Cristian Olivera

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Olivera and the second or maternal family name is Ibarra.
Cristian Olivera
Personal information
Full name Cristian Gonzalo Olivera Ibarra
Date of birth (2002-04-17) 17 April 2002 (age 22)
Place of birth Montevideo, Uruguay
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Right winger
Team information
Current team
 Los Angeles FC
Number 13
Youth career
Arapey Mendoza
Potencia
Flores Palma
Danubio (AUFI)
Cerrito
Danubio
Defensor Sporting
2018–2019 Rentistas
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2020 Rentistas 32 (6)
2020–2023 Almería 3 (0)
2021 Almería B 13 (0)
2021–2022 → Peñarol (loan) 15 (0)
2022–2023 → Boston River (loan) 29 (10)
2023– Los Angeles FC 26 (6)
International career‡
2017 Uruguay U15 4 (0)
2018–2019 Uruguay U17 19 (4)
2024 Uruguay U23 2 (1)
2023– Uruguay 11 (0)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Uruguay
Copa América
Third place 2024 United States
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 June 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20 November 2024

Cristian Gonzalo Olivera Ibarra (born 17 April 2002) is a Uruguayan professional footballer who plays as a right winger for Major League Soccer club Los Angeles FC and the Uruguay national team.

Club career

Early career

Born in Montevideo, Uruguay, Olivera started his career at the age of three in Club Arapey Mendoza.[1] He subsequently represented Potencia, Club Flores Palma de Baby Fútbol, Club Danubio, Cerrito, Danubio and Defensor Sporting before joining Rentistas in 2018.[2]

Rentistas

In September 2018, aged just 16, Olivera signed his first professional contract with Rentistas.[3] He made his first team debut for on 5 May of the following year, coming on as a second-half substitute for goalscorer Renato César in a 1–0 Uruguayan Segunda División away win against Central Español.[4]

Olivera scored his first senior goal on 20 July 2019, netting the opener in a 2–1 away defeat of Villa Teresa,[5] and ended the season with three goals in 25 appearances overall, as his club achieved promotion to Primera División. He made his debut in the top tier on 16 February 2020, starting in a 2–0 home success over Nacional.

Olivera scored his first goal in the top tier on 22 February 2020, netting the equalizer in a 3–2 win at Boston River, and was an important unit in Rentistas' start of the campaign, as his club won five of their first ten league matches.

Almería

On 15 September 2020, Olivera moved abroad for the first time in his career, after signing a five-year deal with Spanish Segunda División side UD Almería for a rumoured fee of €2 million.[6]

Olivera failed to establish himself as a regular option for the Andalusians and was demoted to the reserves in January 2021. On 3 May 2021, he returned to his home country after agreeing to a one-year loan deal with Uruguayan Primera División club Peñarol.[7] This was followed by another loan to Boston River in the same league, starting in 2022.

Los Angeles FC

On 4 August 2023, Olivera joined Major League Soccer side Los Angeles FC.[8]

International career

In January 2024, Olivera was named in Uruguay's squad for the 2024 CONMEBOL Pre-Olympic Tournament.[9]

Career statistics

Club

As of 9 September 2020[10]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Rentistas 2019 Uruguayan Segunda División 21 3 — — 4[a] 0 25 3
2020 Uruguayan Primera División 11 3 — — — 11 3
Total 32 6 — — 4 0 36 6
Almería 2020–21 Segunda División 0 0 0 0 — — 0 0
Career total 32 6 0 0 0 0 4 0 36 6
  1. ^ Appearance(s) in Promotion play-offs

International

As of match played 19 November 2024[10]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Uruguay 2023 3 0
2024 8 0
Total 11 0

Honours

Peñarol

Uruguay

References

  1. ^ "Cristian Olivera, la joya de Rentistas que vive con $ 1.000 y fue felicitado por Bergessio" [Cristian Olivera, the Rentistas pearl who lives with $1,000 and was praised by Bergessio] (in Spanish). El Observador. 25 February 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  2. ^ "Cristian Olivera: su historia y su juego a pura velocidad" [Cristian Olivera: his story and his game at full speed] (in Spanish). ESPN. 13 September 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  3. ^ "Cristian Olivera, delantero de la Selección Sub 17, ya firmó contrato con el Renta" [Cristian Olivera, forward of the under-17 national team, already signed contract with Renta]. CA Rentistas (in Spanish). Facebook. 18 September 2018. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  4. ^ "Central Español 0 Rentistas 1" (in Spanish). El Ascenso. 5 May 2019. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  5. ^ "Villa Teresa 1 Rentistas 2" (in Spanish). El Ascenso. 21 July 2019. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  6. ^ "Cristian Olivera, oficial; Raúl Guti viaja mañana" [Cristian Olivera, official; Raúl Guti travels tomorrow] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 15 September 2020. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
  7. ^ "Cristian Olivera llegó a Peñarol" [Cristian Olivera arrived at Peñarol] (in Spanish). Peñarol. 3 May 2021. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  8. ^ "LAFC Signs Forward Cristian Olivera From Ud Almeria". Los Angeles FC. 4 August 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  9. ^ "Lista final para el CONMEBOL Preolímpico 2024" (in Spanish). 5 January 2024. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
  10. ^ a b Cristian Olivera at Soccerway
  11. ^ "Peñarol es el Campeón Uruguayo". 7 December 2021. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  12. ^ "Peñarol se quedó con la Supercopa uruguaya". 31 January 2022. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
  13. ^ "Uruguay beats Canada on penalties to finish CONMEBOL Copa América™ in 3rd Place". 14 July 2024. Retrieved 14 July 2024.