Eduard Atuesta

Eduard Atuesta
Atuesta playing for Palmeiras in 2022
Personal information
Full name Eduard Andrés Atuesta Velasco
Date of birth (1997-06-18) 18 June 1997 (age 27)
Place of birth Vélez, Colombia
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Los Angeles FC
(on loan from Palmeiras)
Number 20
Youth career
Independiente Medellín
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2018 Independiente Medellín 29 (0)
2018 → Los Angeles FC (loan) 25 (1)
2019–2021 Los Angeles FC 71 (6)
2022– Palmeiras 26 (1)
2024– → Los Angeles FC (loan) 28 (4)
International career‡
2017 Colombia U20 7 (0)
2020 Colombia U23 6 (1)
2022– Colombia 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 09:15, 19 September 2022 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19 November 2022

Eduard Andrés Atuesta Velasco (born 18 June 1997) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Major League Soccer club Los Angeles FC, on loan from Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Palmeiras.

Club career

Independiente Medellín

Atuesta began his career at Independiente Medellín, playing 44 matches with the Colombian side between 2016 and 2018 and winning the 2016 Categoría Primera A title.[1]

Los Angeles FC

He signed with Los Angeles FC on a season-long loan deal just weeks before their debut 2018 season.

Atuesta made his first appearance with LAFC in the inaugural El Tráfico derby on March 31, 2018, when he was subbed in during a 4–3 away loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy.[2] He made his way into the starting XI for the first time on May 5 against FC Dallas, and scored his first MLS goal the following week in the 31st minute against Minnesota United on May 9, 2018.[3] He was named Man of the Match by the LAFC supporters group, The 3252[citation needed]. Once in the starting lineup, Atuesta solidified his spot, starting all but one league match before spraining his ankle against Philadelphia Union on June 30.[4]

On December 13, 2018, the club announced that they had signed Atuesta permanently on a three-year deal.[5]

Palmeiras

On 13 December 2021, Atuesta was sold to Palmeiras, where he signed a four-year contract.[6] In 2022, Palmeiras reached the semi-finals of the Copa Libertadores. Atuesta came in from the bench in the second leg of the semi-final against Club Athletico Paranaense.[7]

Return to Los Angeles FC (loan)

On 8 February Atuesta was loaned back to Los Angeles FC for the 2024 season on a one-year loan with an option to buy.[8] He made his second debut for the club at a 2-1 win against Seattle Sounders

International career

Atuesta played for the Colombia under-20 national team at the 2017 South American U-20 Championship. In August 2019, he was called into the Colombia under-23 national team for friendlies against Brazil and Argentina.[9]

Personal life

Atuesta earned his U.S. green card in February 2019.[10] This status also qualifies him as a domestic player for MLS roster purposes.

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 25 November 2020[11]
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
Independiente Medellín 2016 Categoría Primera A 4 0 6 0 1[a] 0 — 11 0
2017 24 0 7 0 1[a] 0 — 32 0
2018 1 0 — — — 1 0
Total 29 0 13 0 2 0 0 0 44 0
Los Angeles FC (loan) 2018 MLS 25 1 3 0 — — 28 1
Los Angeles FC 2019 30 3 3 0 — 2[b] 1 35 4
2020 17 1 — 3[c] 0 1[b] 1 21 2
Total 72 5 6 0 3 0 3 2 84 6
Career total 101 5 19 0 5 0 3 2 128 7
  1. ^ a b Appearance(s) in Copa Sudamericana
  2. ^ a b Appearance(s) in MLS Cup Playoffs
  3. ^ Appearances in CONCACAF Champions League

Honours

Independiente Medellín

Los Angeles FC

Palmeiras

Individual

References

  1. ^ "LAFC acquire Colombian midfielder Eduard Atuesta ahead of inaugural season". mlssoccer.com. Major League Soccer. 27 February 2018. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  2. ^ "Eduard Atuesta". mlssoccer.com. Major League Soccer. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  3. ^ "Atuesta, Kaye each score 1st MLS goal, LAFC tops Minnesota". Los Angeles Times. 9 May 2018. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  4. ^ "Kaiser Permanente Injury Report: LAFC At Houston Dynamo". lafc.com. Los Angeles FC. 2 July 2018. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  5. ^ "LAFC Signs Eduard Atuesta To Three-Year Deal". lafc.com. Los Angeles FC. 13 December 2018. Archived from the original on 25 April 2019. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
  6. ^ "Atuesta arrives in Brazil to take exams and sign with Palmeiras". 13 December 2021. Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  7. ^ "CONMEBOL Libertadores". conmebollibertadores.com. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  8. ^ LAFC. "LAFC Acquire Midfielder Eduard Atuesta On Loan From Brazilian Serie A Club Palmeiras | Los Angeles Football Club". LAFC. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
  9. ^ "Convocatoria Selección Colombia Masculina Sub-23, Para Amistosos de Septiembre". fcf.com.co. 27 August 2019. Archived from the original on 27 August 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  10. ^ "LAFC Midfielder Eduard Atuesta And Forward Diego Rossi Obtain Green Cards". LAFC.com. 21 February 2019. Retrieved 23 February 2019.
  11. ^ Eduard Atuesta at Soccerway. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  12. ^ "MLS Fact and Record Book". Major League Soccer. p. 163. Archived from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  13. ^ "2021 MLS All-Star Team Roster". MLSsoccer.