Jonathan Mensah

Updated September 14, 2024

JONATHAN MENSAH AT A GLANCE:

• In eighth MLS season, owns 193 MLS appearances, 179 starts, seven goals, and three assists across more than 16,000 minutes played.
• Brings valuable playoff experience with 13 postseason appearances, all starts, and won an MLS Cup title with Caleb Porter in 2020.
• Captained the Columbus Crew during six-year tenure with the club from 2017-2022, earning three consecutive Defender of the Year awards (2018-2020) and one MLS Best XI selection (2020).
• Professional career also includes stints with Ashanti Gold (2007-2008), Free State Stars (2008-2009), Granada (2009-11), Udinese (2010-2011), Evian (2011-2016), and Anzhi Makhachkala (2016).
• Earned 70 caps with the Ghana National Team, featuring in the 2010 and 2014 FIFA Men’s World Cups.

MLS CAREER: In eighth MLS season, owns 193 MLS appearances, 179 starts, seven goals, and three assists across more than 16,000 minutes played…Has made an additional 13 appearances in the MLS Cup Playoffs, all starts, with one MLS Cup title in 2020…To date in 2024, owns eight MLS appearances, including three starts, along with three additional starts in Concacaf Champions Cup play…Acquired from Columbus on February 10, 2023 in exchange for $200,000 in General Allocation Money…Made 26 appearances, starting on 21 occasions, in lone season for the club…Added one appearance in MLS Cup Playoffs…During 2022 season, recorded career-high 30 appearances, all starts, with two goals and one assist…In 2021, notched 29 appearances, including 28 starts, with two goals and an assist…Appeared in all 23 regular season matches during 2020, along with one additional appearance in the MLS is Back Tournament Round of 16…Added four postseason appearances en route to MLS Cup title…Named captain before the start of the season…Appeared in 24 regular-season matches in 2019, making 23 starts…Named Crew SC's 2019 Defender of the Year…Logged 27 regular-season appearances, with 26 starts, scoring one goal during 2018 campaign…Added three appearances in MLS Cup Playoffs…Signed as a Designated Player on January 3, 2017…Made 26 appearances, with 25 starts, all as a center back in first season with club and recorded two goals and one assist…Added five appearances during the MLS Cup Playoffs.

2024: To date, owns eight MLS appearances, three of them starts, along with three additional starts in Concacaf Champions Cup play…(2/24) at DC: Made Revolution and season debut with a 90-minute starting effort…(3/6) vs. LDA: Collected first home start and first in 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup, helping preserve a clean sheet…(3/14) at LDA: Started and helped seal passage to Champions Cup quarterfinal round…(4/6) vs. CLT: Started and played 44 minutes before suffering a hamstring injury…(6/22) at CIN: Collected 190^th MLS appearance with a shift off the bench in road victory…(7/17) at PHI: Suited up for third start of the 2024 MLS campaign…Played all 90 minutes…Surpassed 16,000 career minutes played in MLS…(7/20) vs. FCD: Appeared as a substitute in the 1-1 draw.

2023 (with San Jose): Acquired from Columbus on February 10, 2023 in exchange for $200,000 in General Allocation Money…Made 26 appearances, starting on 21 occasions, in lone season for the club…Added one appearance in MLS Cup Playoffs…(2/25) at ATL: Made debut for San Jose with a 90-minute performance in season-opening defeat…(6/24) vs. STL: Notched 175^th MLS appearance…(9/23) vs. NSH: Started for 175^th time in MLS career…Postseason: (10/25) at SKC: Started and played 90 minutes in MLS Cup Playoffs opener.

2022 (with Columbus): Recorded career-high 30 appearances, all starts, with two goals and one assist…(3/12) vs. TOR: Notched lone assist of the season, a game-winner…(5/28) at ATL: Tallied first goal of the campaign in opening minute…(8/6) vs. NYC: Registered 150^th MLS appearance…(8/30) vs. MCF: Started 150^th match of MLS career…(9/10) at MTL: Scored second goal of the season…(10/9) at ORL: Made final appearance for the club in regular season finale.

2021 (with Columbus): Notched 29 appearances, including 28 starts, with two goals and an assist…Added two appearances in Concacaf Champions League play…(4/9) vs. EST: Scored in Concacaf Champions League debut against Nicaraguan side Real Estelí…(5/6) vs. MTY: Started and played 90 minutes in CCL Quarterfinals…(5/12) at TOR: Started 100^th MLS match…(7/24) at ATL: Scored first goal of the season, a game-winner…(8/7) vs. ATL: Registered first goal-and-assist performance in MLS…(9/30) vs CAZ: Played 90 minutes in Campeones Cup, scoring a goal…(10/3) at PHI: Recorded 125^th MLS appearance…(10/30) at DC: Made 125^th MLS start.

2020 (with Columbus): Appeared in all 23 regular season matches, along with one additional appearance in the MLS is Back Tournament Round of 16…Added four postseason appearances en route to MLS Cup title…Named captain before the start of the season…(2/29) vs. NYC: Registered 75^th MLS start with a 90-minute outing…(9/19) vs. NSH: Earned MLS Team of the Week honors after his 90-minute performance…(11/8) vs. ATL: Named to MLSsoccer.com's Team of the Week for Week 23…Postseason: Appeared in all four matches for Columbus, helping the club to an MLS Cup…(12/6) vs. NE: Provided game-winning assist in Conference Final…(12/12) vs. SEA: Captained club in MLS Cup Final victory.

2019 (with Columbus)*:\* Appeared in 24 regular season matches, making 23 starts…Named Crew SC's 2019 Defender of the Year…(9/15) at ATL: Wore captain’s armband for the first time, playing 90 minutes in a 3-1 win…(9/21) at VAN: Donned captain’s armband for 75^th MLS appearance.

2018 (with Columbus)*:\* Logged 27 regular-season appearances, with 26 starts, scoring one goal…Added three appearances in MLS Cup Playoffs…(5/19) at NE: Named to MLS Team of the Week…(7/28) at RBNY: Scored his first goal of the 2018 season…(9/15) at FCD: Earned second selection to MLS Team of the Week…(9/22) vs. COL: Made 50^th MLS appearance…(10/5) at MTL: Recorded 50^th MLS start…Postseason: Saw action in three matches, all starts.

2017 (with Columbus)*:\* Signed as a Designated Player on January 3, 2017…Made 26 appearances, with 25 starts, all as a center back and recorded two goals and one assist…Added five appearances during the MLS Cup Playoffs…Started in an international friendly match at home against Eintracht Frankfurt on July 14…(3/4) vs. CHI: Made regular-season team debut as a starter in season opener…(8/5) at SJ: Recorded first MLS assist…(8/26) vs. FCD: Tallied first MLS goal, a game-winner, in a 90-minute performance…(9/23) vs. RBNY: Scored second goal of the season…(10/14) at ORL: Registered 25^th MLS appearance…(10/21) at NYC: Logged 25^th MLS start…Postseason: (10/26) at ATL: Made MLS Cup Playoffs debut, playing 120 minutes in a shootout victory.

CLUB CAREER OUTSIDE OF MLS: Made professional debut at age 17 for boyhood club Ashanti Gold, appearing in 29 matches during lone season with the club…Joined South African side Free State Stars in 2008, appearing in 39 league matches over two seasons…Signed with Italian side Udinese on January 1, 2010, but did not make an appearance for the club…Spent entire Udinese tenure on loan at Spanish side Granada, making 15 appearances for the club over parts of two seasons…Joined newly promoted Ligue 1 side Evian on July 8, 2011…Appeared in 53 league matches over five seasons for the club…Signed with Russian side Anzhi on February 23, 2016…Appeared in 19 contests for the club over two seasons, recording one assist.

Anzhi Makhachkala (RUS): Signed with Russian side Anzhi on February 23, 2016…Appeared in 19 contests for the club over two seasons, recording one assist…Made debut for Anzhi against Amkar Perm on March 7, 2016…Notched assist against Mordovia on May 15, 2016.

Evian (FRA): Joined newly promoted Ligue 1 side Evian on July 8, 2011…Appeared in 53 matches over five seasons for the club…Made club debut with a 90-minute effort on September 21, 2011 at Marseille…Missed remainder of 2011-12 season with a thigh injury…Made six appearances in second season with the club, missing extended time due to injury…Returned to action on September 15, 2012 with a 90-minute clean-sheet performance against SC Bastia…Notched 26 appearances during the 2013-14 Ligue 1 campaign, scoring one goal…Tallied first goal for the club on December 14, 2013 against Stade de Reims…Made 11 appearances during 2014-15 season, missing time due to African Cup of Nations Tournament…Scored game-winning goal against RC Lens on September 24, 2014…Appeared in five matches during 2015-16 Ligue 2 season, along with two additional Coupe de France contests…Missed first three months of the season serving a FIFA-implemented ban as part of a breach-of-contract case.

Granada (ESP): Loaned to Spanish side Granada for two seasons, making 15 appearances and scoring one goal…Made debut for the club against Real Betis on August 29, 2010…Tallied lone goal on November 21, 2010 at CD Numancia…Helped club achieve fifth place finish and first promotion to the top flight in 35 years.

Udinese (ITA): Signed with Italian side Udinese on January 1, 2010…Did not make an appearance for the club.

Free State Stars (RSA): Made 39 regular season appearances for South African club, all starts, and scored two goals…Made club debut as a starter in a road match against SuperSport United on August 30, 2008…Scored first goal for the club on January 10, 2009 against AmaZulu…Made one starting appearance in the Domestic Cup at home against the Golden Arrows on August 8, 2009.

Ashanti Gold (GHA): Saw action in 29 matches during first professional season at age 17, scoring two goals in Ghana Premier League play.

NATIONAL TEAM (GHANA): Earned 70 caps with the Ghana National Team, featuring in the 2010 and 2014 FIFA Men’s World Cups…Also owns 12 youth caps for the Ghana Under-20 National Team…Won 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup with Ghana…Started six of seven matches for Ghana at 2009 U-20 FIFA World Cup, including a full 120-minute performance in a victory over Brazil in the tournament Final…Called up to senior National Team for 2010 African Cup of Nations, but did not make an appearance…Made senior international debut May 31, 2009 against Uganda…Named to the Ghana roster for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa…Started final two group stage matches and Round of 16 fixture against the United States…Scored first international goal on February 8, 2011 in a friendly against Togo…Included in squad for 2012 African Cup of Nations, making three appearances…In 2014, he started in every group stage match of Ghana’s World Cup campaign…Had a pivotal role in Ghana’s run to the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations Final, playing every minute of every match including 120 minutes in the tournament’s final…During the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, made two starts…Started in both of Ghana’s 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against Congo…Earned 57th cap making a substitute appearance in a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifier against Ethiopia…Made final appearance for The Black Stars on June 5, 2022, starting and playing 63 minutes against Central African Republic.

PERSONAL*:\* Full name is Jonathan Mensah…Son of Milicent and Evans…Commonly referred to as Jonathan…Has three siblings named Frank, Stanley, and Esther…Married to wife, Kafui…Operates self-named charity, the Jonathan Mensah Foundation, to help serve underprivileged children in native Ghana…Speaks five languages: English, Spanish, French, Twi, and Ga.