Christian Rivera (Spanish footballer)
Spanish association football player
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Christian Rivera Hernández (born 9 July 1997) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Primera Federación club Avilés.
|
Rivera with Spain U18 in 2015 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Christian Rivera Hernández | ||
| Date of birth | 9 July 1997 | ||
| Place of birth | Gijón, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Defensive midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Avilés | ||
| Number | 23 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Sporting Gijón | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2014–2015 | Oviedo B | 20 | (0) |
| 2015–2016 | Oviedo | 13 | (1) |
| 2016–2018 | Eibar | 24 | (0) |
| 2018 | → Barcelona B (loan) | 18 | (0) |
| 2018–2021 | Las Palmas | 9 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | → Huesca (loan) | 22 | (2) |
| 2019–2020 | → Leganés (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 2020 | → Girona (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| 2021–2024 | Sporting Gijón | 73 | (1) |
| 2025–2026 | Torpedo Kutaisi | 4 | (0) |
| 2026– | Avilés | 12 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2015 | Spain U18 | 2 | (0) |
| 2014–2016 | Spain U19 | 9 | (1) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 9 June 2026 | |||
Club career
Born in Gijón, Asturias, Rivera was a Sporting de Gijón youth graduate. In July 2013 he nearly joined Atlético Madrid,[2] but his transfer was blocked by Sporting's board and he was left out of the Juvenil squad; on 2 September of the following year he moved to Real Oviedo instead.[3]
Initially appearing with the B-team in Tercera División, Rivera was called up to the main squad in May 2015. He made his first team debut on the 16th, starting in a 2–3 away loss against Coruxo FC in the Segunda División B championship.[4]
Rivera made his professional debut on 4 October 2015, coming on as a half-time substitute for Diego Aguirre in a 1–1 Segunda División home draw against RCD Mallorca.[5] Thirteen days later he scored his first goal in the category, netting his team's last in a 3–2 home win against AD Alcorcón.[6]
On 1 July 2016, Rivera signed a three-year deal with La Liga side SD Eibar.[7] He made his debut in the category on 19 August, starting in a 1–2 away loss against Deportivo de La Coruña.
On 11 January 2018, Rivera was loaned to FC Barcelona B in the second division until the end of the season, with an option to buy.[8] He moved to fellow second division side UD Las Palmas on 31 July, after agreeing to a four-year deal.[9]
On 25 October 2018, Rivera joined SD Huesca in the main category on loan until the end of the season, replacing injured Luisinho.[10] The following 2 September, after suffering relegation, he moved to CD Leganés also in a temporary deal.[11]
On 31 January 2020, Rivera's loan with Lega was terminated, and he instead joined Girona FC on loan until June.[12][13] Upon returning, he was assigned to Las Palmas' main squad, but under a layoff;[14] the club later revoked the decision.[15]
On 19 July 2021, Rivera returned to his first club Sporting after signing a four-year contract.[16] On 26 June 2024, the club announced his departure at the end of the month.[17]
In March 2025, Rivera joined Georgian Erovnuli Liga club Torpedo Kutaisi on a three-year deal.[18]
On 4 January 2026, Rivera returned to Spain and signed with Avilés in the third division.[19]
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Oviedo | 2014–15 | Segunda División B | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2[b] | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2015–16 | Segunda División | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 | ||
| Total | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 16 | 1 | |||
| Eibar | 2016–17 | La Liga | 17 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 | |
| 2017–18 | La Liga | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | ||
| Total | 24 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 30 | 0 | |||
| Las Palmas | 2018–19 | Segunda División | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2020–21 | Segunda División | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | ||
| Total | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | |||
| Huesca (loan) | 2018–19 | La Liga | 22 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 23 | 2 | |
| Leganés (loan) | 2019–20 | La Liga | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | |
| Girona (loan) | 2019–20 | Segunda División | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| Sporting de Gijón | 2021–22 | Segunda División | 21 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 25 | 1 | |
| 2022–23 | Segunda División | 24 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | 26 | 1 | ||
| 2023–24 | Segunda División | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 2[c] | 0 | 31 | 0 | ||
| Total | 73 | 1 | 7 | 1 | — | 2 | 0 | 82 | 2 | |||
| Torpedo Kutaisi | 2025 | Erovnuli Liga | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | |
| Career total | 158 | 4 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 181 | 5 | ||
- Includes Copa del Rey
- Appearances in 2015 Segunda División B play-offs
- Appearances in 2024 Segunda División play-offs
Honours
Oviedo