Nathaniel Otis Mendez-Laing (born 15 April 1992) is a professional footballer who plays as a winger for EFL Championship club Derby County.

Born and raised in England to a Jamaican father and a Belizean mother of Guatemalan descent,[3][4] he plays for the Guatemala national team at international level.

Born in Birmingham, West Midlands to a Jamaican father and a Belizean mother of Guatemalan descent,[3] Mendez-Laing is a product of the Wolverhampton Wanderers academy.

[1] Having represented England at under-16 and under-17 level, he made his senior debut for Wolves on 25 August 2009 in a League Cup victory over Swindon Town and was named Man of the Match for his performance at the age of seventeen.

[16] In July 2012, Mendez-Laing revived his move to former loan club Peterborough United, a deal that he had turned down the previous summer.

[17][18] He later commented on his departure from Wolves, stating that he chose to accept Peterborough's second offer as he "wanted to go and play" but believed he was given the wrong guidance.

[34] His fitness concerns continued, resulting him being an unused substitute for four matches, although he scored a hat-trick for the club's reserve side in a 4–0 win over Thresham College.

"[42] His turnaround resulted in him featuring in the first team at the start of the season, providing an assist for Kenny McEvoy in a 3–2 win over Milton Keynes Dons on 16 August 2014.

[50] On 27 August 2015, Mendez-Laing joined League One side Rochdale on a one-year deal,[51] making his debut as a substitute in place of Matty Lund during a 1–0 defeat to Burton Albion on 12 September 2015.

[52] Following his arrival, Rochdale manager Keith Hill stated his belief that he could "revive" Mendez-Laing's career, commenting "I personally don't think he has ever been fit enough to maintain and showcase his ability for 90 minutes.

[54] A month later, Mendez-Laing scored his first goals for the club with a hat-trick in a 3–1 victory over Swindon Town in the second round of the FA Cup.

[56] He helped Rochdale to a mid-table finish, ending the season with a goal in their last match, a 2–1 victory over relegated Colchester United.

[57] Having scored 10 goals in 36 appearances,[56] at the end of the season, Rochdale activated their one-year extension option on his contract to extend his stay at the club.

[63][64] He had been set to join a rival Championship club, with a deal due to be concluded later the same day, but was convinced to move by Cardiff manager Neil Warnock.

[65] He made his debut for the club on the opening day of the 2017–18 season during a 1–0 victory over Burton Albion, as a substitute in place of Bruno Ecuele Manga.

[67] Mendez-Laing was named August Player of the Month, following a further four goals, helping Cardiff to win their opening five league matches for the first time in their history.

[68] However, after a dip in form later in the season coupled with a month out through injury after being substituted within the first ten minutes of a Severnside derby,[60] Cardiff manager Neil Warnock revealed that Mendez-Laing had been wrongly prescribed medication for his asthma that had affected his performances.

[79] On 1 February 2021, Mendez-Laing joined fellow Championship side Middlesbrough, reuniting with Neil Warnock, his former manager at Cardiff City.

[95] Mendez-Laing scored seven goals and made ten assists in his first 28 games of the season and this was rewarded with a new two-and-a-half-year contract which was announced on 8 January 2024, extending his stay at Derby until June 2026.

[98] Mendez-Laing also had a spell captaining the at the team the end of the season[99] and he scored in his 100th appearance for the club, in a 1–0 win at Cambridge United, a result which left Derby on the verge of promotion to the Championship,[100] which was confirmed a week later.

Mendez-Laing became Derby's permanent captain for the 2024–25 season, with head coach Paul Warne stating he will keep the armband as long as he keeps up his performance level.

[103][104] On 28 June he made his international debut, starting in Guatemala's 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup group D clash with Cuba at the DRV PNK Stadium in Miami, Florida.