Wilder José Cartagena Mendoza

Wilder José Cartagena Mendoza is a Peruvian defensive midfielder from Chincha, born in 1994. He developed in Alianza Lima’s youth system after moving to Lima and made his professional debut for the club in 2012. Cartagena joined Vitória de Setúbal in 2014 without making a senior appearance before returning home to play for Universidad San Martín, where he made more than 100 appearances from 2015 to 2018. His consistency earned him a place in Peru’s 2018 World Cup squad, and he debuted as a substitute against Australia. After spells with Veracruz, Alianza Lima, Godoy Cruz and Kalba, Cartagena moved to Orlando City on loan in August 2022. He helped Orlando win the 2022 U.S. Open Cup and became a permanent signing after the 2023 season. For Orlando, Cartagena protects the back line, disrupts attacks, recycles possession and provides positional cover in buildup.