Davinson Sánchez
Colombian footballer (born 1996)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Davinson Sánchez Mina (born 12 June 1996) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Süper Lig club Galatasaray and the Colombia national team.
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Sánchez with Colombia at the 2018 FIFA World Cup | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Davinson Sánchez Mina[1] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 12 June 1996[2] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Caloto, Colombia | |||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)[3] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Centre-back | |||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Galatasaray | |||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||
| América de Cali | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Atlético Nacional | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2016 | Atlético Nacional | 26 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2016 | Ajax II | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2017 | Ajax | 32 | (6) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2023 | Tottenham Hotspur | 143 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2023– | Galatasaray | 82 | (6) | |||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013 | Colombia U17 | 2 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2015 | Colombia U20 | 14 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2016 | Colombia Olympic | 2 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2016– | Colombia | 77 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 26 April 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 29 March 2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Sánchez began his career in Colombia with Atlético Nacional, where he made his professional debut in 2013 and went on to win four Categoría Primera A titles, two Copa Colombia trophies (2012, 2013), the 2016 Superliga Colombiana, and the 2016 Copa Libertadores. In 2016–17, he moved to Europe to join Ajax, where he was named the club's Player of the Year and reached the 2017 UEFA Europa League Final. Later in 2017, he signed for Tottenham Hotspur in a then club-record £42 million transfer, making over 200 appearances. In 2023, he joined Turkish Süper Lig club Galatasaray, where he won the Turkish Super Cup in 2023, the Süper Lig in 2023–24 and 2024–25, and the Turkish Cup in 2024–25.
At youth level, Sánchez represented Colombia at the 2013 South American U-17 Championship and was part of the Colombia squads that participated at the 2015 South American U-20 Championship and the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup, respectively. He made his senior debut for Colombia in 2016 and has represented the nation at three editions of the Copa América, as well as at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Club career
Atlético Nacional
Davinson Sánchez began his footballing education in the academy of América de Cali, first as a defensive midfielder before being moved permanently to centre-back due to his anticipation, strength and aerial ability.[4] During his early teens he impressed playing above his age category, drawing interest from clubs in Medellín.[5]
After his family relocated to Antioquia, Sánchez joined the youth setup of Atlético Nacional under coach Juan Carlos Osorio, who promoted a possession-based system relying on ball-playing centre-backs.[6] He made his professional debut on 27 October 2013, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 loss to Boyacá Chicó in the Categoría Primera A.[7]
On 2 March 2016 he scored his first senior goal in a 3–0 win over Sporting Cristal during the Copa Libertadores group stage.[8] That year he was a starter throughout Nacional's victorious 2016 Copa Libertadores, including both legs of the final against Independiente del Valle, giving Nacional its second continental title.[9]
His performances in the Copa Libertadores caught the attention of European and Brazilian clubs including Barcelona, Ajax and Flamengo. Sánchez declined Barcelona's offer because it required joining Barcelona B, opting for Ajax as he would be guaranteed valuable playing time.[10][11]
AFC Ajax
After winning the 2016 Copa Libertadores with Atlético Nacional, Sánchez signed a five-year contract with Ajax in June 2016 for a reported fee of €5 million.[12][13] He officially joined the Dutch club in late July following Nacional's continental campaign and was unveiled alongside compatriot Mateo Cassierra.[14]
2016–17 season
Sánchez made his competitive debut for Ajax on 13 August 2016 in a 2–2 draw away to Roda JC in the Eredivisie.[15] He quickly established himself as a starting centre-back under manager Peter Bosz, known for his composure on the ball and aerial ability.
His first goal came on 24 September 2016, scoring from close range in a 5–1 league win against PEC Zwolle.[16] He scored again on 20 November 2016, heading in from a corner in a 5–0 victory over NEC Nijmegen.[17] His third league goal came on 12 March 2017 in a 3–0 home win against FC Twente.[18] Sánchez also scored in European competition on 24 November 2016, netting Ajax's second goal in a 2–0 win over Panathinaikos in the UEFA Europa League group stage.[19]
In total, he made 43 appearances and scored 6 goals across all competitions — 32 in the Eredivisie and 11 in European competition — as Ajax finished second in the league and reached the UEFA Europa League Final against Manchester United, losing 2–0.[20][21] His performances earned him Ajax’s Player of the Year award, putting Sánchez on the radar of major European clubs, including renewed interest from Barcelona as well as Chelsea.[22]
2017–18 season (departure)
Sánchez began pre-season with Ajax and made two competitive appearances at the start of the 2017–18 campaign — one in the Eredivisie and one in the UEFA Europa League qualifying rounds.[7] However, following Tottenham's approach in August 2017, he was omitted from the matchday squad until the transfer was finalised. He departed Ajax having scored 7 goals in 45 official matches for the club in all competitions.
Tottenham Hotspur
On 18 August 2017, Tottenham Hotspur announced the signing of Sánchez from Ajax for a club-record fee of £42 million, making him the first Colombian to play for the club.[23][24]
2017–18 season
Sánchez debuted in the Premier League on 27 August 2017, coming on in a 1–1 draw against Burnley at Wembley.[25] Under Mauricio Pochettino, he quickly became a regular starter on the right of a back three alongside Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen. He made 31 league appearances and nine in other competitions (five in the UEFA Champions League and four in domestic cups). Tottenham finished third and qualified for the Champions League again.[26]
2018–19 season
In May 2018, Sánchez extended his contract to 2024.[27] On 10 February 2019, he scored his first goal for Tottenham, heading in from a Christian Eriksen corner during a 3–1 win over Leicester City.[28]
That same season he featured in Tottenham's historic run to the UEFA Champions League Final against Liverpool, playing throughout the group and knockout stages.[29]
2019–20 season
After José Mourinho succeeded Pochettino in November 2019, Sánchez remained a central defensive regular and passed 100 total appearances for Tottenham.[30]
He made 27 league appearances plus ten in other competitions, including the UEFA Champions League, helping Spurs finish sixth in the Premier League and qualify for the UEFA Europa League.
2020–21 season
Sánchez began the campaign rotating with Eric Dier, Toby Alderweireld, and Joe Rodon. On 10 February 2021 he scored twice in a 5–4 defeat to Everton in the fifth round of the FA Cup.[31]
He played 26 matches and scored two goals in all competitions, including appearances in the UEFA Europa League. Tottenham reached the EFL Cup final that season but were defeated by Manchester City.
2021–22 season
Following the arrival of Antonio Conte, Sánchez featured regularly as the right-sided centre-back in a back three. He scored a 96th-minute header in a 1–0 away win over Watford on 1 January 2022 from a Son Heung-min free-kick,[32] and also found the net against Norwich City in December 2021.[33] He made 32 appearances in all competitions, scoring twice, as Tottenham finished fourth and qualified for the Champions League.[34]
2022–23 season
During his final season, Sánchez made 24 appearances across all competitions, including the Champions League group stage.[35] He captained Tottenham for the first time in an FA Cup tie against Preston North End.
By the end of his six-year tenure, Sánchez had made 207 competitive appearances and scored five goals for the club before transferring to Galatasaray.[36]
Galatasaray
On 4 September 2023, Turkish champions Galatasaray announced the permanent signing of Davinson Sánchez from Tottenham Hotspur for a reported €9.5 million fee, payable over several years, together with the loan of his former Spurs teammate Tanguy Ndombele.[37][38][39] Tottenham confirmed his departure the same day, noting that he had made over 200 competitive appearances for the London club before the move.[40]
2023–24 season
Sánchez was registered to reinforce Galatasaray's defence for the 2023–24 Süper Lig and the 2023–24 UEFA Champions League group stage, joining a back line that already included Abdülkerim Bardakcı and Victor Nelsson. He made his league debut in September 2023, shortly after signing, and was quickly used by coach Okan Buruk for his recovery pace and experience in high-level European matches.[41]
Sánchez scored his first goal for Galatasaray on 7 October 2023 in an away match against Antalyaspor, finishing inside the area after a cross from Mauro Icardi to give Galatasaray a 1–0 lead; Icardi later added the second to seal a 2–0 victory.[42][43][44]
During the same month, Sánchez started in Galatasaray's 3–2 away win over Manchester United in the Champions League, playing on the right of a two-man central defence; the Turkish champions came from behind twice and won through a late goal from Icardi.[45][46]
Sánchez remained in the starting rotation through the spring of 2024 and was part of the squad that clinched Galatasaray's 24th Turkish league title with a 3–1 win over Konyaspor on 26 May 2024, finishing ahead of Fenerbahçe.[47][48][49] [50] For that season he finished with one league goal (vs Antalyaspor), several starts in the league and Champions League, and a domestic league triumph.[51]
2024–25 season
Sánchez entered the 2024–25 Süper Lig as an established starter for Okan Buruk alongside Bardakcı, with Galatasaray looking to defend their title and return to the UEFA Champions League league phase. Turkish outlets in late 2024 noted that he continued to start regularly but also served a one-match suspension in November 2024 due to yellow-card accumulation.[52]
Galatasaray went on to retain the league, giving Sánchez back-to-back Süper Lig titles with the club.[53]
2025–26 season
In August 2025, Sánchez extended his contract with Galatasaray by four years, committing his future to the club until 2029 with an option for an additional year after reportedly turning down several offers from other teams.[54][55] He scored his first UEFA Champions League goal in a 5–2 victory over Juventus on 17 February 2026.[56]
International career
Youth teams
In November 2011, Sánchez was called up to dispute the 2011 South American U-15 Championship, where his team finished as runner-up behind Brazil; Sánchez was appointed as his team's captain for the tournament.[57][58]
Sánchez represented Colombia U-17 side at the 2013 South American U-17 Championship, where he appeared twice in the group stage.[59]
On 6 January 2015, he was included in Carlos Restrepo's 23-man list for the 2015 South American U-20 Championship, where Colombia secured qualification to the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup and the Olympic play-off for Rio 2016 after finishing runner-up.[60] On 6 May, Sánchez was named in Colombia final 23-man team for the U-20 World Cup, where his team exited the tournament in the round of 16 after falling to the United States.[61]
Despite not disputing the Olympics, Sánchez appeared in both legs for the play-off series against the United States, in which Colombia qualified to the Olympics for the first team since Barcelona 1992 after finishing the series 3–2 on aggregate.[62][63]
Senior team
Colombia manager José Pékerman called up Sánchez for a training squad with the senior Colombia squad in February 2016.[64] On 26 August 2022, he was named in Colombia's squad for the 2018 World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela and Brazil.[65] On 19 November, Sánchez made his debut against Argentina.[66]
In May 2018, he was named in Colombia's preliminary 35-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.[67] In June 2018, he was named in Colombia's final 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.[68] He played in all three group matches and their round of 16 match against England.[69]
In June 2019, he started in three of the four games at the 2019 Copa América, helped the team keep a clean sheet and beat Argentina for the first time in 12 years.[70] The team however lost in the quarter-final against Chile after a penalty shoot-out.[71]
On 10 June 2021, Sánchez was included in Reinaldo Rueda's 23-man squad for the 2021 Copa América in Brazil.[72] He featured in all of Colombia's matches as the team secured bronze after defeating Peru 3–2 for the third-place playoff.[73]
On 19 November 2022, Sánchez scored his first international goal in a 2–0 friendly win against Paraguay.[74]
On 14 June 2024, Sánchez was named into 26-man squad for the 2024 Copa América. During the competition, Sánchez played every single match in the competition, and helped the team to get into a Copa América final after 23 years, scoring a single goal, but being essential in the tournament.
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 26 April 2026[75]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Atlético Nacional | 2013 | Categoría Primera A | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||
| 2014 | Categoría Primera A | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 2015 | Categoría Primera A | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |||
| 2016 | Categoría Primera A | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 14[c] | 1 | 2[d] | 0 | 30 | 1 | ||
| Total | 26 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 14 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 45 | 1 | |||
| Jong Ajax | 2016–17 | Eerste Divisie | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Ajax | 2016–17 | Eredivisie | 32 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | 12[e] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 6 | |
| 2017–18 | Eredivisie | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2[f] | 1 | — | 2 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 32 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 7 | |||
| Tottenham Hotspur | 2017–18 | Premier League | 31 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8[f] | 0 | — | 41 | 0 | |
| 2018–19 | Premier League | 23 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 8[f] | 0 | — | 37 | 1 | ||
| 2019–20 | Premier League | 29 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5[f] | 0 | — | 39 | 0 | ||
| 2020–21 | Premier League | 18 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 10[e] | 0 | — | 32 | 2 | ||
| 2021–22 | Premier League | 23 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3[g] | 0 | — | 32 | 2 | ||
| 2022–23 | Premier League | 18 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2[f] | 0 | — | 24 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24 | Premier League | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 143 | 3 | 14 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 36 | 0 | — | 207 | 5 | |||
| Galatasaray | 2023–24 | Süper Lig | 23 | 2 | 3 | 1 | — | 6[h] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 3 | |
| 2024–25 | Süper Lig | 31 | 3 | 4 | 1 | — | 9[e] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 5 | ||
| 2025–26 | Süper Lig | 28 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 11[f] | 1 | 2[i] | 0 | 43 | 2 | ||
| Total | 82 | 6 | 9 | 2 | — | 26 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 119 | 10 | |||
| Career total | 284 | 15 | 26 | 4 | 14 | 0 | 90 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 418 | 23 | ||
- Includes Copa Colombia, FA Cup, Turkish Cup
- Appearances in Copa Libertadores
- Appearances in Superliga Colombiana
- Appearances in UEFA Europa League
- Appearances in UEFA Champions League
- Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League
- Four appearances in UEFA Champions League, two appearances in UEFA Europa League
- Appearances in Turkish Super Cup
International
- As of match played 29 March 2026[76]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colombia | 2016 | 1 | 0 |
| 2017 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 13 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 6 | 1 | |
| 2023 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 10 | 2 | |
| 2025 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2026 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 77 | 3 | |
- Scores and results list Colombia'a goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Sánchez goal.[76]
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 19 November 2022 | DRV PNK Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, United States |  Paraguay | 1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 2 | 28 June 2024 | State Farm Stadium, Glendale, United States |  Costa Rica | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2024 Copa América |
| 3 | 15 October 2024 | Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez, Barranquilla, Colombia |  Chile | 1–0 | 4–0 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Honours
Atlético Nacional[77]
- Categoría Primera A: 2013 Apertura, 2013 Finalización, 2014 Apertura, 2015 Finalización
- Copa Colombia: 2012, 2013
- Superliga Colombiana: 2016
- Copa Libertadores: 2016
Galatasaray
Individual
