Manuela Vanegas
Colombian footballer (born 2000)
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Manuela Vanegas Cataño (Latin American Spanish: [maˈnwela baˈneɡas kaˈtaɲo]; born 9 November 2000) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as a left back for Women's Super League club Brighton & Hove Albion and the Colombia women's national team.
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Vanegas with Colombia in 2026 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Manuela Vanegas Cataño[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 9 November 2000[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Copacabana, Colombia | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Left back[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Brighton & Hove Albion | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2017 | Formas Íntimas | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | Envigado | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018 | Atlético Huila | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019 | Independiente Medellín | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020–2021 | Espanyol | 33 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021–2025 | Real Sociedad | 83 | (9) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025– | Brighton & Hove Albion | 11 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018– | Colombia | 34 | (6) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 25 April 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 30 July 2023 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Club career
Born in the Antioquia Department, Vanegas began playing club football in Colombia with local side Formas Íntimas. She began her career playing at times as goalkeeper, and other times outfield. She participated in the 2013 and 2014 Copa Libertadores Femenina with the club, reaching the finals and semi-finals. She made her debut in the Libertadores at the age of 13 as a goalkeeper after Sandra Sepúlveda was sent off[3] Vanegas joined professional side Envigado F.C. in 2017, where she made a penalty save after replacing the squad's injured goalkeeper in a May 2018 league match. She moved to rivals Atlético Huila in 2018, and then signed for Independiente Medellín in 2019 helping the club reach the league final.[4]
She joined RCD Espanyol in 2020, becoming a key part of the club's defense during the 2020–21 season.[5]
Brighton & Hove Albion
In July 2025, Vanegas signed for Brighton & Hove Albion.[6][7]
International career
Vanegas was called up to the Colombia squad for the 2018 Copa América Femenina.[8] She also made her senior debut for Colombia during the 2018 Copa América Femenina.
On 3 July 2022, she was called up to the Colombia squad for the 2022 Copa América Femenina, which Colombia finished as runners-up.[9] She played in all six of Colombia's matches at the 2022 Copa América Femenina, scoring two goals as Colombia reached the final.[4]
On 4 July 2023, she was called up to the Colombia squad for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. On 30 July 2023, she scored the winning goal from a header in the 97th minute of stoppage time, in a 2–1 victory over Germany during the World Cup group stage.[10]
Vanegas was called up to the Colombia squad for the 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup.[11]
On 5 July 2024, she was called up to the Colombia squad for the 2024 Summer Olympics.[12]
Early life
Vanegas was born and grew up in Copacabana, a town of around 50,000 inhabitants in the department of Antioquia. Her mother, whom Vanegas describes as her 'biggest inspiration', grew up 50 miles North-East of Copacabana in the town of Amalfi in the same department. Her mother works in clothing manufacturing and her father as a labourer. She describes how her family struggled to provide for three children. However she says that her and her siblings never lacked anything because her parents were very tough workers and she was sometimes supported by her cousins and aunt.
Vanegas has two older brothers, her eldest brother was killed due to Colombian street violence at the age of 16 in 2005, at the time Vanegas was four years old, her other brother five. Vanegas describes having limited memories of her eldest brother, although she has a tattoo of him.[13]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 25 April 2026
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup | Continental[b] | Other[c] | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Espanyol | 2020–21 | Primera División | 33 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 34 | 1 | |||
| Real Sociedad | 2021–22 | 26 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 28 | 2 | ||||
| 2022–23 | Liga F | 26 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 30 | 3 | ||
| 2023–24 | 20 | 1 | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | 25 | 3 | |||||
| 2024–25 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 12 | 3 | |||||
| Total | 83 | 9 | 9 | 2 | — | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 95 | 11 | |||
| Brighton & Hove Albion | 2025–26 | Women's Super League | 11 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 127 | 13 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 143 | 13 | ||
International goals
Scores and results list Colombia's goal tally first
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 21 July 2018 | Estadio Moderno Julio Torres, Barranquilla, Colombia |  Venezuela | 2–0 | 3–2 | 2018 Central American and Caribbean Games |
2 | 8 July 2022 | Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero, Cali, Colombia |  Paraguay | 4–1 | 4–2 | 2022 Copa América Femenina |
3 | 20 July 2022 | Estadio Centenario, Armenia, Colombia |  Chile | 3–0 | 4–0 | |
4 | 12 October 2022 | Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero, Cali, Colombia | Paraguay | 2–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
5 | 30 July 2023 | Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney, Australia |  Germany | 2–1 | 2–1 | 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup |
6 | 21 February 2024 | Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego, United States |  Panama | 4–0 | 6–0 | 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup |
7 | 14 April 2026 | Estadio Olímpico Pascual Guerrero, Cali, Colombia | Chile | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2025–26 CONMEBOL Women's Nations League |
