Óscar Cortés (footballer, born 2003)
Óscar Manuel Cortés Cortés (born 3 December 2003) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Scottish Premiership side Rangers, on loan from Ligue 1 club Lens.
| Cortés playing for Lens in 2023 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Óscar Manuel Cortés Cortés[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 3 December 2003[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Tumaco, Colombia[2] | ||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Winger | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Rangers (on loan from Lens) | ||
| Number | 16 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Millonarios | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022–2023 | Millonarios | 20 | (5) |
| 2023– | Lens | 4 | (1) |
| 2023– | Lens II | 6 | (3) |
| 2024– | → Rangers (loan) | 6 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2022– | Colombia U20 | 13 | (4) |
| 2023– | Colombia | 1 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:03, 28 February 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19:29, 30 August 2023 (UTC) | |||
Club career edit
Millonarios edit
Born in Tumaco, Cortés progressed through the academy of Millonarios, making his debut in the 2022 season.[3] He signed his first professional contract in May of the same year.[3]
On 12 January 2022, Cortés made his debut for Millonarios' first team in the opening match of the Apertura against Deportivo Pasto. He came on as a substitute in the 89th minute for Macalister Silva in a match that ended with Millonarios winning 1–0.[4] In February, Cortés formed part of Millonario's under-20 squad, which competed at the 2022 U-20 Copa Libertadores.[5] On 12 May, he scored his first professional goal in a second-leg Copa Colombia match against Jaguares de Córdoba, contributing to Millonarios' 1–1 tie in the game and aiding the team in advancing to the quarter-finals 4–1 on aggregate.[6]
After an impressive performance for Colombia at the 2023 South American U-20 Championship, Cortés drew the attention of Serie A club Torino, who have been linked with a potential move for the player.[7] Upon his return to Millonarios, Cortés scored his first brace for the club on 18 February during a league match against Jaguares. His performances contributed to Millonarios' 2–1 home victory, securing three important points for the team.[8] On 2 March, a remarkable display by Cortés played a pivotal role in Millonarios' victory over Ecuadorian side Universidad Católica in the second round of the 2023 Copa Libertadores. Cortés' contribution included assisting Millonario's equalizing goal and creating the game-winning play that ultimately secured a 2–1 aggregate victory for Millonarios, advancing them to the third round of the tournament to face Brazilian powerhouse Atlético Mineiro.[9]
Lens edit
On 14 July 2023, Cortés transferred to French Ligue 1 club RC Lens.[10] The fee reported for the transfer was $5 million (€4.4M).[10] He scored his first goal with Lens on 16 December 2023 in a 2–0 home victory against Reims.[11]
Loan to Rangers edit
On 1 February 2024, Cortés moved on loan to the Scottish club Rangers, with an option to buy.[12]
International career edit
Youth edit
Cortés has represented Colombia at under-20 level.[2] He starred at the 2023 South American U-20 Championship as Colombia finished third, helping his team qualify to the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Indonesia and the 2023 Pan American Games in Santiago.[13][14][15] With three goals to his name, he emerged as Colombia's leading scorer in the tournament, thanks to his brace against Peru in the group stage and a goal he scored during Colombia's impressive 3–0 victory over Paraguay in the final stage.[16]
Career statistics edit
Club edit
- As of 28 February 2024.[17]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Millonarios Fútbol Club | 2022 | Categoría Primera A | 9 | 0 | 1[a] | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | |
| 2023 | Categoría Primera A | 11 | 5 | 0 | 0 | — | 8[b] | 1 | 19 | 6 | ||
| Total | 20 | 5 | 1 | 1 | — | 8 | 1 | 29 | 7 | |||
| Lens II | 2023–24 | National 3 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | 6 | 0 | |||
| Lens | 2023–24 | Ligue 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | |
| Rangers (loan) | 2023–24 | Scottish Premiership | 6 | 1 | 1[c] | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | |
| Career total | 36 | 7 | 2 | 1 | — | 8 | 1 | 46 | 9 | |||
- ^ Appearances in the Copa Colombia
- ^ Four appearances in Copa Libertadores, four appearances in Copa Sudamericana
- ^ Appearances in the Scottish Cup
International edit
- As of match played 16 June 2023
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colombia | 2023 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 1 | 0 | |
Honours edit
Millonarios
Individual
- FIFA U-20 World Cup Bronze Boot: 2023[18]
References edit
- ^ a b c "FIFA U-20 World Cup Argentina 2023™ SQUAD LIST: Colombia (COL)" (PDF). FIFA. 22 May 2023. p. 3. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
- ^ a b Óscar Cortés at WorldFootball.net
- ^ a b "Quién es Óscar Cortés, el goleador de Colombia ante Perú" [Who is Óscar Cortés, Colombia's top scorer against Peru]. colombia.as.com (in Spanish). 21 January 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ "¿Óscar Cortés, la joya juvenil de Millonarios, se va del club? Entrevista". 19 February 2023.
- ^ ""Óscar Cortés es un jugador diferente, con técnica, con condiciones y un potente remate"". 20 February 2023.
- ^ "Jaguares de Córdoba vs. Millonarios - 12 mayo 2022 - Soccerway".
- ^ "Torino enviará emisarios para ver a Óscar Cortés y entablar acercamientos". 11 February 2023.
- ^ "Millonarios vence a Jaguares con 2 goles de Óscar Cortés". 18 February 2023.
- ^ "Cortés en modo Sub 20 para la clasificación de Millonarios a tercera fase de Libertadores". 3 March 2023.
- ^ a b description!, beIN SPORTS. "Lens Confirms Óscar Cortés as New Player". beIN SPORTS. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
- ^ "RC Lens win at home, jump to fifth". Ligue1 COM. Retrieved 17 December 2023.
- ^ "RANGERS SIGN OSCAR CORTES FROM RC LENS". Rangers. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
- ^ Osorio Guillott, Andrés (25 January 2023). "Óscar Cortés: la nueva esperanza de Tumaco" [Óscar Cortés: the new hope of Tumaco]. elespectador.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 February 2023. (subscription required)
- ^ "Óscar Cortés y el alto precio que le habría puesto Millonarios" [Óscar Cortés and the high price that Millionaires would have put on him]. caracol.com.co (in Spanish). 7 February 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ Alarcon, Leonardo (8 February 2023). "Millonarios puso precio a Óscar Cortés. ¿Exagerado?" [Millionaires put a price on Óscar Cortés. Exaggerated?]. colombia.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 February 2023.
- ^ "Uruguay, Brazil among those standing out so far at South American U20 Championships". 5 February 2023.
- ^ Óscar Cortés at Soccerway
- ^ "Casadei claims a golden double". 11 June 2023. Retrieved 12 June 2023.