Matías Nahuel

Matías Nahuel
Personal information
Full name Matías Nahuel Leiva Esquivel
Date of birth (1996-11-22) 22 November 1996 (age 27)
Place of birth Rosario, Argentina
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
Maccabi Haifa
Number 9
Youth career
2009–2011 Escuela ADIUR
2011–2013 Villarreal
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2013 Villarreal C 12 (2)
2013–2015 Villarreal B 64 (11)
2014–2018 Villarreal 25 (0)
2016–2018Betis (loan) 17 (0)
2018Barcelona B (loan) 18 (5)
2018–2019 Olympiacos 4 (0)
2019Deportivo La Coruña (loan) 13 (0)
2019–2022 Tenerife 30 (1)
2020–2021Oviedo (loan) 37 (6)
2022–2024 Śląsk Wrocław 63 (12)
2024– Maccabi Haifa 0 (0)
International career
2014–2015 Spain U19 11 (3)
2015–2017 Spain U21 2 (0)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Spain
UEFA European Under-19 Championship
Winner 2015 Greece
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18 September 2024

Matías Nahuel Leiva Esquivel (born 22 November 1996), known as Nahuel, is a professional footballer who plays as a right winger for Israeli club Maccabi Haifa. Born in Argentina, he has represented Spain at youth levels.

Club career

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Villarreal

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Born in Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina, Nahuel moved to Spain at only 14, joining Villarreal CF's youth setup.[1] He made his senior debut with the C-side in 2012–13, in Tercera División, and also appeared occasionally for the reserves during that first season.

Nahuel made his first-team – and La Liga – debut on 13 January 2014, playing 23 minutes in a 5–1 home routing of Real Sociedad.[2] On 28 August he scored his first professional goal, netting the last in a 4–0 home win against FC Astana for the campaign's UEFA Europa League.[3]

On 16 June 2016, Nahuel signed a two-year loan contract with Real Betis also of the top tier.[4][5] On 30 January 2018, he was loaned to Segunda División team FC Barcelona B for six months.[6]

Olympiacos

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On 31 August 2018, the last day of the summer transfer window, Olympiacos F.C. signed Nahuel for an undisclosed fee – Villarreal retained a buyback option on the player.[7] The following 31 January, after being rarely used, he returned to Spain after agreeing to a six-month loan deal with Deportivo de La Coruña of the second division.[8]

Tenerife

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On 30 August 2019, Nahuel joined CD Tenerife on a three-year contract.[9] On 15 September, after scoring only one goal during the entire 2019–20 campaign, he was loaned to fellow second division side Real Oviedo, for one year.[10]

Śląsk Wrocław

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On 9 July 2022, Nahuel moved to Ekstraklasa club Śląsk Wrocław, signing a four-year deal.[11] On 11 January 2024, he extended his contract until the end of June 2027.[12]

Maccabi Haifa

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On 18 September 2024, Nahuel moved to Israeli club Maccabi Haifa, signing a four-year deal.[13]

International career

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Nahuel was part of the Spain under-19 team which won the 2015 UEFA European Championship in Greece. He scored in a 3–0 group stage opening victory against holders Germany,[14] adding the second goal in the 2–0 win over Russia in the decisive match in Katerini.[15]

Honours

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Spain U19

References

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  1. ^ Conociendo a Matías Nahuel Leiva (Knowing Matías Nahuel Leiva) Archived 31 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine; Futbolistas Argentinos por el Mundo, 8 October 2013 (in Spanish)
  2. ^ Five-star Villarreal cruise to win Archived 25 February 2014 at the Wayback Machine; ESPN FC, 13 January 2014
  3. ^ ¡Europa, ya estamos aquí! (4–0) (Europe, we have arrived! (4–0)) Archived 4 September 2014 at the Wayback Machine; Villarreal CF, 28 August 2014 (in Spanish)
  4. ^ Real Betis signs Nahuel for the next two seasons Archived 30 July 2016 at the Wayback Machine; Real Betis, 16 June 2016
  5. ^ Nahuel jugará cedido en el Real Betis (Nahuel will play on loan at Real Betis) Archived 1 September 2018 at the Wayback Machine; Villarreal CF, 16 June 2016 (in Spanish)
  6. ^ "Agreement with Villarreal CF for the loan of Nahuel Leiva". FC Barcelona. 30 January 2018. Retrieved 2 February 2018.
  7. ^ "Μεταγραφικό... χτύπημα με Ναουέλ ο Ολυμπιακός!" [Signing... Olympiacos get Nahuel!] (in Greek). Gazzetta. 31 August 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  8. ^ "New Dépor player! Nahuel Leiva". Deportivo La Coruña. 31 January 2019. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
  9. ^ "Nahuel Leiva, nuevo refuerzo blanquiazul" [Nahuel Leiva, new white-and-blue addition] (in Spanish). CD Tenerife. 30 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2019.
  10. ^ "Nahuel Leiva jugará cedido en el Real Oviedo" [Nahuel Leiva will play on loan at Real Oviedo] (in Spanish). CD Tenerife. 15 September 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  11. ^ "Matias Nahuel Leiva piłkarzem Śląska" (in Polish). Śląsk Wrocław. 9 July 2022.
  12. ^ "Śląsk Wrocław zatrzyma kluczowego piłkarza! Mathias Nahuel Leiva przedłużył kontrakt". gazetawroclawska.pl (in Polish). 11 January 2024. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  13. ^ "וולקאם נהואל!" (in Hebrew). Maccabi Haifa. 18 September 2024.
  14. ^ "Slick Spain too strong for holders Germany". UEFA. 7 July 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
  15. ^ a b "Spain see off Russia for seventh Under-19 crown". UEFA. 19 July 2015. Retrieved 20 July 2015.
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