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Roberto Alvarado

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Alvarado and the second or maternal family name is Hernández.
Roberto Alvarado
Personal information
Full name Roberto Carlos Alvarado Hernández[1]
Date of birth (1998-09-07) 7 September 1998 (age 26)[1]
Place of birth Salamanca, Guanajuato, Mexico
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
 Guadalajara
Number 25
Youth career
2013–2016 Celaya
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2017 Celaya 50 (8)
2017 Pachuca 9 (1)
2017–2018 Necaxa 26 (2)
2018–2021 Cruz Azul 120 (16)
2022– Guadalajara 108 (23)
International career‡
2018 Mexico U21 5 (3)
2021 Mexico U23 9 (1)
2018– Mexico 47 (5)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Mexico
CONCACAF Gold Cup
Winner 2019 United States Team
Winner 2023 United States–Canada Team
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2020 Tokyo Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 6 October 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16 July 2023

Roberto Carlos Alvarado Hernández (born 7 September 1998), commonly known as "Piojo Alvarado",[2] is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as a winger for Liga MX club Guadalajara and the Mexico national team.[3] He is the youngest player to ever play in Ascenso MX.[4]

Alvarado started his career with second division Celaya in 2013 until 2017, when he began to play in the top-flight Liga MX where he briefly participated with clubs Pachuca and Necaxa, winning the 2016–17 CONCACAF Champions League and Clausura 2018 Copa MX, respectively.

Alvarado participated with the Mexico U-21 side that received second place at the 2018 Toulon Tournament. Following his international and club performances, he would earn his first senior international appearance with Mexico on 7 September 2018 in a friendly match against Uruguay.

Club career

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Celaya

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Alvarado made his professional debut on 25 September 2013 in the Apertura 2013 Copa MX group stage match against Estudiantes Tecos, coming on as a substitute for Guillermo Clemens on the 59th minute in a 1–0 win.[5] Three days later, he made his league debut, also against Estudiantes Tecos, in a 0–0 draw, coming on as a substitute for René García on the 86th minute. He was 15 years, 21 days of age.[6]

Alvarado scored his first professional goal in the 27th minute of a 1–0 win in a Clausura 2014 Copa MX group stage match against Atlas on 18 February 2014.[7] He had unsuccessful trials with English clubs Manchester United and Sunderland in November 2014,[8] and Leicester City in January 2015.[6] It was not until the Apertura 2016 season that Alvarado truly broke out, scoring six goals in 14 games, and catching the attention of Mexican top-flight teams.[9]

Pachuca

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Pachuca acquired Alvarado from Celaya for the Clausura 2017 season.[10] He would go on to score his first goal with the team on 3 March 2017 while trailing from behind 1–0 in a 3–2 victory over Tijuana.[11] Although he only played 9 league games in his lone season with Pachuca, he did make two appearances during their CONCACAF Champions League winning campaign in 2016–17.

Necaxa

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Necaxa acquired Alvarado in a deal that involved trading away Edson Puch to Pachuca for the Apertura 2017.[12] On 26 August 2017, he would score his first goal with Necaxa, granting the team a 2–1 win over Atlas.[13] On 14 April 2018, he would score the only goal in Necaxa's 1–0 victory over Lobos BUAP.[14] He became a starter during the Clausura 2018 season.[15] In April, he would attain the Clausura 2018 Copa MX against Toluca.[16]

Cruz Azul

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On 21 May 2018, Alvarado joined Cruz Azul.[17] On 21 July, he debuted in a 3–0 league victory against Puebla, playing 84 minutes, eventually being substituted out for Misael Domínguez.[18] On 4 August, Alvarado scored his first goal for Cruz Azul in a 1–0 victory against Tigres UANL.[19] Two weeks later, on 18 August, Alvarado notched three assists in a 3–0 victory against León, causing ESPN to run a story calling Alvarado "a leading light for Cruz Azul" despite his young age.[9] By now he had become a sensation, with the Spanish publication Marca calling the teenager a "Heaven-sent jewel" later that week.[20] Midway through the tournament, Alvarado was considered by the press to be one of the best midfielders in the league.[21] In November, he would help Cruz Azul attain the Apertura 2018 Copa MX against Monterrey, his second in a row.[22]

Guadalajara

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On 26 December 2021, Alvarado joined Guadalajara in an exchange that saw Uriel Antuna and Alejandro Mayorga join Cruz Azul.[23] On 12 February 2022, he scored his first goal with Chivas against Tigres UANL on a 1–3 defeat.[24]

International career

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Youth

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Alvarado was part of the roster that participated at the 2018 Toulon Tournament,[25] where he was the second highest scorer in the tournament with 3 goals, scoring once in the group stage matches against Qatar[26] and China[27] and in the final against England where Mexico lost 2–1.[28] He was called up yet again ahead of the 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games, but Cruz Azul refused to release him for the tournament.[15]

Alvarado participated at the 2020 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Championship, appearing in all five matches, where Mexico won the competition. He was subsequently called up to participate in the 2020 Summer Olympics.[29] Alvarado won the bronze medal with the Olympic team.

Senior

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On 29 August 2018, Alvarado received his first call-up to the senior national team for the friendly matches against Uruguay and the United States.[30] He made his debut on 7 September, coming on as a second-half substitute for Alan Pulido in their 4–1 loss to Uruguay in Houston.[31]

In May 2019, Alvarado was included in Tata Martino's preliminary roster for the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup.[32] The following month, on 5 June 2019, Alvarado scored his first international goal in a 3–1 friendly victory against Venezuela.[33] The following day, he was included in the final list for Gold Cup tournament.[34] He would go on to appear in all matches of the tournament, helping Mexico win the final against rivals the United States.[35]

In October 2022, Alvarado was named in Mexico's preliminary 31-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and in November, he was ultimately included in the final 26-man roster.[36]

Style of play

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A gifted playmaker whose versatility is his strongest suit, Alvarado is predominantly a central attacking midfielder, capable of playing on either flank as well as a second striker.[37] Technically proficient with both feet, playing on the right allowed the opportunity to cut or drift inside onto his favoured left. He has shown an ability to finish from in and around the box, but comparing his shots on target to shots off target suggests that shooting isn't his strongest attribute. Instead, he focuses on creating opportunities. During his time with Necaxa, Alvarado was beating defenders on their left and right sides with a variety of methods. The change of pace is Alvarado's favoured technique, and he excels when there's space behind an opponent to race into, but he can also deceive defenders with close control and, at times, thrilling skill.[38] He is excellent at pulling away from defenders to make himself available for a pass and has a remarkable ability to accurately place floated crosses and through balls.[39] Alvarado plays for his teammates, presses effectively when not in possession and seems to be a balanced character off the field.[9]

He has often been compared to fellow national teammate Diego Lainez, although Alvarado has insisted they both have differing playing styles.[40] Cruz Azul manager Pedro Caixinha has compared Alvarado to João Moutinho.[41]

Personal life

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Alvarado is named after the Brazilian footballer Roberto Carlos and the Brazilian singer of the same name.[42][43] Alvarado is nicknamed El Piojo (The Louse) because of his idol, Argentine former footballer Claudio "El Piojo" López.[20]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played 18 May 2024[44]
Club Season League Cup[a] Continental[b] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Celaya 2013–14 Ascenso MX 5 0 4 1 — 9 1
2014–15 3 0 2 0 — 5 0
2015–16 24 1 5 0 — 29 1
2016–17 18 7 1 1 — 19 8
Total 50 8 12 2 — 62 10
Pachuca 2016–17 Liga MX 9 1 — 2 0 11 1
Necaxa 2017–18 Liga MX 26 2 11 0 — 37 2
Cruz Azul 2018–19 Liga MX 42 4 12[c] 2 3 1 57 7
2019–20 27 4 — 2 0 29 4
2020–21 36 4 1[d] 0 5 0 42 4
2021–22 15 4 — — 15 4
Total 120 16 13 2 10 1 143 19
Guadalajara 2021–22 Liga MX 19 3 — — 19 3
2022–23 39 4 — — 39 4
2023–24 36 11 — 4 1 40 12
2024–25 0 0 — — 0 0
Total 94 18 — 4 1 98 19
Career total 299 45 36 4 16 2 351 51
  1. ^ Appearances in Copa MX
  2. ^ Includes CONCACAF Champions Cup and Leagues Cup
  3. ^ includes 1 match from the 2019 Supercopa MX
  4. ^ Appearance in 2021 Campeones Cup

International

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As of match played 5 June 2024[45]
Mexico
Year Apps Goals
2018 5 0
2019 12[a] 3
2020 2 0
2021 6 1
2022 7 0
2023 11 1
2024 4 0
Total 47 5
  1. ^ Alvarado additionally played a match against Martinique in 2019, which is not recognized by FIFA.

International goals

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Scores and results list Mexico's goal tally first.[46]
Goal Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 5 June 2019 Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, United States  Venezuela 1–1 3–1 Friendly
2. 19 June 2019 Broncos Stadium at Mile High, Denver, United States  Canada 1–0 3–1 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup
3. 15 October 2019 Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico  Panama 1–0 3–1 2019–20 CONCACAF Nations League A
4. 27 October 2021 Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, United States  Ecuador 1–1 2–3 Friendly
5. 12 July 2023 Allegiant Stadium, Paradise, United States  Jamaica 3–0 3–0 2023 CONCACAF Gold Cup

Honours

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Pachuca

Necaxa

Cruz Azul

Mexico U23

Mexico

References

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  1. ^ a b c "FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™: List of Players: Mixeco" (PDF). FIFA. 15 November 2022. p. 18. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 December 2022. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  2. ^ "México: Roberto Alvarado toma lugar de Alexis Vega para la Copa Oro". ESPNdeportes.com (in Spanish). 21 June 2023. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  3. ^ Soccerway profile
  4. ^ Sierra, Ricardo (19 February 2014). "Conoce algo de Roberto Alvarado el jugador más joven en Ascenso MX y que le anotó al Atlas" (in Spanish). Asi Sucede Guanajuato. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
  5. ^ "Celaya vs. Estudiantes Tecos 1 - 0". Soccerway. 25 September 2013. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
  6. ^ a b Nieva, David (8 January 2015). "Roberto Alvarado, mexicano que entrena con equipo de la Premier League" (in Spanish). Gurús Deportivos. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
  7. ^ Morado, Cristian (20 February 2014). "Estreno inmejorable" (in Spanish). Periódico AM. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
  8. ^ "Roberto Alvarado invitado por el Manchester United y Sunderland" (in Spanish). Once Titular. 9 November 2014. Retrieved 13 September 2015.
  9. ^ a b c Marshall, Tom (20 August 2018). "Roberto Alvarado is still only 19 but is a leading light for Cruz Azul". ESPN. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  10. ^ "Dos toros refuerzan a Tuzos". Televisa Deportes (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 August 2018.
  11. ^ "Tijuana 2 3 Pachuca". ESPN. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  12. ^ Rodríguez Avilés, Alan (7 June 2017). "Roberto Alvarado, quinto refuerzo de Necaxa". Vavel (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 August 2018.
  13. ^ "Necaxa 2 1 Atlas". ESPN. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
  14. ^ González, Edgar (14 April 2018). "El Necaxa da un empujón a Lobos rumbo al descenso". Marca. Retrieved 19 October 2018.
  15. ^ a b "¿Quién es Roberto Alvarado, el juvenil que quiere ser referente en Cruz Azul?" (in Spanish). Goal.com. 19 August 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  16. ^ "Los Rayos del Necaxa derrotan al Toluca y se adjudican el título de la Copa MX". Marca (in Spanish). 11 April 2018. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
  17. ^ Arnold, Jon (21 May 2018). "Cruz Azul announces Aguilar signing as additions continue". Goal.com. Retrieved 22 August 2018.
  18. ^ "Cruz Azul 3 Puebla 0 - 2018 Liga BBVA Bancomer, Torneo Apertura 2018". ESPN Deportes. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  19. ^ Cardoso, Javier (6 August 2018). "Roberto Alvarado: "Me acuerdo de cuando era niño y eso me ayuda a no achicarme"". Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  20. ^ a b Cardoso, Javier (22 August 2018). "Roberto Alvarado, la joya celeste que hace soñar a Cruz Azul". Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  21. ^ Hernandez, Cesar (4 September 2018). "Roberto Alvarado, Cruz Azul stars among Liga MX's best midseason players". ESPN. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  22. ^ Berrios, Edgar (8 November 2018). "Roberto Alvarado, motor de Cruz Azul". Excélsior (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  23. ^ "Chivas hace oficial la incorporación de Roberto Alvarado para el Clausura 2022". 27 December 2021.
  24. ^ "Chivas: Roberto Alvarado consigue su primer gol con la playera rojiblanca". 13 February 2022.
  25. ^ "Mexico sends strong squad to Toulon Tournament". FMF State of Mind. 23 May 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  26. ^ Dudko, James. "Mexico Roll Past Qatar 4-1 in 2018 Toulon Tournament". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  27. ^ Dudko, James. "Mexico Cruise Past China in 2018 Toulon Tournament Group Stage". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  28. ^ Simpson, Christopher. "England Beat Mexico to Win 2018 Toulon Tournament Final, 3rd Straight Title". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  29. ^ "Revelan lista oficial de la Selección Sub-23 que acudirá a Tokio 2020". 5 July 2021.
  30. ^ "Convocatoria de la Selección Nacional de México". miseleccion.mx (in Spanish). Mexican Football Federation. 29 August 2018. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  31. ^ "Mexico vs. Uruguay 1–4". Soccerway. 7 September 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  32. ^ Martínez Villar, Enrique (14 May 2019). "Marco Fabián vuelve y no está Tecatito; anuncian lista previa de México para Copa Oro". Mediotiempo.com.
  33. ^ "Roberto Alvarado anota por primera vez con la Mayor en el estadio más caro del mundo". Mediotiempo.com. 5 June 2019.
  34. ^ "Selección Mexicana anuncia lista definitiva para Copa Oro 2019". MedioTiempo.com. 6 June 2019.
  35. ^ a b Straus, Brian (7 July 2019). "Mexico Turns Tide, Wins Gold Cup Title Again vs. Wasteful USMNT". Sports Illustrated.
  36. ^ Moro, Omar (14 November 2022). "Lista de convocados de la Selección Mexicana al Mundial de Qatar 2022". Tvazteca.com (in Spanish).
  37. ^ Sengupta, Rohan (11 September 2018). "Who's this 20-year-old gem on Man United's radar? The next big American talent on the rise?". Soccersouls.com. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  38. ^ Harrison, Tom (9 August 2018). "Roberto Alvarado: Future El Tri Starter?". SoccerNurds. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  39. ^ Harrison, Thomas (16 August 2018). "Talent Radar: Liga MX's 10 Young Players to Watch in 2018-19". Outsideoftheboot.com. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  40. ^ "Siempre me comparan con Lainez, pero somos distintos: Roberto Alvarado". Medio Tiempo. 9 September 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  41. ^ ""Roberto Alvarado será un referente del futbol mexicano": Caixinha". SDP Noticias. 14 September 2018. Retrieved 19 September 2018.
  42. ^ Arenas, Alain (21 August 2018). "Roberto Alvarado, talento a prueba de adversidades". El Economista. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
  43. ^ "Roberto Alvarado: futuro prometedor para Cruz Azul y la Selección Mexicana". 8 June 2022.
  44. ^ Roberto Alvarado at Soccerway
  45. ^ "Roberto Alvarado". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
  46. ^ "R. Alvarado". Soccerway. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  47. ^ "Mexico win Olympic bronze medal after beating hosts Japan at Tokyo 2020". Goal. 6 August 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  48. ^ "Mexico beats Panama in Gold Cup final with late Gimenez goal". ESPN. 16 July 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
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