Matías Espinoza

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Espinoza and the second or maternal family name is Acosta.

Matías Espinoza

Personal information
Full name	Matías David Espinoza Acosta
Date of birth	(1997-09-19) 19 September 1997 (age 27)
Place of birth	Asunción, Paraguay
Height	1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Left back
Team information
Current team	Libertad
Number	17
Youth career
	Libertad
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2016–	Libertad	143	(7)
2016	→ General Caballero ZC (loan)	33	(4)
2017–2018	→ General Díaz (loan)	26	(4)
International career^‡
2019–	Paraguay	8	(0)
2020	Paraguay U23	2	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 17:33, 29 December 2023 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:10, 28 June 2024 (UTC)

Matías David Espinoza Acosta (born 19 August 1997) is a Paraguayan professional footballer who plays as a left back for Libertad and the Paraguay national team.

Club career

A Libertad youth graduate, Espinoza made his senior debut while on loan at General Caballero ZC in 2016. Back to Libertad for the 2017 season, he spent the first half of the campaign playing for the reserves before agreeing to a one-year loan deal with General Díaz in August.^[1]

Back to Libertad in June 2018,^[2] Espinoza was initially a backup option before establishing himself as a starter in the 2019 season. On 19 March 2020, he renewed his contract with the club.^[3]

On 28 December 2023, amidst rumours from a possible move to other clubs, Espinoza renewed his link with Libertad for another four years.^[4]

International career

On 3 October 2019, Espinoza was called up to the Paraguay national team by manager Eduardo Berizzo for two friendlies against Serbia and Slovakia.^[5] He made his full international debut seven days later, coming on as a second-half substitute for Cristhian Paredes in a 1–0 loss against the former at the Mladost Stadium in Kruševac.^[6]

Career statistics

Club

As of 19 December 2023^[7]

Club	Season	League			Cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
General Caballero ZC	2016	Primera División	33	4	—		—		—		33	4
General Díaz	2017	Primera División	7	2	—		—		—		7	2
	2018		19	2	—		2[a]	1	—		21	3
	Total		26	4	—		2	1	—		28	5
Libertad	2018	Primera División	13	3	—		2[b]	0	—		15	3
	2019		31	0	—		6[b]	1	—		37	1
	2020		20	1	—		8[b]	2	—		28	3
	2021		18	1	—		11[c]	0	—		29	1
	2022		30	0	—		3[b]	0	—		33	0
	2023		31	2	4	1	10[d]	1	—		45	4
	Total		143	7	4	1	40	4	—		187	12
Career total			202	15	4	1	42	5	0	0	248	21

1. Appearance(s) in Copa Sudamericana
2. Appearance(s) in Copa Libertadores
3. Three appearances in Copa Libertadores, eight appearances in Copa Sudamericana
4. Six appearances in Copa Libertadores, four appearances and one goal in Copa Sudamericana

International

As of 28 June 2024^[8]

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Paraguay	2019	2	0
	2023	4	0
	2024	2	0
Total		8	0

Honours

Libertad

• Paraguayan Primera División: 2021 Apertura, 2022 Apertura, 2023 Apertura, 2023 Clausura

References

1. "Libertad: Espinoza podría retornar" [Libertad: Espinoza could return] (in Spanish). ABC Color. 25 May 2018. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
2. "Matías Espinoza deja el Nido" [Matías Espinoza leaves the Nido] (in Spanish). ABC Color. 6 June 2018. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
3. "Libertad renueva con otro jugador" [Libertad renew with another player] (in Spanish). Versus. 19 March 2020. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
4. "Final feliz: Matías Espinoza renovó su contrato con Libertad" [Happy ending: Matías Espinoza renewed his contract with Libertad] (in Spanish). Versus. 28 December 2023. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
5. ""Se me cumple un gran sueño"" ["A big dream is fulfilled for me"] (in Spanish). La Nación. 3 October 2019. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
6. "El primer paso con la Albirroja" [The first step with the Albirroja] (in Spanish). Paraguayan Football Association. 12 October 2019. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
7. Matías Espinoza at Soccerway. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
8. "Matías Espinoza". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 29 December 2023.