Christian Rivera (Colombian footballer)

Christian Hernando Rivera Cuéllar (born 14 January 1996) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Liga MX club Tijuana.

Christian Rivera
Personal information
Full name Christian Hernando Rivera Cuéllar
Date of birth (1996-01-14) 14 January 1996
Place of birth Cali, Colombia
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Tijuana
Number 14
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016 Deportivo Cali 10 (0)
2016–2017 Deportivo Pasto 32 (2)
2017–2019 Deportivo Cali 70 (4)
2020– Tijuana 84 (1)
2023 → Querétaro (loan) 12 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 05:29, 30 March 2023 (UTC)

Club career

Born in Cali, Rivera is the son of Hernando and Yenny.[1] He began playing football at age four at the Universidad Santiago de Cali, where his mother worked as a teacher.[1] When Rivera turned nine, he joined the Sarmiento Lora academy where he had to balance his football training and studies.[1] In 2012, Rivera was selected from three players at Sarmiento Lora, including future first team teammate Alveiro Sánchez, to join local club Deportivo Cali.[1] He made his professional debut for Cali on 17 February 2016 against Fortaleza. He came on as a late stoppage time substitute as Cali won 1–0.[2] Midway through the 2016 season, at the start of the Torneo Finalización, Rivera joined Deportivo Pasto, making his debut on 10 July against Boyacá Chicó as a halftime substitute in the 2–0 victory.[3]

The next season, on 3 February 2017, Rivera scored his first professional goal for Pasto against Cortuluá. His 89th-minute goal was the fourth in a 4–0 victory.[4] Prior to the second half of the season, Rivera returned to Deportivo Cali, making his debut on 5 July 2017 against Cúcuta Deportivo.[5] On 26 July, Rivera scored a brace for Cali against Cúcuta Deportivo in the second leg of the Copa Colombia in a 3–1 victory.[6]

During the 2019 season, Rivera finished as the top goalscorer in the Copa Colombia where he led Deportivo Cali to final against Independiente Medellín.[7]

Tijuana

On 3 January 2020, Rivera joined Liga MX club Tijuana on loan with a purchase option.[8] He made his debut for the club on 10 January 2020 against Santos Laguna, coming on as a 58th minute substitute in a 2–1 victory.[9] Prior to the Torneo Guardianes 2021, Rivera joined Tijuana on a permanent basis.[10]

Career statistics
As of match played 3 April 2021[11]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Deportivo Cali 2016 Categoría Primera A1000030130
Deportivo Pasto 2016 Categoría Primera A14020——160
2017 Categoría Primera A18240——222
Total 3226000382
Deportivo Cali 2017 Categoría Primera A10032——132
2018 Categoría Primera A1622020202
2019 Categoría Primera A4447340557
Total 706125608811
Tijuana 2019–20 Liga MX10061——161
2020–21 Liga MX26000——260
Total 3606100421
Career total 14882469018114

References
  1. "Christian Rivera, el motor del Deportivo Cali". El Espectador. 1 November 2019. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  2. "Deportivo Cali 1–0 Fortaleza". Soccerway.
  3. "Boyacá Chicó 0–2 Deportivo Pasto". Soccerway.
  4. "Cortuluá 0–4 Deportivo Pasto". Soccerway.
  5. "Cúcuta Deportivo 3–3 Deportivo Cali". Soccerway.
  6. "Deportivo Cali 3–1 Cúcuta Deportivo". Soccerway.
  7. "Cristian Rivera llega en prestamo a los Xolos de Tijuana". Caracol. 4 January 2020. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  8. "Christian Rivera se va para México: dejó al Cali y es nuevo jugador de Xolos de Tijuana". Caracol Televisión. 3 January 2020. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  9. "El Tijuana doblegó al Santos Laguna al inicio de Liga MX". UNANIMO Deportes. 9 January 2020. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  10. Romero, Marcos (29 November 2020). "Arranca la pretemporada de Xolos con ilusiones renovadas". Organización Editorial Mexicana. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
  11. Christian Rivera at Soccerway
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