Cristian Medina

Cristian Medina
Personal information
Full name Cristian Nicolás Medina
Date of birth (2002-06-01) 1 June 2002 (age 22)
Place of birth Moreno, Argentina
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1][2]
Position(s) Central midfielder[2][3][4]
Team information
Current team
 Boca Juniors
Number 36
Youth career
Rayo de Malaver
2012–2020 Boca Juniors
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020– Boca Juniors 156 (9)
International career‡
2017 Argentina U15 4 (0)
2018–2019 Argentina U17 13 (1)
2023– Argentina U23 10 (0)
2024– Argentina Olympic Team 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 8 September 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 8 September 2024

Cristian Nicolás Medina (born 1 June 2002) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Boca Juniors.[5]

Club career

Boca Juniors

In 2012, he was chosen for a player trial at the Social and Sports Club El Fortín in Moreno at the age of 10. He joined Boca Juniors to become a member of the club's junior divisions, under the leadership of Diego Mazzilli and Hugo Perotti.[6] In 2013, Medina was already training with his division, where he discovered his position as a midfielder, although he also played as a forward and attacking midfielder.[7]

He debuted for Boca Juniors' first squad on February 14, 2021, against Club de Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata.[8] In April of the same year, he scored his first goal for Xeneize against Club Atlético Tucumán, assisted by Carlos Tévez. Boca won the match 3–1.[9] In that year, he joined Agustín Almendra and Alan Varela in the starting midfield, nicknamed MVA by supporters.[10][11]

In October 2022, Medina renewed and improved his contract with Boca until December 2026.[12] That same month, he won his fourth title, the 2022 Argentine Primera División championship.[13] He finished 2023 with five goals and four assists in 50 games played. On February 25, 2024, he scored his first goal in the Argentine football Superclásico against River Plate, resulting in a 1–1 draw at Estadio Monumental.[14][15] In August of that year, he scored a last-minute header to earn a draw with Independiente de Mendoza.[16]

International career

Medina was part of Argentina's U15 squad that won the 2017 South American Championship under manager Diego Placente on home soil, as they defeated Brazil in the final.[17][18] Two years later, Medina was selected by Pablo Aimar's U17s for the 2019 South American Championship in Peru and the 2019 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.[2][19] He scored once, versus Paraguay, in seven matches as they won the former competition, prior to featuring three times at the latter; as they reached the round of sixteen.[5]

Style of play

Medina is primarily a central midfielder, though is capable of playing in various positions across the midfield.[2][3][4] He was dubbed the next Fernando Gago by some Argentine media.[2][17][18][20][21]

Career statistics

As of 29 June 2024.[5][22]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup[a] League Cup[b] Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Boca Juniors 2021 Primera División 15 0 4 0 13 1 7[c] 0 — 39 1
2022 18 0 5 0 12 0 5[c] 0 1[d] 0 41 0
2023 23 3 4 1 11 1 11[c] 0 1[e] 0 50 5
2024 4 0 1 0 10 2 4[f] 0 0 0 19 2
Total 60 3 14 1 46 4 27 0 2 0 149 8
Career total 60 3 14 1 46 4 27 0 2 0 149 8
  1. ^ Includes Copa Argentina
  2. ^ Includes Copa de la Liga Profesional
  3. ^ a b c Appearances in Copa Libertadores
  4. ^ Includes Trofeo de Campeones de la Liga Profesional
  5. ^ Includes Supercopa Argentina
  6. ^ Appearances in the Copa Sudamericana

Honours

Boca Juniors

Argentina U15[18]

Argentina U17[5]

References

  1. ^ "Cristian Medina". World Football. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Cristian Medina, el volante "estilo Gago" que promoverá Boca". El Ancasti. 8 October 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  3. ^ a b "Boca: Miguel Russo anotó a dos juveniles a los que seguirá muy de cerca". Clarín. 8 October 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  4. ^ a b "Boca promoverá nueve "pibes" en la vuelta a las prácticas". Catamarca Actual. 7 August 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d "Argentina - C. Medina". Soccerway. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  6. ^ ""My dream is to win the championship"". Diario Olé. 12 June 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  7. ^ "Who is Cristian Medina, Boca's gem who debuted as a starter against Newell's and already has a rabona goal... against River". LA NACION (in Spanish). 22 February 2021. Retrieved 28 November 2022.
  8. ^ Luciano, Torres Toranzo. "Cristian Medina made his absolute debut – Diario Xeneize" (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  9. ^ Olé (17 April 2021). "Medina's first goal". www.ole.com.ar (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  10. ^ "MVA: From promising at Boca to losing prominence: what happened with Medina, Varela, and Almendra - TyC Sports". www.tycsports.com. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  11. ^ Schnaiderman, Damián (24 November 2021). "When was the last time Medina, Varela, and Almendra played together? - Planeta Boca Juniors" (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  12. ^ Scandolo, Ramiro (8 October 2022). "Boca renewed the contract of one of its gems, making it five renewals..." www.ole.com.ar (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  13. ^ Migliavacca, Nicolás (24 October 2022). "The contribution of the youngsters in Boca's championship". www.ole.com.ar (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 October 2022.
  14. ^ "Incisive run by Lautaro Blanco and finish by Cristian Medina: Boca's goal that sealed the draw in the Superclásico". infobae (in European Spanish). 25 February 2024. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  15. ^ Clarín, Redacción (25 February 2024). "Medina's goal for Boca to equalize the Superclásico against River at the Monumental". Clarín (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 February 2024.
  16. ^ mdzol.com. "Boca rescued a draw at the end against Independiente Rivadavia in Mendoza". MdzOnline (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  17. ^ a b "El crack del gol de rabona a River por el que apuesta Boca". Olé. 10 October 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  18. ^ a b c "¿El nuevo Gago? Una joya de las inferiores de Boca que deslumbró a Russo". El Intransigente. 8 October 2020. Archived from the original on 27 April 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  19. ^ "Cristian Medina y Exequiel Zeballos: ¿quiénes son las joyas que debutarían en Boca frente a Lanús?". La Nación. 19 November 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  20. ^ "¿El nuevo Gago? Boca pone todas sus fichas en un juvenil de 18 años". El Destape. 8 October 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  21. ^ "Boca, con suplentes y el debut de dos joyitas de las Inferiores". Lujan 365. 18 November 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  22. ^ "Cristian Nicolás Medina - Trayectoria y Biografía de Jugadores - Historia de Boca Juniors". www.historiadeboca.com.ar (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 April 2024.
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