Jairo O'Neil
Uruguayan footballer (born 2001)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jairo Sebastián O'Neil López (born 31 July 2001)[1] is a Uruguayan professional footballer who plays as a left-back for Uruguayan Primera División club Boston River.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jairo Sebastián O'Neil López | ||
| Date of birth | 31 July 2001 | ||
| Place of birth | Paso de los Toros, Uruguay | ||
| Height | 1.69 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||
| Position | Left-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Boston River | ||
| Number | 15 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Peñarol | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022 | Peñarol | 4 | (0) |
| 2023 | Fénix | 11 | (0) |
| 2023 | Unión Santa Fe | 0 | (0) |
| 2024 | Argentinos Juniors | 0 | (0) |
| 2024 | Sud América | 6 | (0) |
| 2025– | Boston River | 14 | (0) |
| International career | |||
| 2023 | Uruguay U23 | 4 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 09:23, 13 July 2025 (UTC) | |||
Early and personal life
Born in Paso de los Toros, Tacuarembó Department, O'Neil was a cousin of Uruguay international footballer Fabián O'Neill (1973–2022), who played in the Italian Serie A for Cagliari and Juventus. While his cousin began his career at Nacional, O'Neil came through at their Uruguayan Clásico rivals Peñarol,[1] the club he supports.[2]
The family surname came from Michael O'Neill, who emigrated from County Cork in Ireland to Uruguay in 1837.[3]
Club career
O'Neil signed a contract with Peñarol in December 2021, to last until the end of July. He was signed due to injuries to Juan Manuel Ramos and Valentín Rodríguez.[4] Days later, he had his first involvement with the first team, remaining an un unused substitute in a 3–1 home win over Sud América on the final day of the Uruguayan Primera División season.[5]
O'Neil made his debut on 21 May 2022, playing in a 1–0 home win over Boston River when Ramos was injured after 18 minutes.[2] Four days later he played the full length of a 2–1 win over Colón of Argentina in the group stage of the Copa Libertadores, also at the Estadio Campeón del Siglo.[6]
O'Neil's contract at Peñarol expired in July 2022 and he trained with Unión de Santa Fe in Argentina for six months without gaining a contract under compatriot manager Gustavo Munúa, eventually returning to his homeland's top flight with Fénix in February 2023.[7] On 23 August that year he returned to Unión on a contract until the end of 2025, on a free transfer. He was not chosen by manager Kily González during an eventually successful fight against relegation, and missed several games due to involvement with the Uruguay under-23 team. In December 2023, he was released.[8][9]
In January 2024, O'Neil remained in the Argentine Primera División, signing with Argentinos Juniors until the end of 2025.[10] Halfway through the year he returned to his country on a free transfer, signing for Sud América in the Uruguayan Segunda División.[11]
O'Neil moved to Boston River of the top flight in January 2025.[12] On 19 February, he made his club debut in the Copa Libertadores as an added-time substitute for Fredy Martínez in a 1–0 home win over Ñublense of Chile in the first leg of the second round.[13]
International career
O'Neil was part of the Uruguay under-23 squad at the 2023 Pan American Games in Chile. In the fifth-place playoff against Colombia, he came on as a late substitute and scored the first attempt as his country won in a penalty shootout after a goalless draw.[14]