Álvaro Barreal

Álvaro Barreal
Barreal with FC Cincinnati in 2023
Personal information
Full name Álvaro Martín Barreal
Date of birth (2000-08-17) 17 August 2000
Place of birth Buenos Aires, Argentina
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[1]
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
 Santos
(on loan fom FC Cincinnati)
Number 22
Youth career
Vélez Sarsfield
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2020 Vélez Sarsfield 18 (1)
2020– FC Cincinnati 104 (13)
2024 → Cruzeiro (loan) 31 (2)
2025– → Santos (loan) 17 (5)
International career
2018 Argentina U20 5 (2)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 15:50, 11 August 2025 (UTC)

Álvaro Martín Barreal (born 17 August 2000) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a left winger for Brazilian club Santos, on loan from Major League Soccer club FC Cincinnati.

Club career

Vélez Sarsfield

Barreal began his career with Vélez Sarsfield.[1][2] Gabriel Heinze promoted the midfielder into the club's first-team squad at the beginning of 2018–19, selecting him for his professional debut on 2 September at La Bombonera against Boca Juniors; he was substituted on for Lucas Robertone with thirty-two minutes remaining.[1][3][4] He netted his first goal on 3 February 2019 against River Plate.[1]

FC Cincinnati

Barreal during a 2022 FC Cincinnati match

On 2 September 2020, Barreal signed for Major League Soccer side FC Cincinnati.[5] He signed a three-year contract with a club option for a fourth year.[6] Reports out of Argentina listed the transfer fee in the range of $1.5 to 1.7 million for 75 percent of the player's rights, with Vélez Sarsfield retaining 25 percent of any future sale. Also noted was the potential of $250,000 additional for a set number of appearances.[7][8][9] Barreal made his debut on 7 October in a 3–0 defeat away to the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park, having replaced Frankie Amaya early in the second half.[1] Four further appearances, all as a starter, arrived in his first season with the American club.[1]

In September 2023, Barreal was nominated for the prestigious FIFA Puskás Award for his 71st-minute goal scored against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC in the U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinals.[10] Barreal joined 10 other players on the shortlist for the world's "most beautiful goal" of the year.[10][11] He was the fourth active MLS player to be nominated for the award, and the first since a 2018 goal by Zlatan Ibrahimović for LA Galaxy.[12]

Loan to Cruzeiro

On 1 March 2024, FC Cincinnati announced a loan with purchase option on an undisclosed fee to Cruzeiro through December 2024.[13] He was regularly used for the club during his spell, scoring twice in 42 appearances before departing in December.[14]

Loan to Santos

On 6 February 2025, Santos announced the signing of Barreal on a one-year loan deal, with a buyout clause.[15] After nursing an injury, he made his club debut seventeen days later, replacing Yeferson Soteldo late into a 3–0 away win over Inter de Limeira.[16]

International career

Barreal represented the Argentina U20s at the 2018 COTIF Tournament in Spain.[17][18] He scored two goals in five games, as Argentina won the tournament.[19][20][21][22][23]

Scouts from the Argentina senior national team visited two FC Cincinnati games in 2023 to assess him for a potential call up to the senior team.[24]

Career statistics

As of 11 August 2025[1]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Continental State league[c] Other[d] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Vélez Sarsfield 2018–19 Argentine Primera División 10 1 1 0 2 0 — — — 13 1
2019–20 Argentine Primera División 5 0 — — — — — 5 0
Total 15 1 1 0 2 0 — — — 18 1
FC Cincinnati 2020 Major League Soccer 5 0 — — — — — 5 0
2021 Major League Soccer 33 3 — — — — — 33 3
2022 Major League Soccer 32 5 2 3 1[e] 0 — — 2 0 37 8
2023 Major League Soccer 34 5 5 1 3 0 — — 4 2 46 8
Total 104 13 7 4 4 0 — — 6 2 121 19
Cruzeiro (loan) 2024 Série A 28 2 — — 11[f] 0 3 0 — 42 2
Santos (loan) 2025 Série A 15 5 1 0 — — 2 0 — 18 5
Career total 162 21 9 4 6 0 11 0 5 0 6 2 199 27
  1. ^ Includes Copa Argentina, US Open Cup, Copa do Brasil
  2. ^ Includes Copa de la Superliga and Leagues Cup
  3. ^ Includes Campeonato Mineiro, Campeonato Paulista
  4. ^ Includes MLS Cup playoffs
  5. ^ Appearance(s) in the 2022 Leagues Cup Showcase
  6. ^ Appearance(s) in Copa Sudamericana

Honours

Argentina U20[17][23]

FC Cincinnati

Individual

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Argentina - Á. Barreal". Soccerway. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  2. ^ "Ficha Estadistica de ALVARO BARREAL". BDFA. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  3. ^ "Somos un muy buen equipo". Vélez Sarsfield. 4 April 2017. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  4. ^ "Nos decían que después de la Selección no hay nada". Olé. 17 August 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  5. ^ "FC Cincy acquire winger Álvaro Barreal | FC Cincinnati".
  6. ^ Brennan, Pat. "Gerard Nijkamp: Álvaro Barreal 'can make the next step' at FC Cincinnati". Cincinnati Enquirer. Cincinnati.com/USA Today Network. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  7. ^ "Vélez: Barreal se va a Cincinnati". TyC Sports. 21 August 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  8. ^ "Vélez vendió al pibe Barreal a la MLS". Ole. 21 August 2020. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  9. ^ Calzone, Alan. "Álvaro Barreal, rumbo a la MLS". VAVEL. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  10. ^ a b mlssoccer. "FC Cincinnati's Álvaro Barreal nominated for FIFA Púskas Award | MLSSoccer.com". mlssoccer. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  11. ^ Lee, Michael (26 September 2023). "Ranking all 11 2023 Puskas Award nominee goals from worst to best". Planet Football. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  12. ^ fccincinnati. "Álvaro Barreal's sensational goal vs Pittsburgh Riverhounds nominated for FIFA Puskás Award | FC Cincinnati". fccincinnati. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  13. ^ "FC Cincinnati loan Álvaro Barreal to Cruzeiro". FC Cincinnati. 1 March 2024.
  14. ^ "Cruzeiro: atacante se despede da torcida e agradece apoio" [Cruzeiro: forward bids farewell from the supporters and thanks the support] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Lance!. 17 December 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2025.
  15. ^ "Meia-atacante Álvaro Barreal chega ao Santos FC por empréstimo até o fim de 2025" [Attacking midfielder Álvaro Barreal arrives at Santos FC on loan until the end of 2025] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Santos FC. 6 February 2025. Retrieved 6 February 2025.
  16. ^ "Ex-jogadores do Cruzeiro celebram estreia ao lado de Neymar no Santos" [Former Cruzeiro players celebrate debut alongside Neymar at Santos] (in Brazilian Portuguese). O Tempo. 24 February 2025. Retrieved 24 February 2025.
  17. ^ a b "Argentina derrotó a Mauritania y clasificó a las semifinales del torneo de L'Alcúdia". Infobae. 3 August 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  18. ^ "La sub 20 con Barreal". Vélez Sarsfield. 3 August 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  19. ^ "SELECCIÓN NACIONAL VENEZUELA vs SELECCION NACIONAL ARGENTINA". COTIF Tournament. 29 July 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  20. ^ "SELECCIÓN A MURCIANA vs SELECCION NACIONAL ARGENTINA". COTIF Tournament. 31 July 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  21. ^ "SELECCIÓN NACIONAL ARGENTINA vs SELECCION NACIONAL MAURITANIA". COTIF Tournament. 3 August 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  22. ^ "Segunda Semifinal sub20: SEL. NACIONAL ARGENTINA. vs SEL. NACIONAL URUAGUAY". COTIF Tournament. 6 August 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  23. ^ a b "GRAN FINAL COTIF SUB-20: SEL. NACIONAL RUSIA. vs SEL. NACIONAL ARGENTINA". COTIF Tournament. 8 August 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  24. ^ "Barreal in spotlight with Puskas, national team interest". Queen City Press. 25 September 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  25. ^ "2023 MLS All-Star Team Roster". Major League Soccer. 7 July 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
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