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Nahuel Molina

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Nahuel Molina
Molina with Argentina in 2026
Personal information
Full name Nahuel Molina Lucero[1]
Date of birth (1998-04-06) 6 April 1998 (age 28)[2]
Place of birth Embalse, Córdoba, Argentina
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[2]
Position Right-back
Team information
Current team
 Roma
Number 20
Youth career
Boca Juniors
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016–2020 Boca Juniors 8 (0)
2018 → Defensa y Justicia (loan) 17 (1)
2019 → Rosario Central (loan) 22 (1)
2020–2022 Udinese 64 (9)
2022–2026 Atlético Madrid 119 (8)
2026– Roma 1 (0)
International career‡
2017 Argentina U20 6 (0)
2021– Argentina 65 (1)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Argentina
FIFA World Cup
Winner2022 Qatar
Runner-up2026 Canada–Mexico–US
Copa América
Winner2021 Brazil
Winner2024 United States
CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions
Winner2022 England
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 31 August 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 19 July 2026

Nahuel Molina Lucero (born 6 April 1998) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Serie A club Roma and the Argentina national team.

Molina started his career at Boca Juniors in Argentina. He moved to Udinese in Italy in 2020 before joining Atlético Madrid in 2022. Molina was part of the Argentina squads for the 2022, and 2026 World Cups, winning the 2022 edition where he started the final. He was also part of the squads at the 2021, and 2024 Copa Américas, which Argentina both won.

Club career

[edit]

Molina trained in the Barça Juniors Luján sports project, an FC Barcelona project in Argentina,[3] which even led him to travel to Barcelona to train with the lower sections of FC Barcelona. In 2012, the Juniors Luján project was integrated into the youth ranks of CA Boca Juniors, and he continued his training in this club.[4]

On 18 February 2016, Molina made his first team debut for Boca Juniors in a league game against San Martín de San Juan, playing the full game.[5][6] In January 2018, he was loaned out to Defensa y Justicia for the rest of the year.[7]

On 15 September 2020, Molina joined Udinese on a free transfer until 2025.[8]

On 28 July 2022, he joined Atlético Madrid on a five-year contract,[9] for a reported fee of €10 million and €5 million in variables.[10] He scored his first goal for the club in a 2–1 away win over Rayo Vallecano on 9 April 2023.[11]

On 12 August 2026, Molina signed for Serie A side Roma.[12]

International career

[edit]

On 3 June 2021, Molina debuted for the Argentina national team in a World Cup qualifier against Chile, coming on as a substitute for Juan Foyth in the 81st minute.[13]

In the 2022 FIFA World Cup quarter-final match against the Netherlands on 9 December 2022, Molina scored his first goal for Argentina, starting in six matches for Argentina as first choice right-back scoring one goal and providing one assist throughout the tournament en route to become champions.[14]

In June 2024, Molina was included in Lionel Scaloni's final 26-man Argentina squad for the 2024 Copa América.[15]

On 27 May 2026, Molina was selected in the 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.[16] Following Argentina's loss to Spain in the final, Molina and midfielder Leandro Paredes received condemnation for their violent conduct towards opposing players after the final whistle.[17] On 29 July 2026, FIFA opened proceedings against Molina, investigating him for two counts of assault and one count of unsporting behaviour.[18]

Career statistics

[edit]

Club

[edit]
As of match played 31 August 2026[19]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Boca Juniors 2016–17 Argentine Primera División 80—1[b]0—90
Defensa y Justicia (loan) 2017–18 Argentine Primera División 141207[c]0—231
2018–19 Argentine Primera División 30———30
Total 1712070—261
Rosario Central (loan) 2018–19 Argentine Primera División 60106[b]0—130
2019–20 Argentine Primera División 16120——181
Total 2213060—311
Udinese 2020–21 Serie A 29220——312
2021–22 Serie A 35721——378
Total 64941——6810
Atlético Madrid 2022–23 La Liga 334406[d]0—434
2023–24 La Liga 3025010[d]01[e]0462
2024–25 La Liga 300608[d]12[f]0461
2025–26 La Liga 2626013[d]01[e]0462
Total 1198210371401819
Roma 2026–27 Serie A 100000—10
Career total 231193015114031621
  1. ↑ Includes Copa Argentina, Coppa Italia, Copa del Rey
  2. 1 2 Appearance(s) in Copa Libertadores
  3. ↑ Appearances in Copa Sudamericana
  4. 1 2 3 4 Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  5. 1 2 Appearance in Supercopa de España
  6. ↑ Appearances in FIFA Club World Cup

International

[edit]
As of match played 19 July 2026[20]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Argentina 2021130
2022141
202380
2024130
202580
202690
Total651
As of match played 19 July 2026. Scores and results list Argentina's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Molina goal.
List of international goals scored by Nahuel Molina
No.DateVenueCapOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1 9 December 2022Lusail Iconic Stadium, Lusail, Qatar25 Netherlands1–02–2 (a.e.t.) (4–3 p)2022 FIFA World Cup

Honours

[edit]

Atlético Madrid

Argentina

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Squad list: Argentina (ARG)" (PDF). FIFA. 15 November 2022. p. 1. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Nahuel Molina". Atlético Madrid. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
  3. ↑ "FC Barcelona Juniors Luján". FC Barcelona archive. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  4. ↑ "Los inicios culés de Nahuel Molina detallados por su descubridor". Sport España (in Spanish). 3 December 2023. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  5. ↑ "San Martín San Juan vs. Boca Junior". Soccerway. 18 February 2016. Retrieved 20 February 2016.
  6. ↑ https://historiadeboca.com.ar/jugadores/nahuel-molina-lucero/1203/1905/2018/1.html Historia de Boca.com.ar Nahuel Molina Lucero
  7. ↑ "Molina deja Boca por Defensa y Justicia". BeSoccer (in Spanish). 11 January 2018. Retrieved 1 June 2024.
  8. ↑ "Official: Molina joins Udinese". Football Italia. 15 September 2020.
  9. ↑ "Welcome, Nahuel Molina!". Atlético Madrid. 28 July 2022.
  10. ↑ Egea, Pablo (28 July 2022). "Nahuel Molina es nuevo jugador del Atlético" [Nahuel Molina is a new Atletico player]. Marca (in Spanish).
  11. ↑ "Atletico win at Rayo Vallecano to close in on second-placed Real". Reuters. 9 April 2023.
  12. ↑ "Nahuel Molina is a Roma player!". AS Roma. 12 August 2026.
  13. ↑ "La historia de Nahuel Molina Lucero: de quedar libre en Boca a la Selección Argentina". TyC Sports (in Spanish). 14 October 2021.
  14. ↑ McNulty, Phil (9 December 2022). "World Cup 2022: Argentina beat the Netherlands in penalty shootout to reach semi-finals". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  15. ↑ "Lionel Scaloni dio a conocer la lista de la Selección argentina para la Copa América 2024". Todo Noticias. 15 June 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2024.
  16. ↑ "Messi headlines star-studded Argentina squad". 27 May 2026. Retrieved 13 June 2026.
  17. ↑ "Argentina's World Cup ends with punches and in disgrace". The Independent. 20 July 2026. Retrieved 20 July 2026.
  18. ↑ Hopkins, Jessica (29 July 2026). "FIFA opens proceedings against Argentina FA, players over Falklands banner and World Cup final scrap". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 29 July 2026.
  19. ↑ "N. Molina". Soccerway.
  20. ↑ "Nahuel Molina". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 25 March 2022.
  21. ↑ "Atletico Madrid 2-2 Real Sociedad (3-4 on pens): Sociedad triumph to win fourth Copa del Rey title". BBC Sport. Retrieved 19 April 2026.
  22. ↑ Murray, Scott (18 December 2022). "Argentina beat France on penalties after thrilling World Cup final – live reaction". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 December 2022.
  23. ↑ Smyth, Rob (19 July 2026). "Spain beat Argentina 1-0 after extra time to win the 2026 World Cup – live". the Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  24. ↑ Graham, Bryan Armen (11 July 2021). "Argentina 1-0 Brazil: Copa América final – live!". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
  25. ↑ "Argentina defeats Colombia to Become The Champion of CONMEBOL Copa América 2024™". Copa América. 15 July 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  26. ↑ "Italy 0–3 Argentina: Messi and Di Maria shine in impressive Finalissima win". BBC Sport. 1 June 2022. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
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