Nahuel Molina
Molina with Rosario Central in 2019
Personal information
Full name Nahuel Molina Lucero[1]
Date of birth (1998-04-06) 6 April 1998 (age 25)[2]
Place of birth Embalse, Córdoba, Argentina
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[2]
Position(s) Right-back / Right wing-back
Team information
Current team
 Atlético Madrid
Number 16
Youth career
Boca Juniors
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2020 Boca Juniors 8 (0)
2018 → Defensa y Justicia (loan) 17 (1)
2019 → Rosario Central (loan) 22 (1)
2020–2022 Udinese 64 (9)
2022– Atlético Madrid 56 (6)
International career‡
2017 Argentina U20 6 (0)
2021– Argentina 35 (1)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Argentina
FIFA World Cup
Winner 2022 Qatar
Copa América
Winner 2021 Brazil
CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions
Winner 2022 England
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 24 February 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21 November 2023

Nahuel Molina Lucero (born 6 April 1998) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a right-back or right wing-back for La Liga club Atlético Madrid and the Argentina national team.

Club career

Nahuel Molina trained in the Barça Juniors Luján sports project, a FC Barcelona project in Argentina,[3] which even led him to travel to Barcelona to train with the lower sections of FC Barcelona. However, signing for the club was never considered, since Molina was only ten years old at the time. In 2012, the Juniors Luján project was integrated into the youth ranks of CA Boca Juniors, and Molina continued his training in this club.[4]

On 18 February 2016, he made his first team debut for Boca Juniors in a league game against San Martín de San Juan. He played the full game.[5]

Defensa y Justicia

In January 2018, Molina was loaned out to Defensa y Justicia for the rest of 2018.[6] The next season he was loaned to Rosario Central where he found the continuity he needed to stand out and ended up returning to Boca Juniors at the start of 2019.

Udinese Calcio

On 15 September 2020, Molina joined Udinese Calcio on a free transfer until 2025.[7]

Atlético Madrid

On 28 July 2022, Molina joined Atlético Madrid on a five-year deal,[8] for a reported fee of €10 million and €5 million in variables.[9]

International career

Molina playing for Argentina at the 2022 FIFA World Cup

Molina made his debut for the Argentina national team on 3 June 2021 in a World Cup qualifier against Chile. He substituted Juan Foyth in the 81st minute.[10]

Molina scored his first goal for Argentina on 9 December 2022, in their 2022 World Cup quarter-final match against the Netherlands. He previously assisted to Alexis Mac Allister during their group stage match vs Poland. He started six matches for Argentina as first choice right back scoring one goal and providing one assist throughout the tournament en route to become champions.[11]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 24 February 2024[12]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Boca Juniors 2016–17 Argentine Primera División 8 0 — 1[a] 0 — 9 0
Defensa y Justicia (loan) 2017–18 14 1 2 0 7[b] 0 — 23 1
2018–19 3 0 — — — 3 0
Total 17 1 2 0 7 0 0 0 26 1
Rosario Central (loan) 2018–19 Argentine Primera División 6 0 1 0 6[a] 0 — 13 0
2019–20 16 1 2 0 — — 18 1
Total 22 1 3 0 6 0 0 0 31 1
Udinese 2020–21 Serie A 29 2 2 0 — — 31 2
2021–22 35 7 2 1 — — 37 8
Total 64 9 4 1 0 0 0 0 68 10
Atlético Madrid 2022–23 La Liga 33 4 4 0 6[c] 0 — 43 4
2023–24 23 2 4 0 7[c] 0 1[d] 0 35 2
Total 56 6 8 0 13 0 1 0 78 6
Career total 167 17 17 1 27 0 1 0 212 18
  1. ^ a b Appearance(s) in Copa Libertadores
  2. ^ Appearances in Copa Sudamericana
  3. ^ a b Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  4. ^ Appearance in Supercopa de España

International

As of match played 21 November 2023[13]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Argentina 2021 13 0
2022 14 1
2023 8 0
Total 35 1
As of match played 9 December 2022. Scores and results list Argentina's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Molina goal.
List of international goals scored by Nahuel Molina
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1 9 December 2022 Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail, Qatar 25  Netherlands 1–0 2–2 (4–3 p) 2022 FIFA World Cup

Honours

Argentina

Individual

References

  1. ^ "FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Squad list: Argentina (ARG)" (PDF). FIFA. 15 November 2022. p. 1. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Nahuel Molina". Atlético Madrid. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
  3. ^ "FC Barcelona Juniors Luján". FCBarcelona.cat. FC Barcelona. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  4. ^ "Los inicios culés de Nahuel Molina detallados por su descubridor". Sport (in Spanish). 3 December 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  5. ^ "San Martín San Juan vs. Boca Juniors - 18 February 2016 - Soccerway". soccerway.com. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  6. ^ Molina deja Boca por Defensa y Justicia, besoccer.com, 11 January 2018
  7. ^ "OFFICIAL: Molina joins Udinese". Football Italia. 15 September 2020.
  8. ^ "Club Atlético de Madrid - Welcome, Nahuel Molina!". Club Atlético de Madrid. 28 July 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  9. ^ Egea, Pablo (28 July 2022). "Nahuel Molina es nuevo jugador del Atlético" [Nahuel Molina is a new Atletico player]. MARCA (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 July 2022.
  10. ^ "Argentina v Chile game report". ESPN. 3 June 2021.
  11. ^ McNulty, Phil (9 December 2022). "World Cup 2022: Argentina beat the Netherlands in penalty shootout to reach semi-finals". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  12. ^ "N. Molina". Soccerway.
  13. ^ "Nahuel Molina". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  14. ^ Murray, Scott (18 December 2022). "Argentina beat France on penalties after thrilling World Cup final – live reaction". the Guardian. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  15. ^ Graham, Bryan Armen (11 July 2021). "Argentina 1-0 Brazil: Copa América final – live!". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  16. ^ "Italy 0–3 Argentina: Messi and Di Maria shine in impressive Finalissima win". BBC Sport. 1 June 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2022.

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