Cristián Cuevas

Cristián Alejandro "Cimbi"[2] Cuevas Jara (Spanish pronunciation: [kɾisˈtjaŋ ˈkweβas];[upper-alpha 1] born 2 April 1995) is a Chilean professional footballer who plays for Universidad Católica. Cuevas plays primarily as a left-back but can also operate as a left-winger.[3]

For the Peruvian footballer, see Christian Cueva.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Cuevas and the second or maternal family name is Jara.
Cristian Cuevas
Cuevas in 2017
Personal information
Full name Cristián Alejandro Cuevas Jara[1]
Date of birth (1995-04-02) 2 April 1995[1]
Place of birth Rancagua, Chile
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Left back, left winger
Team information
Current team
 Universidad Católica
Number 15
Youth career
2007–2012 O'Higgins
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2013 O'Higgins 10 (0)
2013–2017 Chelsea 0 (0)
2013–2014 → Vitesse (loan) 0 (0)
2014 → FC Eindhoven (loan) 13 (1)
2014–2015 → Universidad de Chile (loan) 4 (0)
2015–2016 → Sint-Truiden (loan) 28 (1)
2016–2017 → Sint-Truiden (loan) 18 (0)
2017–2021 Huachipato 54 (1)
2017–2018 → Twente (loan) 24 (0)
2018–2019 → Austria Wien (loan) 18 (0)
2022– Universidad Católica 33 (2)
International career‡
2013–2015 Chile U20 19 (4)
2018– Chile 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 24 April 2022
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18 June 2019

Cuevas played for the Chile national under-20 team and was selected to play in the South American Youth Championship. He competed in the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey, helping Chile progress to the quarter-finals.

Club career

O'Higgins

Cuevas began his career at Primera División de Chile club O'Higgins. He progressed from the club's youth level all the way to the senior team. In 2011, he was promoted to the senior team, making his debut on 8 May in a 5–1 away loss to Colo-Colo at the Estadio Monumental.[4] Cuevas has continued to appear since it, particularly in Copa Chile games.

In November 2012, it was reported that Cuevas had held a successful trial with Premier League club Chelsea following a number of impressive performances for the Chilean under-20 team.[5]

In 2013, after a season at the reserve team, he was considered by Eduardo Berizzo to play the Torneo Transición, who chose him after a well South American Youth Football Championship in Argentina with the national under-20 side. He made seven appearances (the most of those as left back) and before the FIFA U-20 World Cup, on 23 July, Cuevas completed a five-year contract with Chelsea which will keep at Stamford Bridge until 2018.[6] The transfer fee paid to O'Higgins was reported as £1.7 million.[7]

Chelsea

After his successful move, Cuevas joined the club's pre-season and stayed training with the first adult team alongside other youngsters players under the orders of José Mourinho before being sent on season long loan to Dutch Eredivisie club Vitesse.[8] There he linked up with fellow Chelsea loanees Patrick van Aanholt, Gaël Kakuta, Lucas Piazon, Tomáš Kalas, Sam Hutchinson and Christian Atsu.

Loan to Vitesse

On 1 September 2013, Cuevas made his first appearance on the bench in the match against AZ, although he was an unused substitution as Vitesse drew 1–1.[9] On 1 September 2013, he again made an appearance on the bench in the match against PEC Zwolle, but remained unused.[10]

Cuevas failed to make a single first team appearance before Vitesse decided to cancel his loan in February.[11]

Loan to FC Eindhoven

On 7 February 2014, it was announced that Cuevas would spend the rest of the season on loan with FC Eindhoven in the Dutch Eerste Divisie.[12] Later that day, he made his debut, coming off the bench and replacing Torino Hunte after the first half in a match against Almere City which ended in a 2–1 loss for Eindhoven.[13] On 28 March, he scored his first goal for the club – and his first professional goal – in a 4–0 win over Sparta Rotterdam.[14]

He finished the season with 13 appearances and one goal.

Loan to Universidad de Chile

On 30 June 2014, Cuevas was sent on a season long loan to Universidad de Chile.[15][16] He made his debut on 13 February 2015 against Unión Española, which ended in a 2–1 loss for Universidad de Chile.[17]

Cuevas made a total of six appearances with only four league appearances during his time back in his home country.[18]

Loan to Sint-Truiden

On 10 August 2015, Cuevas was sent on a season-long loan to Belgian side Sint-Truiden along with fellow Chelsea youth player Joao Rodríguez.[19] On 16 August 2015, he made his debut off the bench in the 62nd minute, replacing Yannis Mbombo in the match against Gent, a 1–0 defeat.[20] On 21 November 2015, he scored his first goal for Sint-Truiden in their 2–1 away defeat against Waasland-Beveren, netting the opener of the fixture in the 9th minute.[21]

On 31 August 2016, Cuevas returned to Sint-Truiden for another season-long loan.[22]

Huachipato

On 1 July 2017, Cuevas agreed to return to Chile to join Primera División side Huachipato and a month later joined Dutch side Twente on a season-long loan.[23] On 14 April 2018, he became the joint record holder for most yellow cards in a single Eredivisie season after getting his 12th yellow card of the season against ADO Den Haag.[24]

Following a season at Twente, Cuevas joined Austria Wien in July 2018 on a season-long loan, with an option to buy.[25]

Universidad de Chile

On 31 January 2022, Cuevas rejoined Universidad de Chile on a permanent basis.[26]

International career

Cuevas was part of the Chile under-20 team which participated in the 2013 South American Youth Championship in Argentina. He also joined the first team for the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup based in Turkey, where they reached the quarter-finals.[27]

Cuevas was also included in Chile's squad for the 2015 South American Youth Football Championship, held in Uruguay.

Career statistics
As of match played 22 August 2023[28]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup[lower-alpha 1] Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
O'Higgins 2011 Chilean Primera División 1030——40
2012 Chilean Primera División 2030——50
2013 Chilean Primera División 70———70
Total 10060——160
Chelsea 2013–14 Premier League ————00
Vitesse (loan) 2013–14 Eredivisie ————00
FC Eindhoven (loan) 2013–14 Eerste Divisie 131——2[lower-alpha 2]0151
Universidad de Chile (loan) 2014–15 Chilean Primera División 402000—60
Sint-Truiden (loan) 2015–16 Belgian Pro League 28110——291
2016–17 Belgian First Division A 20[lower-alpha 3]010——210
Total 48120—20501
Twente (loan) 2017–18 Eredivisie 24040——280
Austria Wien (loan) 2018–19 Austrian Bundesliga 18010——190
Huachipato 2019 Chilean Primera División 30———00
2020 Chilean Primera División 281—4[lower-alpha 4]0—321
2021 Chilean Primera División 260508[lower-alpha 4]0—670
Total 56150120—551
Universidad Católica 2022 Chilean Primera División 100207[lower-alpha 5]0—190
2023 Chilean Primera División 20 1 5 0 1[lower-alpha 4] 0 — 26 1
Total 30 1 7 0 8 0 — 45 1
Career total 2044270200202534
  1. Includes Copa Chile, FA Cup, League Cup, KNVB Cup, Belgian Cup, Austrian Cup
  2. Appearances in the Eerste Divisie play-offs
  3. 2 Appearances in the Belgian First Division A Europa League play-offs
  4. Appearances in the Copa Sudamericana
  5. 5 appearances in Copa Libertadores, 1 in Copa Sudamericana

Notes
  1. In isolation, Cristián is pronounced [kɾisˈtjan].

References
  1. "FIFA U-20 World Cup Turkey 2013 List of Players: Chile" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 23 June 2013. p. 2. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 June 2013.
  2. "El Cimbi Cuevas, conocedor del fútbol de ese país, advierte: "Bélgica puede dar el gran golpe"" [Cimbi Cuevas, connoisseur of football in that country, warns: "Belgium can give the big blow"] (in Spanish). PubliMetro. 9 July 2018. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  3. "CRISTIAN CUEVAS". chelseafc.com. 7 August 2013. Archived from the original on 11 August 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2013.
  4. "Colo-Colo 5–1 O'Higgins". La Tercera. 8 May 2011. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
  5. "Jugador se prueba en Chelsea: "No hay uno en Chile como él"". Terra Chile. 30 November 2012.
  6. "Blues seal Cuevas signing". chelseafc.com. 23 July 2013. Archived from the original on 25 July 2013. Retrieved 6 August 2013.
  7. Chaurasiya, Sid (23 July 2013). "Chelsea Sign Cuevas". Varel. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  8. "VITESSE HUURT CRISTIÁN CUEVAS". Vitesse.nl. 7 August 2013.
  9. "AZ vs VITESSE 1-1". Soccerway US. 1 September 2013.
  10. "VITESSE vs PEC Zwolle 3-0". Soccerway US. 22 September 2013.
  11. "FC Eindhoven loan Chelsea star". 7 February 2014.
  12. "Chelsea stalt jonge linksback bij FC Eindhoven". Voetbalprimeur. 7 February 2014.
  13. "FC Eindhoven vs Almere City 1-2". Soccerway. 7 February 2014.
  14. "FC Eindhoven klopt Sparta Rotterdam met verbluffende 4-0". Omroep Brabant. 7 February 2014.
  15. "Cristián Cuevas será nuevo refuerzo de Universidad de Chile". Cooperativa.cl.
  16. "Club Universidad de Chile". Udechile.cl.
  17. "Universidad de Chile vs. Unión Española 1 - 2". Soccerway.
  18. "Chile: C. Cuevas Profile". Soccerway.
  19. "Loan move for Cuevas". Chelsea Official Site. 10 August 2015. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  20. "Gent vs. Sint-Truiden". Soccerway. 16 August 2015. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  21. "Waasland-Beveren vs. Sint-Truiden". Soccerway. 21 November 2015. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  22. "Cuevas returns to Sint-Truidense". Chelsea Official Site. 31 August 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2016.
  23. "FC Twente haalt Slagveer en Cuevas". AD. 31 August 2017. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  24. "Cuevas evenaart kaartenrecord Eredivisie". Eredivisie. 14 April 2018. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  25. "Austria verpflichtet den Chilenischen Teamspieler Cristian Cuevas". FK Austria Wien Official Site. 23 July 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  26. "Universidad Católica oficializa el arribo de Cristián Cuevas". TNT Sports (in Spanish). 31 January 2022. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  27. "Mundial Sub 20 Turquía 2013: Chile presentó lista de convocados". La Nueve. 3 June 2013. Retrieved 8 June 2013.
  28. "C. Cuevas". Soccerway. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
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