Jorge Cabezas Hurtado
Colombian footballer (born 2003)
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Jorge Leguín Cabezas Hurtado (born 6 September 2003) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Categoría Primera A club Deportes Tolima on loan from EFL Championship club Watford.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jorge Leguín Cabezas Hurtado[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 6 September 2003[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Tumaco, Colombia | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[1] | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Watford | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2021 | Real Cartagena | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021–2022 | Real Cartagena | 25 | (4) |
| 2023– | Watford | 1 | (0) |
| 2023 | → Independiente Medellín (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2023 | → New York Red Bulls (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 2023 | → New York Red Bulls II (loan) | 5 | (1) |
| 2024 | → Gillingham (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 2024–2025 | → PAOK B (loan) | 10 | (11) |
| 2025 | → Millonarios (loan) | 14 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2022– | Colombia U20 | 20 | (3) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 1 December 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 3 June 2023 | |||
Club career
Cabezas Hurtado is a product of Real Cartagena's academy:[2] he made his professional debut for the club on 14 April 2021, coming on as a substitute in the second half of the Copa Colombia match against Llaneros, which ended in a 0–0 draw.[3] The striker scored his first senior goal on 27 February 2022, netting the winner in a 1–2 Categoría Primera B victory over Real Santander.[4] Then, on 20 April of the same year, he scored his first brace in a 3–1 league win over Boyacá Chicó.[5]
On 3 October 2022, it was officially announced that Cabezas Hurtado had agreed to join EFL Championship side Watford on a permanent deal, signing a contract that would begin in the summer of 2023 and last until 2029.[6][7][8] However, on 19 December of the same year, the transfer's activation was anticipated to January 2023, as the forward was officially set to join Categoría Primera A side Independiente Medellín on a six-month loan, with an option to extend the deal until the end of the 2023 season.[9]
On 8 March of the same year, Cabezas Hurtado made his Copa Libertadores debut, coming on for Miguel Monsalve at the 64th minute of a 1–1 draw against Magallanes, in the first leg of the third qualifying stage.[10] Four days later, he also made his league debut, starting in a 2–0 defeat to Boyacá Chicó.[11] Finally, on 15 March, he featured in the second leg of the Copa Libertadores tie against Magallanes, which saw DIM gain a 2–0 win and advance to the group stage of the competition.[12]
On 2 August 2023, Cabezas Hurtado joined Major League Soccer club New York Red Bulls on loan through the end of the 2023 season.[13] While in New York he also featured five times for the New York Red Bulls II of the MLS Next Pro, scoring the opening goal in a 5–4 victory over the Chicago Fire II on 28 August 2023.[14][15]
On 6 January 2024, Cabezas Hurtado made his Watford debut as a substitute in a 2–1 FA Cup win over Chesterfield, providing the assist for Tom Dele-Bashiru's injury time winner.[16]
On 1 February 2024, Cabezas Hurtado joined EFL League Two side Gillingham on loan for the remainder of the 2023–24 season.[17] He made his league debut for the Kent-based side two days later, coming on as a substitute in the 63rd minute of a 1–1 home draw with Walsall.[18] In his third appearance for the club, he sustained a knee injury, which ultimately forced him to return to his parent club for treatment.[19]
On 15 August 2024, Cabezas Hurtado joined Greek side PAOK on a season-long loan, with an option to buy.[20]
On 29 July 2025, Cabezas Hurtado joined Colombian side Millonarios on a season-long loan, with an option to buy.[21]
International career
Cabezas Hurtado has represented Colombia at youth international level, having played for the under-20 national team.[22][23]
In May 2022, he was included in the Colombian squad that took part in the Maurice Revello Tournament in France,[22] where he scored a goal in the last group stage match against Japan,[7][24][25] as the Cafeteros eventually finished in fourth place.[26][27]
In January 2023, he was included in the Colombian squad for the South American U-20 Championship, hosted in his own country.[28] Having scored two goals in the final stage of the tournament,[2][29][30] as well as one assist,[2][31] Cabezas Hurtado helped Colombia finish in third place and qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup.[30]
In May 2023, Cabezas Hurtado was included by head coach Héctor Cárdenas in Colombia's final squad for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Argentina,[32][33] where the Cafeteros reached the quarter-finals before losing to Italy.[34]
Style of play
Hurtado's manager at Watford Valérien Ismaël has described him as a "a left-footed and strong No.9, fast and with great intensity to press" and "very clinical in front of goal".[15] Stephen Clemence, who managed him during his Gillingham loan, noted his ability to "do things that other players can’t do at times, that South American movement, snake hips".[19]
Career statistics
Club
- As of 12 November 2025[35]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Real Cartagena | 2021 | Categoría Primera B | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 |
| 2022 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 4 | ||
| Total | 25 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 4 | ||
| Watford | 2022–23 | EFL Championship | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Independiente Medellín (loan) | 2023 | Categoría Primera A | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4[b] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| New York Red Bulls (loan) | 2023 | MLS | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| New York Red Bulls II (loan) | 2023 | MLS Next Pro | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Gillingham (loan) | 2023–24 | EFL League Two | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| PAOK B (loan) | 2024–25 | Super League Greece 2 | 10 | 11 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 10 | 11 | ||
| Millonarios (loan) | 2025 | Categoría Primera A | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 0 | ||
| Deportes Tolima (loan) | 2026-27 | Categoría Primera A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 68 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 76 | 16 | ||
- Notes
- Includes Copa Colombia, U.S. Open Cup, Greek Football Cup, FA Cup
- Appearances in the Copa Libertadores