Gustavo Cuéllar
Colombian footballer (born 1992)
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Gustavo Leonardo Cuéllar Gallegos (born 14 October 1992) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Categoría Primera A club Deportivo Cali and the Colombia national team.[2][3]
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Cuéllar with Colombia in 2022 | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Gustavo Leonardo Cuéllar Gallegos[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 14 October 1992[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Barranquilla, Colombia | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Position | Defensive midfielder | ||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||
Current team | Deportivo Cali | ||||||||||||||||
| Number | 6 | ||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | Deportivo Cali | ||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
| 2009–2016 | Deportivo Cali | 118 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
| 2014–2016 | → Junior (loan) | 49 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2016–2019 | Flamengo | 113 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2019–2023 | Al-Hilal | 98 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2023–2025 | Al-Shabab | 38 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2025–2026 | Grêmio | 25 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2026– | Deportivo Cali | 0 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | Colombia U17 | 7 | (2) | ||||||||||||||
| 2011 | Colombia U20 | 5 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2015–2022 | Colombia | 24 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
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* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 13 March 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 21:41, 25 March 2022 (UTC) | |||||||||||||||||
Club career
Deportivo Cali
Cuéllar began playing for the Deportivo Cali youth setup and made his professional debut in 2009. He scored his first professional goal in the first match of the 2013 Categoría Primera A season Apertura tournament against Once Caldas. It was the winning goal of a 2–1 victory. Cuéllar formed a key part of the 2013 squad that finished runners-up in 2013 Torneo Finalización, losing in the finals to Atlético Nacional.
Junior (loan)
Cuéllar was loaned to Atlético Junior from mid-2014 to mid-2016. Junior were eliminated in the round-robin stage of the 2014 Torneo Finalización. With the arrival of Alexis Mendoza as manager in 2015 Cuéllar established himself as one of the team's best players, participating in nearly 50 matches.
Flamengo
On 20 January 2016, Deportivo Cali confirmed that Cuéllar would be transferred to Brazilian giants Flamengo. The transfer fee was reported to be close to R$8 million for 70% of his economic rights.[4]
In his first season with the Brazilian club he could not establish himself as a regular starter. Cuéllar played 16 Brazilian Série A matches, only four as a starter, and managed to play a total 33 matches throughout the season.
During the beginning of the 2017 Brazilian Série A season rumors in the Brazilian media linked Cuéllar with Vitória on a possible loan.[5] Despite the interest from other clubs, Cuéllar started to receive more chances in the first team, including playing as a starter. Flamengo won the 2017 Campeonato Carioca with six appearances by Cuéllar. On 28 June 2017, in a Copa do Brasil match against Santos at Ilha do Urubu, Cuéllar scored his first goal for Flamengo in a 2–0 victory.[6]
Only after Flamengo signed compatriot Reinaldo Rueda[7] as head coach did Cuéllar manage to take a starting position in the midfield. He played a total of 51 matches in the season scoring two goals, including 25 Brazilian Série A matches.
On 8 June 2018, Cuéllar extended his contract with Flamengo until June 2022, this new contract raised his release clause from €50 million to €70 million.[8][9]
Cuéllar continued to be a star player for Flamengo in central midfield, helping to capture the 2019 Campeonato Carioca. He continued to be a transfer target for some European clubs.[10] In August 2019, Cuéllar was suspended from club activities indefinitely for refusing to travel with the team for the following league match, citing family matters.[11] He was reintegrated into the squad ahead of Flamengo's Copa Libertadores quarter-final match against Internacional, which would be his final match for the club.[12]
Al-Hilal
O 30 August 2019, Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal announced the signing of Cuéllar from Flamengo.[13] The fee was reported to be €7.5 million.[14]
Al-Shabab
On 4 July 2023, Cuéllar joined Al-Shabab on a three-year deal.[15]
International career
Gustavo played for Colombia U17 in the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup, he appeared in all seven matches and scored two goals, both against Gambia in a 2–2 draw,[16] as the team finished the tournament in fourth place.
He also represented Colombia U20 in the 2011 South American U-20 Championship, he had five appearances and the team finished the tournament in the sixth place.
On 8 September 2015, Gustavo debuted for Colombia as a starter in a 1–1 draw against Peru in Harrison, United States.
In May 2018 he was named in Colombia's preliminary 35-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.[17] However, he did not make the final cut to 23.[18]
On 30 May 2019, Cuéllar was named by manager Carlos Queiroz to the 23-man squad for the 2019 Copa América in Brazil.[19] He made one appearance in the group stage, appearing in the starting lineup and scoring the winning goal against Paraguay.[20]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 16 March 2025
| Club | Season | League | State league[a] | National cup[b] | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Deportivo Cali | 2009 | Primera A | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||||
| 2010 | 12 | 0 | — | — | — | 12 | 0 | |||||||
| 2011 | 20 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | — | 27 | 0 | ||||
| 2012 | 37 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | — | — | 41 | 0 | |||||
| 2013 | 38 | 2 | — | 3 | 0 | — | — | 41 | 2 | |||||
| 2014 | 10 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 5[d] | 0 | — | 17 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 118 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 139 | 2 | ||
| Junior (loan) | 2014 | Primera A | 15 | 0 | — | 10 | 0 | — | — | 25 | 0 | |||
| 2015 | 34 | 0 | — | 9 | 0 | 4[c] | 0 | — | 47 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 49 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 72 | 0 | ||
| Flamengo | 2016 | Série A | 16 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3[c] | 0 | 2[e] | 0 | 33 | 0 |
| 2017 | 25 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 11[f] | 1 | 2[e] | 0 | 51 | 2 | ||
| 2018 | 28 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6[d] | 0 | — | 51 | 0 | |||
| 2019 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10[d] | 0 | — | 32 | 0 | |||
| Total | 78 | 0 | 35 | 0 | 20 | 1 | 30 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 167 | 2 | ||
| Al-Hilal | 2019–20 | Saudi Pro League | 26 | 0 | — | 5 | 0 | — | 3[g] | 0 | 34 | 0 | ||
| 2020–21 | 25 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 1[h] | 0 | 27 | 0 | ||||
| 2021–22 | 23 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | 4[i] | 0 | 3[g] | 0 | 33 | 0 | |||
| 2022–23 | 24 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 3[j] | 0 | 29 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 98 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 123 | 0 | ||
| Al Shabab | 2023–24 | Saudi Pro League | 30 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 4[k] | 1 | 36 | 1 | ||
| 2024–25 | 8 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 38 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 44 | 1 | ||
| Grêmio | 2025 | Série A | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | |
| Career total | 381 | 2 | 42 | 0 | 68 | 1 | 44 | 1 | 18 | 1 | 553 | 5 | ||
- Includes Campeonato Carioca, Campeonato Gaúcho
- Includes Copa Colombia, Copa do Brasil, King's Cup
- Appearance(s) in Copa Sudamericana
- Appearances in Copa Libertadores
- Appearances in Primeira Liga
- Two appearances in Copa Libertadores, nine appearances and one goal in Copa Sudamericana
- Appearances in FIFA Club World Cup
- Appearance in Saudi Super Cup
- Appearances in AFC Champions League
- One appearance in Saudi Super Cup, two appearances in FIFA Club World Cup
- Appearances in Arab Club Champions Cup
International
- As of match played 24 March 2022[21]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colombia | 2015 | 1 | 0 |
| 2016 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2021 | 14 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 23 | 1 | |
- Scores and results list Colombia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Cuéllar goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 23 June 2019 | Itaipava Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador, Brazil |  Paraguay | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2019 Copa América |
Honours
Deportivo Cali
Junior
- Copa Colombia: 2015
Flamengo
Al-Hilal
- AFC Champions League: 2019[22] 2021[23]
- Saudi Pro League: 2019–20,[24] 2020–21, 2021–22
- King Cup: 2019–20[25]
- Saudi Super Cup: 2021
Grêmio
- Recopa Gaúcha: 2025
Individual
- Campeonato Carioca Team of the Year: 2019