Everton Defender Mina Explains Scoring Emotion

Yerry Mina says scoring twice for Everton at Watford felt “sensational” – but the defender’s excitement over his quickfire double was eclipsed by the joy he experienced following Theo Walcott’s winning strike.

A steady source of goals for his national team and former club Palmeiras, Mina was waiting to open his account for the season prior to this weekend.

He addressed that void with a toed finish to claw Everton back into the game after Carlo Ancelotti’s side had fallen two goals behind to revitalised Watford.

And three minutes later – in the final moments of first-half stoppage time – Mina doubled his tally for the season with a firm header planted beyond goalkeeper Ben Foster.

That set the stage for Walcott to apply the decisive touch following a devastating last-minute counter and win the game for an Everton side rocked by the dismissal of Fabian Delph with 19 minutes remaining.

“I am very happy with these two goals but even more because the team was brilliant today,” Mina told evertonfc.com.

“I enjoyed it with the team and fans and my family who are with me.


“My brother and friend were here for the match, so that made it extra special and I am so happy.

“The best emotion was when Theo scored to win for the team – because with 10 players to win the game was a special effort.

“Scoring just makes it more special.

“I will enjoy it, it is a sensational feeling, and it is for my family and team and the people who send me messages, ‘Come on, Yerry’.

“They mean a lot and give me even more motivation to do well for Everton.”

Colombia international Mina – who marked his second goal against Watford with a characteristic celebratory jig – has established himself as a bedrock of Everton’s backline this term.

Saturday’s game at Vicarage Road represented his 23rd Premier League start of the campaign and 27th in all competitions.

It is a far cry from the centre-back’s first season with the Club following a summer 2018 transfer from Barcelona when Mina was restricted by a handful of niggling injuries.

The 25-year-old used a tremendous summer Copa America campaign with his country as a platform to kick-start his Goodison Park career and show why he was one of the most coveted defenders on the planet following the 2018 World Cup.


Everton have won five and drawn four of their past 10 Premier League games – claiming 19 points from 30, the lone defeat inflicted by champions Manchester City.

It is a run of form which has Everton back in the Premier League’s top half and knocking on the door of the top five.

“To score is nice but now we need to keep going and continue with the work,” added Mina.

“It is a fantastic feeling on the field when you score a goal.

“I like to dance, it was very emotional for me and the way for me to express this sensation on the pitch.

“And to thank God and my family.

“But most important is the three points.

“We dropped two points at home in our last match [when Everton let slip a two-goal lead against Newcastle] – we did not see it as earning one point.

“In two minutes we lost those points and it felt bad.

“But we carried on with the work we had been doing and now this feels special.

“We can enjoy it but we want to continue this way.

“Our job is to recover and be ready for the next game, against Crystal Palace [on Saturday].”