1. Early life and background
Yerry Mina was born in Guachené, Cauca, Colombia. He joined the youth academy of Deportivo Pasto at the age of 18. His journey into professional football was influenced by his family; both his father and uncle were professional football goalkeepers. However, his father advised him to play a different position, and it was his uncle who took him to the trials at Deportivo Pasto, initiating his youth career as a defender.
2. Club career
Yerry Mina's professional club career has seen him play for several clubs across South America and Europe, accumulating various domestic and continental honors.
2.1. Deportivo Pasto
Mina began his professional career with Deportivo Pasto in 2013. He was promoted to the main squad during the 2013 season and made his senior debut on March 20 of that year, starting in a 1-0 away loss against Dépor in the Copa Colombia. His debut in the Categoría Primera A came on September 15, 2013, starting in a 0-0 draw at Deportivo Cali. He scored his first professional goal on October 18 in a 2-2 home draw against Atlético Huila.
2.2. Independiente Santa Fe
On December 14, 2013, Mina transferred to fellow Colombian top-tier club Independiente Santa Fe, initially on a one-year loan. He made his debut for the club on January 25, playing the full 90 minutes in a 3-0 home victory against Rionegro. Mina quickly became a vital player for Santa Fe, contributing significantly to a successful era for the club both domestically and internationally. In his first full year, he was part of the team that won the Categoría Primera A Finalización 2014 title, defeating Independiente Medellín in the final. Subsequently, Mina played a crucial role in securing the 2015 Superliga Colombiana trophy, scoring the opening goal in a 2-0 second-leg victory against Atlético Nacional. His tenure at Santa Fe culminated in winning the 2015 Copa Sudamericana, where he was a regular starter throughout their championship campaign.
2.3. Palmeiras
On May 1, 2016, Mina's transfer to Brazilian club Palmeiras was confirmed, though he officially joined the club the following month. He signed a five-year contract on May 11, 2016. Mina made his Palmeiras debut on July 4, 2016, playing the entire match in a 3-1 away win against Sport Recife. His first goal for Verdão came in the next fixture, a 1-1 draw against Santos. However, he was substituted before halftime due to an injury. It was confirmed on July 13 that the injury would sideline him for six to eight weeks, causing him to miss the 2016 Summer Olympics. By late August 2016, Mina had fully recovered and became an undisputed starter during the latter stages of the season. In September, he scored crucial goals against rivals São Paulo and Corinthians. He finished the year with four league goals as Palmeiras secured the league title for the first time in 22 years.
2.4. Barcelona
On January 11, 2018, FC Barcelona and Palmeiras reached an agreement for the transfer of Yerry Mina. He signed a contract for the remainder of the 2017-18 season and five additional seasons, until June 30, 2023. The transfer fee was set at 11.80 M EUR, with a release clause of 100.00 M EUR. This move made him the first Colombian player to represent the Catalan club. Mina made his debut for Barcelona on February 8, 2018, replacing Gerard Piqué in the 83rd minute of a Copa del Rey semi-final match against Valencia, which Barcelona won 2-0 to advance to the final. His home and league debut came against Getafe on February 11, where he played the full 90 minutes in a 0-0 draw. He registered his first official contribution for the club by assisting Ousmane Dembélé in a 5-1 victory against Villarreal on May 9, 2018.
2.5. Everton
On August 8, 2018, Mina signed with Premier League team Everton in a deal valued at 30.00 M EUR. His first appearance for Everton occurred during a 3-1 home victory against Brighton & Hove Albion, coming on as a last-minute substitute for Gylfi Sigurðsson. He scored his first goal for Everton on December 26, 2018, in a 5-1 away win against Burnley, heading in a cross from Bernard within the opening two minutes of the match.
Despite his initial struggles for playing time due to the strong partnership between Kurt Zouma (on loan) and Michael Keane in the 2018-19 season, limiting him to just 13 league appearances, Mina's importance grew. In September 2019, he received a fine from the English Football Association for appearing in a gambling advertisement, which is prohibited in Colombia.
For the 2019-20 season, following Zouma's return to Chelsea, Mina formed a solid defensive partnership with Keane. On February 1, 2020, he scored his first brace for Everton against Watford at Vicarage Road. Both goals came in stoppage time at the end of the first half, helping Everton to come from 2-0 down to win 3-2. He opened his goal-scoring account for Everton in the 2020-21 season with a powerful header against Brighton in a 4-2 victory at Goodison Park on October 3, 2020. Over his five years at Everton, he periodically struggled with injuries, which impacted his consistency and availability.
2.6. Fiorentina
On August 4, 2023, Mina joined Serie A club Fiorentina on a free transfer, signing a one-year contract. He had a brief period at the club, making only four appearances before seeking another move.
2.7. Cagliari
On February 1, 2024, Mina transferred to Cagliari, signing a contract until June 30, 2024, with an option for the club to extend for the 2024-25 season. He quickly integrated into the squad and has been actively involved in their matches since his arrival.
3. International career
Mina has been a prominent figure for the Colombia national football team. In 2016, he was selected for Colombia's Copa América Centenario squad, starting one match against Costa Rica. He participated in five of Colombia's 2018 World Cup Qualifying matches between October 2016 and March 2017. In May 2018, he was named to Colombia's final 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
At the 2018 World Cup, Mina made a significant impact, scoring three goals for Colombia, all of which were headers. He did not play in Colombia's opening 2-1 loss to Japan, but started at centre-back in all subsequent matches. In the group stage, he scored the opening goal in a decisive 3-0 victory over Poland. He then scored the lone goal in a crucial 1-0 win against Senegal, which propelled Colombia to the top of their group and into the knockout stage. In the Round of 16 against England, Mina scored a dramatic equalizer in the 93rd minute, tying the score 1-1 and sending the game into extra time. However, Colombia ultimately lost the match in a penalty shootout, ending their tournament. With his three goals, Mina equaled the record for the most goals scored by a defender in a single World Cup tournament, sharing the achievement with Germany's Paul Breitner in 1974 and Andreas Brehme in 1990.
Mina also contributed to Colombia's third-place finish in the Copa América Centenario in 2016. He continued to be a regular for the national team in subsequent FIFA World Cup qualification campaigns, including for the 2022 tournament, where he scored one goal against Peru.
4. Personal life
Yerry Mina comes from a family with a strong football background. Both his father and uncle were professional football goalkeepers. His father encouraged him to play a different position on the field, and his uncle was instrumental in taking him to his first professional trials. Mina's brother, Juan José Mina, is also a professional footballer. His uncle, Jair Mina, also serves as his agent, handling his career affairs.
Mina is a devout Christian and is a member of the neo-Pentecostal Church of God Ministry of Jesus Christ International. He has frequently spoken publicly at various church-sponsored events, sharing his life experiences and faith with audiences.
5. Career statistics
Updated as of match played January 19, 2025.
5.1. Club
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Deportivo Pasto | 2013 | 14 | 1 | 8 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | - | 24 | 1 | |||
| Santa Fe | 2014 | 34 | 3 | 16 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | - | 52 | 3 | |||
| 2015 | 23 | 2 | 8 | 0 | - | 21 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 54 | 4 | |||
| 2016 | 10 | 2 | - | - | 8 | 3 | - | 18 | 5 | |||||
| Total | 67 | 7 | 24 | 0 | - | 31 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 124 | 12 | |||
| Palmeiras | 2016 | 13 | 4 | 2 | 0 | - | - | - | 15 | 4 | ||||
| 2017 | 15 | 2 | 4 | 0 | - | 7 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 34 | 5 | |||
| Total | 28 | 6 | 6 | 0 | - | 7 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 49 | 9 | |||
| Barcelona | 2017-18 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 0 | 0 | - | 6 | 0 | |||
| Everton | 2018-19 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 15 | 1 | |||
| 2019-20 | 29 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | - | - | 33 | 2 | ||||
| 2020-21 | 24 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 29 | 3 | ||||
| 2021-22 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 14 | 1 | ||||
| 2022-23 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | - | 8 | 2 | ||||
| Total | 86 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 5 | 0 | - | - | 99 | 9 | ||||
| Fiorentina | 2023-24 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | ||
| Cagliari | 2023-24 | 14 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 14 | 2 | |||||
| 2024-25 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 17 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 31 | 2 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | 31 | 2 | |||||
| Career total | 235 | 23 | 49 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 41 | 7 | 10 | 1 | 339 | 33 | ||
Updated as of match played November 15, 2024.
5.2. International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colombia | 2016 | 5 | 1 |
| 2017 | 4 | 2 | |
| 2018 | 6 | 3 | |
| 2019 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 12 | 1 | |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 5 | 0 | |
| Total | 48 | 7 | |
Scores and results list Colombia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Mina goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | October 11, 2016 | Estadio Metropolitano, Barranquilla, Colombia | Uruguay | 2-2 | 2-2 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | June 13, 2017 | Coliseum Alfonso Pérez, Getafe, Spain | Cameroon | 2-0 | 4-0 | Friendly |
| 3 | 3-0 | |||||
| 4 | June 24, 2018 | Kazan Arena, Kazan, Russia | Poland | 1-0 | 3-0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup |
| 5 | June 28, 2018 | Cosmos Arena, Samara, Russia | Senegal | 1-0 | 1-0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup |
| 6 | July 3, 2018 | Otkritie Arena, Moscow, Russia | England | 1-1 | 1-1 - | 2018 FIFA World Cup |
| 7 | June 3, 2021 | Estadio Nacional, Lima, Peru | Peru | 1-0 | 3-0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
6. Honours
Independiente Santa Fe
- Categoría Primera A: 2014 Finalización
- Copa Sudamericana: 2015
- Superliga Colombiana: 2015
Palmeiras
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 2016
Barcelona
- La Liga: 2017-18
- Copa del Rey: 2017-18
Colombia
- Copa América: Third place (2016)
Individual
- Copa Sudamericana Young Player of the Year: 2015
- Superliga Colombiana Team of the Year: 2015
- Copa Sudamericana Team of the Year: 2015
- Best Centre-back in Brazil (Troféu Mesa Redonda): 2016
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A Team of the Year: 2016
- South American Team of the Year: 2016
- Campeonato Paulista Team of the Year: 2017
- FIFA World Cup Fantasy Team: 2018
- FIFA World Cup Man of the Match: vs. Senegal (2018 group stage)