Carlos David Mena Jiménez. (source: Peter Cingel)
In the first round of eastern Slovakia's 4th football league, two small villages went head-to-head, with Gerlachov, situated beneath the High Tatras, defeating Záhradné, the Prešov district, 5-2.
Remarkably, four of Gerlachov’s five goals were scored by Colombian striker Carlos David Mena Jiménez. In fact, six South American players featured in the same match, reports Sportnet.
Connection despite language barrier
A native of Medellín, Colombia’s second-largest city after Bogotá, Jiménez says Gerlachov has given him everything he was looking for – a strong team, high ambitions and teammates with whom he connects, despite the language barrier.
“Since I arrived, they have always treated me very well and helped me with everything. I’ve managed to maintain my skills, and even improve them a little,” he says, adding that last season he was named in the league’s all-star team.
Now 26, Jiménez began playing football around the age of 10 but initially struggled to find a club because of his height. Nevertheless, he persevered, eventually playing for several teams in Colombia.
“Unfortunately, I didn’t achieve lasting success. In my country, you need either a strong agent or a lot of money to make it into professional football. That’s why I decided to come to Europe.”
High ambitions
His first Slovak club was Partizán Bardejov, also in the 4th league. After the season ended, visa issues prevented him from continuing. Fortunately, Gerlachov showed interest and offered their support. He even turned down an opportunity near Bratislava.
Still, his ambitions lie beyond the fourth tier.
“My plan is to help the team as much as possible – by scoring goals and performing well both in training and in matches,” he says.
“I want to earn a place in the all-star team again and maybe even secure promotion to the third league. Ultimately, my goal is to reach a professional league, whether in Slovakia, another country or even on another continent.”
