Gustavo Puerta
Colombian footballer (born 2003)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gustavo Adolfo Puerta Molano (born 23 July 2003) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for La Liga club Racing de Santander and the Colombia national team.
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Puerta with Colombia U20 in 2023 | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Gustavo Adolfo Puerta Molano[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 23 July 2003 | ||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | La Victoria, Colombia[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)[1] | ||||||||||||||||
| Position | Midfielder | ||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||
Current team | Racing Santander | ||||||||||||||||
| Number | 19 | ||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||
| Talentos Gustavo Victoria | |||||||||||||||||
| Supercampeones | |||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
| 2021–2023 | Bogotá | 34 | (3) | ||||||||||||||
| 2023–2025 | Bayer Leverkusen | 7 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2023 | → 1. FC Nürnberg (loan) | 0 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2024–2025 | → Hull City (loan) | 30 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
| 2025– | Racing Santander | 33 | (3) | ||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | Colombia U19 | 3 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
| 2021–2024 | Colombia U20 | 30 | (5) | ||||||||||||||
| 2025– | Colombia | 11 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
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* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 19:52, 16 August 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 22:55, 7 July 2026 (UTC) | |||||||||||||||||
Club career
Beginnings
Born in La Victoria, Valle del Cauca, Puerta started playing football at the Talentos Gustavo Victoria Deportes school in Tuluá.[2] He also played for amateur side Supercampeones between the ages of ten and sixteen.[2]
Initially rejected by Colombian Categoría Primera A side Independiente Santa Fe in 2019 after a trial, Puerta went on to join Categoría Primera B side Bogotá in 2021.[3]
Bayer Leverkusen
On 31 January 2023, Puerta moved to Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen, before immediately being loaned to 1. FC Nürnberg in the 2. Bundesliga.[4]
He won the 2023–24 Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen.[5]
Loan to Hull City
On 27 August 2024, Puerta signed for EFL Championship side Hull City on a season-long loan, with the club holding an option to buy in the summer of 2025.[6] He made his debut on 20 October 2024, in the 0–1 home loss to Sunderland.[7] On 12 January 2025, he scored his first goal for the Tigers in an FA Cup third round tie at home to Doncaster Rovers.[8]
Two months later, on 12 March 2025, Puerta scored his side's winner in their 2–1 victory over Oxford United, coincidentally his first league goal for Hull.[9] In the same match, moments before full-time, the Colombian received his second yellow card of the game for diving, which saw him sent off.[9]
On 19 April 2025, Hull announced that Puerta had activated a clause in his contract that would see him join the Tigers on a permanent basis from 1 July 2025.[10] Although he was initially meant to join Hull City, he was unable to join due to a transfer ban on the club.[11]
Racing Santander
On 1 September 2025, Racing de Santander announced the signing of Puerta on a four-year contract.[12] A week later, on 7 September, he scored his first goal on his debut in a 3–2 away victory over Almería.[13]
International career
Puerta has represented Colombia at under-20 level.[1] Serving as captain of the side he led it to third place at the 2023 South American U-20 Championship.[14] He was first called up to the Colombia national team for a set of friendlies in November 2025, and scored on his debut in a 2–1 win over New Zealand on 15 November 2025.[15]
Puerta was named in Colombia's 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.[16]
Style of play
Puerta is a central midfielder known for his passing accuracy, ball-carrying ability, and work rate. He is effective in possession, progresses the ball through midfield, and contributes defensively with his pressing.[17]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 16 May 2026
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Bogotá | 2021 | Categoría Primera B | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 11 | 0 | |
| 2022 | Categoría Primera B | 23 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | 24 | 3 | ||
| Total | 34 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | 35 | 3 | |||
| Bayer Leverkusen | 2022–23 | Bundesliga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2023–24 | Bundesliga | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3[b] | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| Total | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 | ||
| 1. FC Nürnberg (loan) | 2022–23 | 2. Bundesliga | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| Hull City (loan) | 2024–25 | Championship | 30 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 31 | 2 | |
| Racing Santander | 2025–26 | Segunda División | 32 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | 33 | 3 | |
| Career total | 103 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 109 | 8 | ||
- Includes Copa Colombia, DFB-Pokal, FA Cup, Copa del Rey
- Appearances in UEFA Europa League
International
- As of match played 7 July 2026
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colombia | 2025 | 2 | 1 |
| 2026 | 9 | 0 | |
| Total | 11 | 1 | |
Scores and results list Colombia's goal tally first.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 November 2025 | Chase Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, United States |  New Zealand | 1–0 | 2–1 | Friendly |
Honours
Bayer Leverkusen
Racing Santander