com. 11 August 2022. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  9. ^ García, Luis (14 May 2023). "Jordi Govea llegaría a Barcelona SC y este jugador le cedería su lugar" [Jordi Govea would arrive at Barcelona SC and this player would give him his place]. unsoloidolo.ec (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  10. ^ "Jordi Govea: "Lucho día a día por estar en la Selección de Ecuador"" [Jordi Govea: "I fight every day to be in the Ecuadorian National Team"]. espndeportes.espn.com (in Spanish). 22 August 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  11. ^ "Olimpija has officially confirmed the arrival of former Real member just before the match against Rijeka: The Ecuadorian Jordi Govea will prove himself in Ljubljana". footballplanet.si. 28 August 2024. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  12. ^ "Nació en España y jugará para Ecuador el Sudamericano Sub 17" [He was born in Spain and will play for Ecuador in the South American Sub 17]. ole.com.ar (in Spanish). 2 March 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  13. ^ Jordi Govea at Soccerway
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