Nicolás Rodríguez (footballer, born 2004)
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Nicolás Santiago Rodríguez Calderón | ||
| Date of birth | 25 April 2004 | ||
| Place of birth | San José del Guaviare, Guaviare, Colombia | ||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Orlando City | ||
| Number | 11 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2021–2022 | Fortaleza CEIF | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021–2025 | Fortaleza CEIF | 86 | (15) |
| 2025– | Orlando City | 1 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22 February 2025 | |||
Nicolás Santiago Rodríguez Calderón (born 25 April 2004) is a Colombian footballer who plays as a right winger for Major League Soccer club Orlando City.
Early life
[edit]Born in San José del Guaviare, Rodríguez moved to Bogotá in 2021 to join Fortaleza CEIF's youth sides.[1]
Club career
[edit]Fortaleza CEIF
[edit]Rodríguez made his first team debut on 12 October 2021, coming on in the 81st-minute for Carlos Lucumí in a 0–0 Categoría Primera B home draw against Boyacá Chicó.[2][3] After also featuring rarely in the 2022 season, Rodríguez became an undisputed starter in the 2023 campaign, scoring his first senior goal on 9 April of that year, in a 1–0 away win over Cortuluá.[4] He scored a further seven goals as the club achieved promotion to the top tier.
Rodríguez remained a starter in 2024, becoming a key unit for Fortaleza.[5][6] Rodríguez scored his first goal in the Colombian top tier on 11 February when he scored the second goal of a 2–0 win over Atlético Junior.[7] On 9 April, Rodríguez scored his first and only non-league goal for the club when he netted the deciding goal of a 2–1 victory over Once Caldas in the first leg on their tie in the second stage of the 2024 Copa Colombia.[8]
Orlando City
[edit]On 17 January 2025, Rodríguez was signed by Major League Soccer club Orlando City as a U22 initiative player through 2027 with a club option for 2028.[9] On the opening game of the season, Rodríguez made his debut for the club when he came on as an 80th-minute substitute for Ivan Angulo in a 2–4 loss to Philadelphia Union.[10]
Career statistics
[edit]- As of 22 February 2025[11]
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Fortaleza CEIF | 2021 | Categoría Primera B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2022 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||||
| 2023 | 44 | 8 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 46 | 8 | ||||
| 2024 | Categoría Primera A | 37 | 7 | 5 | 1 | — | — | 42 | 8 | |||
| Total | 86 | 15 | 7 | 1 | — | — | 93 | 16 | ||||
| Orlando City | 2025 | Major League Soccer | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Career total | 87 | 15 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 94 | 16 | ||
References
[edit]- ^ "Nicolás Rodríguez, del San José del Guaviare a figura con Fortaleza: sueña con el título" [Nicolás Rodríguez: from San José del Guaviare to Fortaleza's star man: he dreams with title] (in Spanish). Caracol Televisión. 16 August 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
- ^ "¡No se hicieron daño! Fortaleza y Boyacá Chicó firmaron el empate en el estadio de Techo" [They did not harm each other! Fortaleza and Boyacá Chicó end up drawing at the Estadio de Techo] (in Spanish). Win Sports. 12 October 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
- ^ "Fortaleza CEIF vs. Boyacá Chicó". Soccerway. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
- ^ "Fortaleza sorprendió al líder del Torneo BetPlay, Cortuluá" [Fortaleza surprised the leaders of the Torneo BetPlay, Cortuluá] (in Spanish). Win Sports. 9 April 2023. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
- ^ "Nicolás Rodríguez expresó su deseo de jugar en Millonarios" [Nicolás Rodríguez expressed his desire to play for Millonarios] (in Spanish). El Deportivo. 5 November 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
- ^ "Figura de Fortaleza interesa en dos grandes del FPC, pero del exterior lo quieren" [Fortaleza's key man is a target of two big clubs from Colombian professional football, but is wanted abroad] (in Spanish). El Deportivo. 26 November 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
- ^ "Fortaleza CEIF vs. Junior". Soccerway. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
- ^ "Fortaleza CEIF vs. Once Caldas". Soccerway. Retrieved 18 January 2025.
- ^ "Orlando City SC acquires winger Nicolás Rodríguez". Orlando City. 17 January 2025. Retrieved 17 January 2025.
- ^ "Philadelphia 4–2 Orlando". ESPN. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
- ^ Nicolás Rodríguez at Soccerway. Retrieved 15 December 2024.