Tomás Luciano Espinoza Estay (born 27 May 2001) is a Chilean footballer, currently playing as a midfielder for Colina.

Tomás Espinoza
Personal information
Full name Tomás Luciano Espinoza Estay[1]
Date of birth (2001-05-27) 27 May 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth Quilpué, Chile[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
Colina
Number 13
Youth career
2011–2015 Santiago Wanderers
2015–2019 Rosario Central
2019–2020 Soledade
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022 Colchagua
2023– Colina
International career
2017 Chile U17 2 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10 October 2022 (UTC)

Club career

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Born in Quilpué, Chile, Espinoza started his career with Santiago Wanderers, joining at the age of nine, before a move to Argentina with Rosario Central at the age of thirteen.[2][3] Due to intervention by FIFA, he was unable to play for a year.[4] In October 2018, he was named by English newspaper The Guardian as one of the best players born in 2001 worldwide.[2][5]

Shortly before his eighteenth birthday, he left Rosario Central in controversial circumstances to pursue a career in Brazil, with the Argentinian club claiming he "went on vacation and never came back".[4] According to Espionza, he received threats from fans for the move.[2] While in Brazil, he trained with a subsidiary of Grêmio named Soledade, eventually signing a two-year deal.[2]

He returned to Chile in 2020, training with former club Rosario Central.[2][6] However, after he was unable to secure a contract, he went on to train with Deportes La Serena in late 2020.[2]

In 2022, he signed with Chilean Third Division side Colchagua. However, after fans and players clashed during a match against Rancagua Sur, both clubs were suspended from all competitions for eighteen months.[2] Following his release from Colchagua, he worked as a labourer for his uncle, transporting jerky.[7]

He returned to football in March 2023, playing in Deportes Colina's 3–0 Copa Chile win over Municipal Puente Alto.

International career

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Espinoza has represented Chile at under-17 level.[1]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of 11 March 2023.[8]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Deportes Colina 2023 Tercera A 0 0 1[a] 0 0 0 1 0
Career total 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
Notes
  1. ^ Appearances in the Copa Chile

References

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  1. ^ a b c Tomás Espinoza at WorldFootball.net
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Next Generation 2018: 60 of the best young talents in world football". The Guardian. 11 October 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
  3. ^ Fuentealba Aguilera, Rodrigo (6 February 2017). "Tomás Espinoza, la vertiginosa historia de la estrella de la selección Sub 17" [Tomás Espinoza, the dizzying story of the star of the Under 17 team]. economiaynegocios.cl (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 October 2022.
  4. ^ a b Huerta, Rodrigo (26 April 2019). "El talento chileno que dejó Rosario Central para irse a Brasil" [The Chilean talent who left Rosario Central to go to Brazil]. chile.as.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 October 2022.
  5. ^ "Espinoza, el pibe del que hablan todos" [Espinoza, the kid everyone is talking about]. lacapital.com.ar (in Spanish). 12 October 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2022.
  6. ^ Dvoretzky, Tomás (5 February 2020). "Un juvenil se suma a Rosario Central" [A juvenile joins Rosario Central]. lavozderosario.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 October 2022.
  7. ^ Vega, Diego (10 February 2023). "Era uno de los 60 talentos del futuro, pasó por la Roja y busca club: "Trabajo en camiones"" [He was one of the 60 talents of the future, he went through the Red and is looking for a club: "I work in trucks"]. chile.as.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  8. ^ Tomás Espinoza at Soccerway