Nico González (footballer, born 2002)
Nicolás González Iglesias (born 3 January 2002), sometimes known as just Nico, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Primeira Liga club Porto.
| González playing for Barcelona in 2021 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Nicolás González Iglesias[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 3 January 2002[2] | ||
| Place of birth | A Coruña, Spain[1] | ||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[2] | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Porto | ||
| Number | 16 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2009–2013 | Montañeros | ||
| 2013–2020 | Barcelona | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2019–2022 | Barcelona B | 26 | (0) |
| 2021–2023 | Barcelona | 27 | (2) |
| 2022–2023 | → Valencia (loan) | 26 | (1) |
| 2023– | Porto | 23 | (2) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2018–2019 | Spain U17 | 8 | (0) |
| 2021– | Spain U21 | 9 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 22:53, 17 February 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 27 August 2023 | |||
Club career edit
Barcelona edit
Nico was born in A Coruña, Galicia, and started his career with local side Montañeros at the age of seven. In December 2012, he agreed to a move to Barcelona, effective as of the following July.[3]
On 19 May 2019, aged just 17, Nico made his senior debut for the reserves, coming on as a late substitute for Kike Saverio in a 2–1 Segunda División B away loss against Castellón.[4] In the 2020–21 season, he was initially a member of the Juvenil A before starting to feature regularly for the B-team from November 2020 onwards.
On 12 May 2021, Nico renewed his contract until 2024, with a €500 million buyout clause.[5] After featuring in the main squad during the pre-season, he made his first team – and La Liga – debut on 15 August, replacing Sergio Busquets in the opening game of the 2021–22 La Liga season, a 4–2 win over Real Sociedad.[6][7]
Nico scored his first professional goal on 12 December 2021, netting the opener in a 2–2 away draw against Osasuna.[8]
Loan to Valencia edit
On 13 August 2022, Nico renewed his contract until 2026, and later signed with Valencia on a season-long loan.[9]
Porto edit
On 29 July 2023, Nico signed a five-year contract with Primeira Liga club FC Porto, for a reported fee of €8.5 million, with Barcelona having a buy-back clause.[10][11]
He made his debut for the Portuguese side on 14 August, coming off the bench to replace Romário Baró in the 70th minute of a 2–1 win away at Moreirense, in the Primeira Liga.[12] One week later, Nico made his first start for Porto, in a 2–1 home win over Farense.[13]
Personal life edit
He is the son of former Spanish footballer and Deportivo La Coruña legend Fran González and the nephew of José Ramón.[14]
Career statistics edit
Club edit
- As of match played 4 May 2024[15]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Barcelona B | 2018–19 | Segunda División B | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| 2019–20 | Segunda División B | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 2020–21 | Segunda División B | 23 | 0 | — | — | — | 1[a] | 0 | 24 | 0 | ||||
| 2021–22 | Primera División RFEF | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 26 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 27 | 0 | |||||
| Barcelona | 2021–22 | La Liga | 27 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | 7[b] | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 37 | 2 | |
| Valencia (loan) | 2022–23 | La Liga | 26 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 26 | 1 | ||
| Porto | 2023–24 | Primeira Liga | 23 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6[d] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 2 |
| Career total | 103 | 5 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 126 | 5 | ||
- ^ Appearance(s) in Segunda División B play-offs
- ^ Four appearances in UEFA Champions League, three appearances in UEFA Europa League
- ^ Appearance(s) in Supercopa de España
- ^ Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League
References edit
- ^ a b Nico González at WorldFootball.net
- ^ a b "Nico González". FC Barcelona. Retrieved 16 July 2022.
- ^ "Nicolás, rumbo a La Masía" [Nicolás, towards La Masía] (in Spanish). La Voz de Galicia. 11 December 2012. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
- ^ "Nico, el hijo de Fran, debuta con el Barça B" [Nico, the son of Fran, debuts with Barça B] (in Spanish). Sport. 19 May 2019. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
- ^ "Nico González renews through to 2024". FC Barcelona. 12 May 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
- ^ "Braithwaite 9/10, De Jong and Depay 8/10 as Barcelona win to begin post-Messi era". ESPN.com. 2021-08-15. Retrieved 2021-08-16.
- ^ "Nico and Gavi, latest Masía debutants". FC Barcelona. 3 September 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
- ^ "Nico and Ez Abde score first goals for FC Barcelona". FC Barcelona. 12 December 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
- ^ "Nico renews contract to 2026, loaned to Valencia". FC Barcelona. 13 August 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
- ^ "Nico González é Dragão até 2028". FC Porto (in Portuguese). 2023-07-29. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
- ^ "Agreement for the transfer of Nico to Porto". FC Barcelona. Retrieved 2023-07-29.
- ^ "Moreirense ainda assustou, mas o FC Porto deu a volta em sete minutos" [Moreirense still scared, but FC Porto turned it around in seven minutes] (in European Portuguese). Diário de Notícias. 14 August 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
- ^ "Marcano, goleador dos últimos minutos. FC Porto vence Farense na compensação" [Marcano, last-minute goalscorer. FC Porto beats Farense in extra-time]. TSF (in European Portuguese). 20 August 2023. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
- ^ "El Barça atará al hijo de Fran" [Barça will tie the son of Fran down]. as.com (in Spanish). 15 April 2021. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
- ^ Nico González at Soccerway
External links edit
- Nico González at the FC Porto website
- Nico González at BDFutbol