Sebastián Gastón Merlo (born 26 January 1985), also referred to as Đỗ Merlo, is an Argentine professional footballer who played as a striker for LPBank Ho Chi Minh City.

Sebastián Gastón Merlo
Đỗ Merlo
Personal information
Full name Sebastián Gastón Merlo
Date of birth (1985-01-26) 26 January 1985 (age 39)
Place of birth Jovita, Córdoba, Argentina
Height 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
LPBank Ho Chi Minh City
Number 38
Youth career
Moto Kart Jovita
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2005 Moto Kart Jovita 50 (45)
2005–2009 Ferro Carril Oeste 60 (36)
2009–2014 SHB Đà Nẵng 105 (85)
2015 Ferro Carril Oeste 18 (10)
2016–2019 SHB Đà Nẵng 70 (48)
2020 Nam Định 23 (12)
2021–2023 Sài Gòn 25 (10)
2023 CA Costa Brava ? (?)
2024– LPBank Ho Chi Minh City ? (?)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

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Merlo was one of the best goalscorers in the V.League 1, the top tier of Vietnamese football. During his first passage with SHB Đà Nẵng, he won the league's top scorer award three times in a row from 2009 to 2011. He also won the league's best foreign player award in 2009 and 2011.[1]

After taking a year to recover from a leg injury in his native Argentina, Merlo rejoined SHB Đà Nẵng in February 2016 and won the V.League 1 top scorer award for the fourth time in his career.[2] In June 2017, he was granted Vietnamese citizenship and got a new name, Đỗ Merlo.

In 2023, Merlo returned to his birth country and signed for CA Costa Brava and later announced his retirement. However, in May 2024, he resumed his playing career, signing for LPBank Ho Chi Minh City in the Vietnamese Second Division.[3]

Career statistics

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As of 14 September 2019[4]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup International Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Ferro Carril Oeste[5] 2005–06 Primera B Nacional 4 0 4 0
2006–07 6 4 6 4
2007–08 17 10 17 10
2008–09 33 22 33 22
Total 60 36 60 36
SHB Đà Nẵng 2009 V.League 1 18 15 18 15
2010 21 19 7 9 28 28
2011 24 22 24 22
2012 17 16 17 16
2013 21 11 6 6 27 17
2014 4 2 4 2
Total 105 85 13 15 118 100
Ferro Carril Oeste[6] 2015 Torneo Federal A 18 10 18 10
SHB Đà Nẵng 2016 V.League 1 24 24 24 24
2017 11 6 11 6
2018 14 5 14 5
2019 22 11 22 11
Total 69 48 69 48
Career total 263 179 13 5 247 194

Honours

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SHB Đà Nẵng

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "Gaston Merlo – ngoại binh xuất sắc nhất Việt Nam". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  2. ^ "SHB Da Nang sign strikers Merlo, James for new season". vietnamnews.vn. Vietnam News. 3 February 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  3. ^ "Đỗ Merlo trở lại Việt Nam thi đấu ở tuổi 39". Tuổi Trẻ. 8 May 2024.
  4. ^ "Gastón Merlo". Soccerway. Retrieved 14 September 2019.
  5. ^ Sebastián Gastón Merlo - Goles en Ferrocarril Oeste de Intendente Alvear (La Pampa)
  6. ^ Fútbol de la región por el mundo: Sebastián Merlo
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