Éver Banega facts for kids
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Banega with Argentina at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Éver Maximiliano David Banega | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 29 June 1988 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Rosario, Argentina | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Current team
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Newell's Old Boys | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Nuevo Horizonte | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Alianza Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2007 | Boca Juniors | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007 | Boca Juniors | 28 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2014 | Valencia | 136 | (9) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2009 | → Atlético Madrid (loan) | 24 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014 | → Newell's Old Boys (loan) | 14 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2016 | Sevilla | 59 | (8) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2017 | Inter Milan | 28 | (6) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2020 | Sevilla | 96 | (9) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020–2024 | Al Shabab | 94 | (18) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024– | Newell's Old Boys | 37 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007 | Argentina U20 | 14 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008 | Argentina Olympic | 6 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2018 | Argentina | 65 | (6) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:45, 2 March 2025 (UTC) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Éver Maximiliano David Banega is a talented football player from Argentina. He was born on June 29, 1988. He plays as a central midfielder for Argentine Primera División club Newell's Old Boys.
Éver started his career with Boca Juniors. Then, he moved to Valencia in Spain in 2008. He played many games there and won the Copa del Rey in 2008. Later, he joined Sevilla and helped them win the Europa League three times!
He also played for Argentina's national team, even in the 2018 World Cup. He won an Olympic medal in 2008. Éver also played in three Copa América tournaments. He helped Argentina reach the finals in 2015 and 2016.
Contents
Éver Banega's Club Career
Starting at Boca Juniors
Éver Banega was born in Rosario, Santa Fe. He grew up playing football in the youth teams of Boca Juniors. When he was 18, he joined the first team. People quickly noticed his great passing skills. He became a key player in the Argentine Primera División. When another midfielder, Fernando Gago, left for Real Madrid, Banega took his place.
He played his first professional game on February 10, 2007. Boca Juniors won 4–0 against Banfield. Just a few games later, fans cheered loudly for him when he left the field.
Playing for Valencia
On January 5, 2008, Banega moved to Spain. He signed a five-and-a-half-year deal with Valencia. His first game for Valencia was on January 13. He came on as a substitute in a 1–0 loss to Atlético Madrid.
For the 2008–09 season, Banega was loaned to Atlético Madrid. He played his first game for them in the Champions League. Atlético won 3–0 against PSV Eindhoven. However, he found it hard to get a regular spot in the team. He was also sent off in some games.
After his loan, Banega returned to Valencia. He was supposed to join Everton in England, but it didn't happen. He played for Valencia again in the 2009–10 season. He helped Valencia score two goals in their first game against Sevilla. On January 17, 2010, he scored his first goal for Valencia. They won 4–1 against Villarreal.
In the 2010–11 season, Banega played 28 matches. Valencia finished third and qualified for the Champions League. In February 2012, he had a serious accident. He was injured by his own car, which caused a broken ankle and leg bones. This meant he missed the rest of the season.
On January 31, 2014, Banega was loaned back to Argentina. He played for Newell's Old Boys until the end of the season.
Success with Sevilla
On August 19, 2014, Banega joined Sevilla. He said he chose Sevilla because of their manager, Unai Emery, who had coached him at Valencia. He played his first game for Sevilla four days later. It was a 1–1 draw against his old team, Valencia.
On May 27, 2015, Banega started for Sevilla in the 2015 UEFA Europa League final. They beat Dnipro and he was named the best player of the match. On August 11, in the 2015 UEFA Super Cup, he scored a very fast goal from a free kick. But Sevilla lost 5–4 to Barcelona.
Banega continued to be a key player for Sevilla in the 2015–16 season. He scored nine goals in 46 games. He played the whole Europa League final, which Sevilla won 3–1 against Liverpool. In his last game for Sevilla, the Copa del Rey final on May 22, 2016, he was sent off. Sevilla lost 2–0 to Barcelona after extra time.
Time at Inter Milan
On May 16, 2016, it was announced that Banega would join Inter Milan in Italy. He joined as a free player on July 1. He was very excited to play for Inter. He was given the number 19 shirt.
Banega played his first Serie A game on August 21, 2016. Inter lost 2–0 to ChievoVerona. On September 11, he helped Mauro Icardi score a goal. Inter won 2–1 against Pescara.
He also played in Inter's Europa League games. He scored his first goal for Inter on October 2, but they lost 2–1 to Roma.
During his time at Inter, he sometimes started games and sometimes was on the bench. On March 5, 2017, he returned to the starting team. He helped score a goal and scored one himself from a free kick. Inter won 5–1 against Cagliari. A week later, he scored his first hat-trick (three goals) in a game. Inter won 7–1 against Atalanta.
Returning to Sevilla
On June 27, 2017, Banega returned to Sevilla. This was just 13 months after he had left. In his first league game back, he was sent off. This happened after he was booked for a foul in a 1–1 draw against Espanyol.
Later Career Moves
In January 2020, it was announced that Banega would join Al Shabab in Saudi Arabia. This move happened after the Europa League ended, which Sevilla won. Four years later, in 2024, at age 35, he returned to Argentina. He rejoined Newell's Old Boys.
Playing for Argentina
,_Ever_Banega_(R)_%E2%80%93_Portugal_vs._Argentina,_9th_February_2011_(1).jpg)
Banega played for the Argentine under-20 team. He played in the 2007 FIFA World Cup in Canada. He played in all seven games, and Argentina won the championship. Soon after joining Valencia in 2008, he played his first game for the senior national team. It was a 5–0 friendly win against Guatemala on February 6. That summer, he played for Argentina at the Summer Olympics. He helped the team win the gold medal.
Even though he had a good season with Valencia, Banega was not chosen for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. However, he was part of the 2011 Copa América squad. He played in the first two group matches. Argentina reached the quarter-finals. On March 26, 2013, he scored his first goal for Argentina. It was in a 1–1 draw against Bolivia in the World Cup qualifiers. But he was not chosen for the 2014 World Cup team.
Coach Gerardo Martino selected Banega for the 2015 Copa América. He started in the first game against Paraguay. In the final, he missed his penalty kick. Argentina lost 4–1 to Chile.
Banega started all the games in the Copa América Centenario in the United States. Argentina lost the final 4–2 to Chile in a penalty shootout again. Earlier in the tournament, he scored a goal in a 2–1 win against Chile. He also helped Ángel Di María score.
Banega was part of the team for the 2018 World Cup. He played his first World Cup game on June 16. He came on as a substitute in a 1–1 draw against Iceland. In the last group game against Nigeria, he helped Lionel Messi score the first goal. Argentina won 2–1 and moved to the next round. He also played the whole game when Argentina lost 4–3 to France.
How Éver Banega Plays
Éver Banega is a smart and flexible playmaker. He is known for his great technical skills and dribbling. He has quick feet, good vision, and accurate passing. These skills help him keep the ball and control the game in midfield. He also creates chances for his teammates to score.
He usually plays as a central midfielder. But he can also play as an attacking midfielder. When he was at Boca Juniors, he played as a defensive midfielder. He was also a deep-lying playmaker because of his creativity and ability to win the ball. He is also very good at set-pieces.
Roberto Mancini, his former coach at Inter Milan, said that Banega likes to be involved a lot. He can play closer to the attackers or drop back to get the ball. Mancini said he has quality and a strong personality.
Career Statistics
Club Appearances
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Boca Juniors | 2006–07 | Argentine Primera División | 14 | 0 | – | 14 | 0 | – | 28 | 0 | ||
| 2007–08 | 14 | 0 | – | – | 2 | 0 | 16 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 28 | 0 | – | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 44 | 0 | |||
| Valencia | 2007–08 | La Liga | 12 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 14 | 0 | |
| 2009–10 | 36 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | – | 47 | 2 | |||
| 2010–11 | 28 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | – | 34 | 3 | |||
| 2011–12 | 13 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 0 | – | 25 | 1 | |||
| 2012–13 | 29 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 0 | – | 40 | 4 | |||
| 2013–14 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | – | 19 | 1 | |||
| Total | 136 | 9 | 20 | 2 | 23 | 0 | – | 179 | 11 | |||
| Atlético Madrid (loan) | 2008–09 | La Liga | 24 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | – | 31 | 1 | |
| Newell's Old Boys (loan) | 2013–14 | Argentine Primera División | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | – | 20 | 1 | |
| Sevilla | 2014–15 | La Liga | 34 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 49 | 3 |
| 2015–16 | 25 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 45 | 9 | ||
| Total | 59 | 8 | 9 | 1 | 25 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 94 | 12 | ||
| Inter Milan | 2016–17 | Serie A | 28 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | – | 33 | 6 | |
| Sevilla | 2017–18 | La Liga | 31 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 11 | 1 | – | 50 | 5 | |
| 2018–19 | 32 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 13 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 51 | 8 | ||
| 2019–20 | 33 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | – | 43 | 3 | |||
| Total | 96 | 9 | 16 | 1 | 31 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 144 | 16 | ||
| Sevilla total | 155 | 17 | 25 | 2 | 56 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 238 | 28 | ||
| Al Shabab | 2020–21 | Saudi Pro League | 27 | 7 | 1 | 0 | – | 2 | 0 | 30 | 7 | |
| 2021–22 | 27 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | – | 34 | 9 | |||
| 2022–23 | 24 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 30 | 5 | ||
| 2023–24 | 16 | 2 | 3 | 0 | – | 5 | 2 | 24 | 4 | |||
| Total | 94 | 18 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 118 | 25 | ||
| Newell's Old Boys | 2024 | Argentine Primera División | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | |
| Career total | 490 | 52 | 59 | 5 | 112 | 11 | 14 | 4 | 675 | 72 | ||
International Appearances
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 2008 | 2 | 0 |
| 2009 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 10 | 2 | |
| 2014 | 2 | 1 | |
| 2015 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 13 | 1 | |
| 2017 | 8 | 1 | |
| 2018 | 6 | 1 | |
| Total | 65 | 6 | |
- Scores and results list Argentina's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Banega goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 March 2013 | Hernando Siles, La Paz, Bolivia | 17 |  Bolivia |
1–1 | 1–1 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2 | 14 August 2013 | Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy | 20 |  Italy |
2–0 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 3 | 14 October 2014 | Hong Kong Stadium, So Kon Po, Hong Kong | 25 |  Hong Kong |
1–0 | 7–0 | |
| 4 | 7 June 2016 | Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, United States | 42 |  Chile |
2–0 | 2–1 | Copa América Centenario |
| 5 | 14 November 2017 | Krasnodar Stadium, Krasnodar, Russia | 59 |  Nigeria |
1–0 | 2–4 | Friendly |
| 6 | 23 March 2018 | City of Manchester Stadium, Manchester, England | 60 | Italy |
1–0 | 2–0 |
Football Achievements
Boca Juniors
- Copa Libertadores: 2007
Valencia
- Copa del Rey: 2007–08
Sevilla
- UEFA Europa League: 2014–15, 2015–16, 2019–20
- Copa del Rey runner-up: 2015–16, 2017–18
Argentina U20
- FIFA U-20 World Cup: 2007
Argentina U23
- Summer Olympic Games: 2008
Argentina
- Copa América runner-up: 2015, 2016
Individual Awards
- UEFA Europa League Squad of the Season: 2014–15, 2015–16, 2019–20
- Saudi Pro League Player of the Month: October 2020, February 2021
See also
In Spanish: Éver Banega para niños
