Jairo O'Neil

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is O'Neil and the second or maternal family name is López.

Jairo O'Neil

Personal information
Full name	Jairo Sebastián O'Neil López
Date of birth	(2001-07-31) 31 July 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth	Paso de los Toros, Uruguay
Height	1.69 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s)	Left-back
Team information
Current team	Sud América
Number	15
Youth career
	Peñarol
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2022	Peñarol	4	(0)
2023	Fénix	11	(0)
2023	Unión Santa Fe	0	(0)
2024	Argentinos Juniors	0	(0)
2024–	Sud América	3	(0)
International career
2023	Uruguay U23	4	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15 September 2024

Jairo Sebastián O'Neil López (born 31 July 2001)[1] is a Uruguayan professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Uruguayan Segunda División club Sud América.

Early and personal life

Born in Paso de los Toros, Tacuarembó Department, O'Neil was a cousin of Uruguay international footballer Fabián O'Neill (1973–2022), who played in the Italian Serie A for Cagliari and Juventus. While his cousin began his career at Nacional, O'Neil came through at their Uruguayan Clásico rivals Peñarol,[1] the club he supports.[2]

The family surname came from Michael O'Neill, who emigrated from County Cork in Ireland to Uruguay in 1837.[3]

Club career

O'Neil signed a contract with Peñarol in December 2021, to last until the end of July. He was signed due to injuries to Juan Manuel Ramos and Valentín Rodríguez.[4] Days later, he had his first involvement with the first team, remaining an un unused substitute in a 3–1 home win over Sud América on the final day of the Uruguayan Primera División season. [5]

O'Neil made his debut on 21 May 2022, playing in a 1–0 home win over Boston River when Ramos was injured after 18 minutes.[2] Four days later he played the full length of a 2–1 win over Colón of Argentina in the group stage of the Copa Libertadores, also at the Estadio Campeón del Siglo.[6]

O'Neil's contract at Peñarol expired in July 2022 and he trained with Unión de Santa Fe in Argentina for six months without gaining a contract under compatriot manager Gustavo Munúa, eventually returning to his homeland's top flight with Fénix in February 2023.[7] On 23 August that year he returned to Unión on a contract until the end of 2025, on a free transfer. He was not chosen by manager Kily González during an eventually successful fight against relegation, and missed several games due to involvement with the Uruguay under-23 team. In December 2023, he was released.[8][9]

In January 2024, O'Neil remained in the Argentine Primera División, signing with Argentinos Juniors until the end of 2025.[10] Halfway through the year he returned to his country on a free transfer, signing for Sud América in the Uruguayan Segunda División.[11]

International career

O'Neil was part of the Uruguay under-23 squad at the 2023 Pan American Games in Chile. In the fifth-place playoff against Colombia, he came on as a late substitute and scored the first attempt as his country won in a penalty shootout after a goalless draw.[12]

References

1. Arrillaga, Enrique (1 December 2001). "Jairo O'Neill [sic], el primo de Fabián que espera por su oportunidad en el primer equipo de Peñarol" [Jairo O'Neil, Fabián's cousin who waits for his opportunity in the Peñarol first team]. El País (Uruguay) (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 May 2024.
2. "Se lesionó Ramos en Peñarol y debutó el juvenil Jairo O'Neill [sic]: conocé aquí su historia" [Ramos was injured for Peñarol and youth player Jairo O'Neil made his debut: get to know his story]. El Observador (in Spanish). 21 May 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
3. O'Neill Malcolm, Conrad (2008). "Fabián O'Neill, football player". Society for Irish Latin American Studies. 6 (1). Retrieved 30 May 2024.
4. "Jairo O'Neill [sic] firmó contrato" [Jairo O'Neil signed a contract] (in Spanish). Padre y Decano. 2 December 2021. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
5. Benítez, Pablo (14 January 2022). "¿Quiénes son los juveniles que entrenan con el primer equipo de Peñarol?" [Who are the youth players training with the Peñarol first team?]. El Observador (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 May 2024.
6. "Quién es Jairo O'Neill [sic], el juvenil uruguayo que entrena con el plantel de Unión" [Who is Jairo O'Neil, the young Uruguayan who is training with Unión's squad]. El Litoral (in Spanish). 24 August 2022. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
7. "El extraño caso del «refuerzo» que… se va de Unión sin debutar?" [The strange case of the "signing" who... is leaving Unión without making his debut?] (in Spanish). Soy Deportes. 4 February 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
8. "Vino dos veces de Uruguay a Unión, no jugó nunca y se fue a Argentinos Jrs.: la increíble historia de Jairo O'Neil" [He came to Unión from Uruguay twice, never played and left for Argentinos Jrs.: the incredible story of Jairo O'Neil] (in Spanish). Santa Fe Deportivo. 24 January 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
9. "Unión prescindió de Jairo O'Neil y podrían salir varios más" [Unión released Jairo O'Neil and several others could also leave] (in Spanish). Uno Santa Fe. 13 December 2023. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
10. "Jairo O'Neil fue presentado en Argentinos Juniors" [Jairo O'Neil was presented by Argentinos Juniors] (in Spanish). Soy Deportes. 26 January 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
11. "Mercado de pases del fútbol argentino: altas y bajas para la Liga Profesional 2024" [Argentine football transfer market: ins and outs of the 2024 Liga Profesional] (in Spanish). TyC Sports. 6 September 2024. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
12. Barrios, Francisco (1 November 2023). "Panamericanos: Uruguay venció 4-3 por penales a Colombia y se quedó con el quinto puesto" [Pan American Games: Uruguay won 4-3 on penalties against Colombia and ended in fifth place] (in Spanish). Fútbol.com.uy. Retrieved 30 May 2024.

External links

• Jairo O'Neil at Soccerway