imported>ManUtdFan2007 at 05:58, 29 May 2025

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{{Short description|Salvadoran footballer (born 1979)}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Víctor Merino
| fullname = Víctor Hugo Merino Dubón
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1979|8|18}}
| birth_place = [[Apopa]], [[El Salvador]]
| height = 1.67 m
| currentclub =
| clubnumber =
| position = [[Midfielder#Attacking midfielder|Attacking midfielder]]
| youthyears1 = 1995-1997
| youthclubs1 = Fundación De Fútbol La Chelona
| years1 = 1999–2001
| years2 = 2001
| years3 = 2001–2003
| years4 = 2003–2007
| years5 = 2007–2008
| years6 = 2008–2009
| years7 = 2009–2011
| years8 = 2012–2013
| years9 = 2013–2015
| years10 = 2015–2016
| years11 = 2017
| years12 = 2019
| clubs1 = [[FC Jazz Pori|Jazz Pori]]
| clubs2 = [[Alianza F.C. (El Salvador)|Alianza]]
| clubs3 = [[San Salvador F.C.|San Salvador FC]]
| clubs4 = [[C.D. Luis Ángel Firpo|Luis Ángel Firpo]]
| clubs5 = [[C.D. FAS|FAS]]
| clubs6 = [[C.D. Águila|Águila]]
| clubs7 = [[C.D. Luis Ángel Firpo|Luis Ángel Firpo]]
| clubs8 = [[C.D. Atlético Marte|Atlético Marte]]
| clubs9 = [[A.D. Isidro Metapán|Isidro Metapán]]
| clubs10 = [[C.D. Sonsonate|Sonsonate]]
| clubs11 = [[C.D. Chalatenango|Chalatenango]]
| clubs12 = [[Brujos de Izalco]]
| caps1 = 76
| caps2 =
| caps3 =
| caps5 = 31
| caps6 = 20
| caps7 = 47
| caps8 = 42
| caps9 = 34
| caps10 = 23
| caps11 = 39
| goals1 = 5
| goals3 =
| goals4 =
| goals5 = 2
| goals6 = 2
| goals7 = 2
| goals8 = 4
| goals9 = 0
| goals10 = 2
| goals11 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 2004–2007
| nationalteam1 = [[El Salvador national football team|El Salvador]]
| nationalcaps1 = 20
| nationalgoals1 = 1
| pcupdate =
| ntupdate =
}}
{{family name hatnote|Merino|Dubón|lang=Spanish}}
'''Víctor Hugo Merino "El Pega" Dubón''' (born 18 August 1979) is a Salvadoran former professional [[Association football|footballer]] who played as an [[Midfielder#Attacking midfielder|attacking midfielder]].<ref>[https://www.elsalvador.com/deportes/futbol/273634/victor-merino-el-grupo-se-unio-y-fuimos-un-equipo/ Víctor Merino: “El grupo se unió y fuimos un equipo”] - ElSalvador.com {{in lang|es}}</ref>

==Club career==
===FC Jazz===
Merino signed his first professional contract at the age of 17 with [[Finland|Finnish]] team [[FC Jazz Pori]]. In Finland he is known by his [[maternal]] family name ''Dubón''. Initially, the contract was for five years, but Merino struggled to accommodate himself with the change in climate and the [[Finnish language]]. As a result, he returned after four seasons.

Merino spent his first year in Finland with FC Jazz's junior team. The next season, he debuted in the Finnish top level, [[Veikkausliiga]]. Merino played total of 76 games in Veikkausliiga, scoring five goals.<ref>[http://www.veikkausliiga.com/pelaajatilastot.asp?Nimi=Dubon+Victor%20Hugo Finnish league statistics] - [[Veikkausliiga]]</ref> He also represented FC Jazz in [[2001 UEFA Intertoto Cup]] as the club played against [[ACF Gloria 1922 Bistriţa|Gloria Bistriţa]] and [[Paris Saint-Germain F.C.|Paris Saint-Germain]].

===Alianza FC===
On his return to [[El Salvador]], Merino signed with one of the countries biggest clubs in [[Alianza F.C. (El Salvador)|Alianza FC]]. His dribbling skills quickly made him a fan favourite, but his lack of consistency saw him transfer to [[San Salvador F.C.|San Salvador FC]] for the [[Primera División de Fútbol Profesional - Apertura 2001|Apertura 2001]].

===San Salvador FC===
At San Salvador FC, Merino began to excel and mature as a player. He was arguably the team's driving force in attack and helped them win the [[Primera División de Fútbol Profesional - Clausura 2003|Clausura 2003]] title, scoring one of their three goals at the final against [[C.D. Luis Ángel Firpo|Luis Ángel Firpo]].

===Luis Ángel Firpo===
His great form saw him not only be selected into the national team, but also saw him gain the attention of another one of El Salvador's larger clubs in [[C.D. Luis Ángel Firpo|Luis Ángel Firpo]], whom he signed for the following tournament after his title win with San Salvador FC. Here Merino continued to impress and was seen as one of the country's best creative [[attacking midfielder]]s. Unfortunately for Merino, he suffered an injury in the [[Primera División de Fútbol Profesional - Clausura 2005|Clausura 2005]] and upon his return found it difficult to return to the high level of play that he had held for many years. Although he still produced moments of brilliance, he was not as consistent and he also failed to at times, play as part of a team.

===FAS===
His lack of form saw him once again transfer to another one of the Salvadoran giants of football in [[C.D. FAS|FAS]]. Here he saw limited playing time and as a result was transfer after one year to [[C.D. Águila|Águila]].

===Águila===
This move not only meant a fresh start for Merino, but also saw him join the list of a select few players that have played for what are considered the "Big Four" clubs in the country (that being Alianza FC, Luis Ángel Firpo, FAS and Águila). Fortunately for Merino this move has seen to have suited him well as he has now become a regular starter and an important part of the team. Although his form is far from what it once was, he has lifted it to a level that many had not seen him play at for well over three years.

===Return to Luis Ángel Firpo===
In 2009, Merino signed again with Luis Ángel Firpo.

===Isidro Metapán===
Merino signed with [[A.D. Isidro Metapán|Isidro Metapán]] for the [[Primera División de Fútbol Profesional - Apertura 2013|Apertura 2013]].

===Sonsonate FC===
In July 2015, Merino signed with [[C.D. Sonsonate|Sonsonate FC]].

===Chalatenango===
In 2017, Merino signed with [[C.D. Chalatenango|Chalatenango]] for the Apertura 2017.

==International career==
Dubón received his first called up to the [[El Salvador national football team]] in 2003. He made his debut for the ''Cuscatlecos'' in a July 2004 [[friendly match]] against [[Guatemala national football team|Guatemala]] and has earned a total of 20 caps, scoring 1 goal. He has represented his country in 4 [[FIFA World Cup qualification]] matches and played at the [[2007 UNCAF Nations Cup]]<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/tablesg/gold-cam07det.html UNCAF (Qualifying Tournament for Gold Cup) 2007 - Details] - RSSSF</ref> as well as at the [[2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup]].<ref>[https://www.rsssf.org/tables/07gc-full.html CONCACAF Championship, Gold Cup 2007 - Full Details] - RSSSF</ref>

His final international match was a September 2007 friendly match against [[Ecuador national football team|Ecuador]].

===International goals===
:''Scores and results list El Salvador's goal tally first.''
{|class="wikitable"
! # !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition
|-
|1|| 22 August 2007 || [[Estadio Cuscatlán]], [[San Salvador]], [[El Salvador]] ||{{fb|HON}}||'''2'''-0||2-0|| [[Friendly match]]
|}

==Honours==
=== Club ===
;[[San Salvador F.C.|San Salvador FC]]
* Champion: [[Primera División de Fútbol Profesional Clausura 2003|Clausura 2003]]
* Runners-up: [[Primera División de Fútbol Profesional Apertura 2002|Apertura 2002]]

;[[C.D. Luis Ángel Firpo|Luis Ángel Firpo]]
* Runners-up: [[Primera División de Fútbol Profesional Clausura 2005|Clausura 2005]], [[Primera División de Fútbol Profesional Clausura 2007|Clausura 2007]]

;[[C.D. FAS|FAS]]
* Runners-up: [[Primera División de Fútbol Profesional Apertura 2007|Apertura 2007]], [[Primera División de Fútbol Profesional Clausura 2008|Clausura 2008]]

;[[A.D. Isidro Metapán|Isidro Metapán]]
* [[Primera División de Fútbol Profesional – Apertura 2013|Apertura 2013]], [[Primera División de Fútbol Profesional – Clausura 2014|Clausura 2014]], [[Primera División de Fútbol Profesional – Apertura 2014|Apertura 2014]]
* Runners-up: [[Primera División de Fútbol Profesional – Clausura 2015|Clausura 2015]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Soccerway|victor-hugo-merino/10211}}

{{Navboxes
|title=El Salvador squads
| bg = #0000DD
| fg = white
|list1=
{{El Salvador Squad 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Merino, Victor}}
[[Category:1979 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from San Salvador Department]]
[[Category:Men's association football midfielders]]
[[Category:Salvadoran men's footballers]]
[[Category:21st-century Salvadoran sportsmen]]
[[Category:El Salvador men's international footballers]]
[[Category:2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup players]]
[[Category:FC Jazz players]]
[[Category:Alianza F.C. (El Salvador) footballers]]
[[Category:San Salvador F.C. footballers]]
[[Category:C.D. Luis Ángel Firpo footballers]]
[[Category:C.D. FAS footballers]]
[[Category:C.D. Águila footballers]]
[[Category:C.D. Atlético Marte footballers]]
[[Category:Veikkausliiga players]]
[[Category:Salvadoran expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Finland]]
[[Category:Salvadoran expatriate sportspeople in Finland]]

Víctor Merino - Revision history

imported>ManUtdFan2007 at 05:58, 29 May 2025