Cristian Medina
Argentine footballer (born 2000)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cristian Nicolás Medina (born 1 June 2002) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Botafogo.
|
Medina at the 2024 Summer Olympics | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Cristian Nicolás Medina | ||
| Date of birth | 1 June 2002 | ||
| Place of birth | Moreno, Argentina | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1][2] | ||
| Position | Central midfielder[2][3][4] | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Botafogo | ||
| Number | 6 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Rayo de Malaver | |||
| 2012–2020 | Boca Juniors | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2020–2025 | Boca Juniors | 115 | (8) |
| 2025–2026 | Estudiantes (LP) | 36 | (0) |
| 2026– | Botafogo | 0 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2017 | Argentina U15 | 4 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | Argentina U17 | 13 | (1) |
| 2023– | Argentina U23 | 10 | (0) |
| 2024– | Argentina Olympic Team | 4 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 22:07, 12 March 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 18:27, 2 January 2026 (UTC) | |||
Medina had previously played for Boca Juniors.[5]
Club career
Boca Juniors
In 2012, he was chosen for a player trial at the Social and Sports Club El Fortín in Moreno at the age of 10. He joined Boca Juniors to become a member of the club's junior divisions, under the leadership of Diego Mazzilli and Hugo Perotti.[6] In 2013, Medina was already training with his division, where he discovered his position as a midfielder, although he also played as a forward and attacking midfielder.[7]
He debuted for Boca Juniors' first squad on February 14, 2021, against Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata.[8] In April of the same year, he scored his first goal for Xeneize against Club Atlético Tucumán, assisted by Carlos Tévez. Boca won the match 3–1.[9] In that year, he joined Agustín Almendra and Alan Varela in the starting midfield, nicknamed MVA by supporters.[10][11]
In October 2022, Medina renewed and improved his contract with Boca until December 2026.[12] That same month, he won his fourth title, the 2022 Argentine Primera División championship.[13] He finished 2023 with five goals and four assists in 50 games played. On February 25, 2024, he scored his first goal in the Argentine football Superclásico against River Plate, resulting in a 1–1 draw at Estadio Monumental.[14][15] In August of that year, he scored a last-minute header to earn a draw with Independiente de Mendoza.[16]
Botafogo
On February 20 2026, Botafogo announced the signing of Medina until the end of 2029.[17]
International career
Medina was part of Argentina's U15 squad that won the 2017 South American Championship under manager Diego Placente on home soil, as they defeated Brazil in the final.[18][19] Two years later, Medina was selected by Pablo Aimar's U17s for the 2019 South American Championship in Peru and the 2019 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.[2][20] He scored once, versus Paraguay, in seven matches as they won the former competition, prior to featuring three times at the latter; as they reached the round of sixteen.[5]
Medina competed for Argentina at the 2024 Summer Olympics.[21]
Style of play
Medina is primarily a central midfielder, though is capable of playing in various positions across the midfield.[2][3][4] He was dubbed the next Fernando Gago by some Argentine media.[2][18][19][22][23]
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League | Cup[a] | League Cup[b] | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Boca Juniors | 2021 | Primera División | 15 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 13 | 1 | 7[c] | 0 | — | 39 | 1 | |
| 2022 | 18 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 5[c] | 0 | 1[d] | 0 | 41 | 0 | ||
| 2023 | 23 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 11[c] | 0 | 1[e] | 0 | 50 | 5 | ||
| 2024 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 4[f] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 2 | ||
| Total | 60 | 3 | 14 | 1 | 46 | 4 | 27 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 149 | 8 | ||
| Career total | 60 | 3 | 14 | 1 | 46 | 4 | 27 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 149 | 8 | ||
- Includes Copa Argentina
- Includes Copa de la Liga Profesional
- Appearances in Copa Libertadores
- Includes Supercopa Argentina
- Appearances in the Copa Sudamericana
Honours
Boca Juniors
- Primera División: 2022
- Copa Argentina: 2019–20
- Copa de la Liga Profesional: 2020, 2022
- Supercopa Argentina: 2022
Estudiantes
Argentina U15[19]
Argentina U17[5]
