Miguel Borja
Colombian footballer (born 1993)
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Miguel Ángel Borja Hernández (born 26 January 1993) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as a forward for the UAE Pro League club Al Wasl and the Colombia national team.
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Borja playing for Cortuluá in 2016 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Miguel Ángel Borja Hernández[1] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 26 January 1993[2] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Tierralta, Colombia | |||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)[3] | |||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Forward | |||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Al Wasl | |||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | Deportivo Cali | |||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | Deportivo Cali | 0 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | Cúcuta Deportivo | 5 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2014 | Cortuluá | 33 | (8) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2013 | → La Equidad (loan) | 2 | (4) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | → Livorno (loan) | 8 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2014 | → Olimpo (loan) | 16 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2015 | → Santa Fe (loan) | 33 | (10) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2016 | Cortuluá | 21 | (19) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2016 | Atlético Nacional | 7 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2021 | Palmeiras | 49 | (10) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2020–2021 | → Atlético Junior (loan) | 37 | (22) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2021 | → Grêmio (loan) | 14 | (5) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2022 | Atlético Junior | 17 | (10) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2022–2025 | River Plate | 117 | (51) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2026– | Al Wasl | 0 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013 | Colombia U20 | 15 | (5) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2016 | Colombia Olympic | 5 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||
| 2016– | Colombia | 30 | (9) | |||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 23:46, 9 November 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 14 July 2024 (UTC) | ||||||||||||||||||||
After moving between several Colombian clubs early in his career, he had his breakthrough in 2016 with Cortuluá, scoring 19 goals to finish as the league’s top scorer. He then joined Atlético Nacional, where he quickly established himself as a decisive figure, netting crucial goals in their triumphant 2016 Copa Libertadores campaign. His performances earned him the prestigious title of South American Footballer of the Year. In 2017, he made a high-profile move to Brazilian club Palmeiras, winning the Brasileirão the following season. In 2022, he signed with Argentine giants River Plate, where he captured multiple titles, including the 2023 Primera División championship.
At youth level, Borja was part of the Colombia under-20 squad that won the 2013 South American Youth Football Championship. He also represented Colombia in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games, reaching the quarter-finals. He made his senior debut for Colombia in November 2016 during a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Chile and scored his first two goals for the national team the following year in a 4–0 friendly win over China. Borja was included in Colombia’s squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and participated in the 2021 Copa América, where his country achieved third place, as well as the 2024 Copa América, where they finished as runners-up.
Club career
Colombia
Borja began his career with Deportivo Cali, making his professional debut in 2011. That same year, he was transferred to Cucuta Deportivo, club in which he had few chances to play. He would soon be transferred again, this time to play for Categoría Primera B side, Cortuluá. Borja would make a name for himself in the second division of Colombia, often being referred to as a 'fast' and 'complete goalscorer', as well as boasting impressive strength on the ball. His impressive performances with Cortuluá eventually led him to becoming an alternative striker for Colombia's national under-20 team in 2013. On 17 January 2013, it was reported that Independiente Medellin had been interested in acquiring Borja's services. However, nothing was finalized and Borja was eventually sold to first division side, La Equidad. In his 2 disputable games, Borja scored 4 goals before being transferred to Serie A side Livorno.
Livorno and Olimpo
During the summer of 2013, it was confirmed that Borja would join Italian club Livorno on loan. The loan consisted of a fee of €150,000 with an option to buy for €1.5 million.[4]
His debut for Le Triglie came on 20 October, coming off the bench in a 1–2 loss to Sampdoria.
Borja made seven season appearances for the club but failed to score a goal. Livorno was eventually regulated to the Serie B after placing last for the season.
Shortly after Livorno were relegated, Borja was sent on loan to Argentine club Club Olimpo, where he scored three in sixteen games.
Return to Colombia
Borja was loaned to Independiente Santa Fe for the second half of 2015. That season, Borja scored ten goals in thirty-three matches. He won the 2015 Copa Sudamericana with the team (he played seven matches with no goals).
For the 2016 season, he was sold to Cortuluá who was 17th in the league the previous season. In the Apertura tournament of the season, Borja scored a record of nineteen goals in twenty-one matches, breaking the record of most goals scored by a player in a league tournament (the previous record was held by Jackson Martínez, with eighteen goals in the 2009 Finalizacion).[5][6] His team Cortuluá reached the Semifinals, which they lost to Independiente Medellín.
He was transferred again on 8 June, this time to Atlético Nacional. On 6 July, during his first match for his new team, while playing against São Paulo in the semi-finals of the Copa Libertadores, he scored twice, a feat he repeated in the second leg a week after. Then, on 27 July 2016, he went on to score the definitive goal in the final series against Ecuadorian team Independiente del Valle, which Atlético Nacional ended up winning 2–1 on the aggregate. At the end of the year, Borja was included in the best 11 of the year.[7]
Palmeiras
On 9 February 2017, it was announced that Borja had agreed to transfer to Brazilian side Palmeiras. He signed a five-year deal for a fee believed to be around US$10.5 million.[8] Borja became the fourth most expensive transfer of Brazilian football.[9]
Junior
On 28 December 2019, Borja signed a one-year loan deal with Atlético Junior.[10] On 8 September 2020, in the first leg of the 2020 Superliga Colombiana, which had been moved from January to September due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Borja scored a penalty in an eventual 2-1 loss against América de Cali.[11] However, this goal later proved to be crucial in the second leg, with Junior winning the second leg 2-0 and winning the title 3-2 on aggregate.[12]
Grêmio
On 5 August 2021, Borja signed with Grêmio until December 2022 on loaned from Palmeiras, and was given the number 9 shirt.[13]
River Plate
On 12 July 2022, Borja signed a contract with Argentine giants River Plate, running until December 2025.[14] During his time in River, Borja applied for Argentine citizenship, which he formally received in October 2025.[15][16]
International career
Borja was included in Colombia's 23 man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, making one substitute appearance in the group stage match against Senegal.[17]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 9 November 2025[citation needed]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Deportivo Cali | 2011 | Primera A | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| Cúcuta Deportivo | 2011 | Primera A | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 0 | ||
| Cortuluá | 2012 | Primera B | 22 | 4 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 27 | 4 | ||
| 2013 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 2 | — | — | 15 | 6 | ||||
| Total | 33 | 8 | 9 | 2 | — | — | 42 | 10 | ||||
| La Equidad | 2013 | Primera A | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 4 | |
| Livorno (loan) | 2013–14 | Serie A | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 0 | ||
| Olimpo (loan) | 2014 | Primera División | 16 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 3 | ||
| Santa Fe | 2015 | Primera A | 33 | 10 | 5 | 0 | 11[a] | 0 | — | 49 | 10 | |
| Cortuluá | 2016 | Primera A | 21 | 19 | 3 | 3 | — | — | 24 | 22 | ||
| Atlético Nacional | 2016 | Primera A | 7 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 12[b] | 11 | 2[c] | 0 | 27 | 17 |
| Palmeiras | 2017 | Série A | 24 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 7[d] | 0 | 8[e] | 4 | 43 | 10 |
| 2018 | 16 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 12[d] | 9 | 12[e] | 7 | 44 | 20 | ||
| 2019 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5[d] | 2 | 10[e] | 3 | 25 | 6 | ||
| Total | 49 | 10 | 9 | 1 | 24 | 11 | 30 | 14 | 112 | 36 | ||
| Junior (loan) | 2020 | Primera A | 23 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 11[f] | 5 | 2[g] | 1 | 37 | 21 |
| 2021 | 14 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 8[d] | 6 | — | 22 | 14 | |||
| Total | 37 | 22 | 1 | 1 | 19 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 59 | 35 | ||
| Grêmio (loan) | 2021 | Série A | 14 | 5 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 16 | 5 | ||
| Junior | 2022 | Primera A | 17 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 8[h] | 5 | — | 27 | 16 | |
| River Plate | 2022 | Primera División | 18 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 20 | 9 | |
| 2023 | 33 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 4[d] | 1 | 2[i] | 1 | 41 | 14 | ||
| 2024 | 35 | 24 | 2 | 1 | 11[d] | 6 | 1[i] | 0 | 49 | 31 | ||
| 2025 | 31 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 9[d] | 1 | 4[j] | 0 | 49 | 8 | ||
| Total | 117 | 51 | 11 | 2 | 24 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 159 | 62 | ||
| Career total | 359 | 143 | 49 | 15 | 98 | 46 | 39 | 16 | 547 | 220 | ||
- Four appearances in Copa Libertadores, seven appearances in Copa Sudamericana
- Four appearances and five goals in Copa Libertadores, eight appearances and six goals in Copa Sudamericana
- Appearance(s) in FIFA Club World Cup
- Appearance(s) in Copa Libertadores
- Appearance(s) in Campeonato Paulista
- Five appearances and one goal in Copa Libertadores, six appearances and four goals in Copa Sudamericana
- Appearance(s) in Superliga Colombiana
- Appearance(s) in Copa Sudamericana
- Appearance in Supercopa Argentina
- One appearance in Supercopa Internacional, three appearances in FIFA Club World Cup
International
- As of match played 14 July 2024[18]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colombia | 2016 | 1 | 0 |
| 2017 | 4 | 2 | |
| 2018 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2021 | 13 | 4 | |
| 2022 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2024 | 3 | 1 | |
| Total | 30 | 9 | |
- Scores and results list Colombia's goal tally first.[18]
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 November 2017 | Chongqing Olympic Sports Center, Chongqing, China |  China | 3–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 2 | 4–0 | |||||
| 3 | 11 October 2018 | Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, United States |  United States | 4–2 | 4–2 | |
| 4 | 8 June 2021 | Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez, Barranquilla, Colombia |  Argentina | 2–2 | 2–2 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 5 | 20 June 2021 | Estádio Olímpico Pedro Ludovico, Goiânia, Brazil |  Peru | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2021 Copa América |
| 6 | 9 September 2021 | Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez, Barranquilla, Colombia |  Chile | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 7 | 2–0 | |||||
| 8 | 24 March 2022 |  Bolivia | 2–0 | 3–0 | ||
| 9 | 6 July 2024 | State Farm Stadium, Glendale, United States |  Panama | 5–0 | 5–0 | 2024 Copa América |
Honours
Independiente Santa Fe
Atlético Nacional
Palmeiras[19]
Junior
- Superliga Colombiana: 2020
River Plate
- Argentine Primera División: 2023
- Supercopa Argentina: 2023
- Trofeo de Campeones de la Liga Profesional: 2023
Colombia U20
Colombia
- Copa América runner-up: 2024; third place: 2021
Individual
- South American Footballer of the Year: 2016[20]
- South American Team of The year: 2016
- Copa Colombia Top Scorer: 2016
- Copa Sudamericana Top Scorer: 2016
- Categoría Primera A Top Scorer: 2016 Apertura, 2020
- Campeonato Paulista top scorer: 2018[21]
- Campeonato Paulista Team of the Year: 2018[21]
- Copa Libertadores Top Scorer: 2018
- Copa de la Liga Profesional Top Scorer: 2024
