Yerry Mina

Yerry Fernando Mina González (born 23 September 1994) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Serie A club Cagliari and the Colombia national team.

Mina began his career at Deportivo Pasto before joining Independiente Santa Fe in 2014, where he won the Categoría Primera A in 2014, the 2015 Superliga Colombiana, and the 2015 Copa Sudamericana. During the latter, he was named Young Player of the Year and included in the Team of the Year. In 2016, he transferred to Palmeiras, winning the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A in 2016 and being voted Best Centre Back in Brazil, as well as earning selection to the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A Team of the Year, the South American Team of the Year, and the Campeonato Paulista Team of the Year in 2017. He joined Barcelona in 2018, winning La Liga and the Copa del Rey in the 2017–18 season, before moving later that year to Everton in the Premier League, where he spent five seasons. After a brief spell at Fiorentina in 2023, he signed for Cagliari in 2024.

At international level, Mina represented the Colombia U23 before making his senior debut for the Colombia national team in 2016. He has earned over 50 caps and scored multiple goals as a centre-back, appearing at the 2018 FIFA World Cup where he was included in the FIFA World Cup Fantasy Team. Mina shares the record for most goals scored in a single World Cup by a defender. He also featured in 2016, 2019, and 2024 where Colombia finished as runners-up in the United States.

Born in Guachené, Mina was a Deportivo Pasto youth graduate, joining the side only at the age of 18. Promoted to the main squad during the 2013 season, he made his senior debut on 20 March of that year by starting in a 1–0 away loss against Dépor in the year's Copa Colombia.

Mina made his Categoría Primera A debut on 15 September 2013, starting in a 0–0 draw at Deportivo Cali. His first professional goal occurred on 18 October, as he scored his team's first in a 2–2 home draw against Atlético Huila.

On 14 December 2013, Mina moved to fellow top-tier club Independiente Santa Fe, initially on a one-year loan deal. Mina made his debut for the club the following 25 January, playing the full 90 minutes in a 3–0 home win against Rionegro.

He proved to be a vital piece in the successful era enjoyed by the club, both domestically and internationally. In his first full year, he was part of the team that won the Colombian league Categoría Primera A Finalización 2014, defeating Independiente Medellín in the Final.

Mina then contributed to the 2015 Superliga Colombiana victory by netting the first goal in the 2–0 win against Atlético Nacional in the second leg of the Finals.