Borja Iglesias facts for kids
.jpg)
Iglesias with Betis in 2019
|
|||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Borja Iglesias Quintas | ||
| Date of birth | 17 January 1993 | ||
| Place of birth | Santiago de Compostela, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||
| Team information | |||
|
Current team
|
Betis | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2003–2007 | Compostela | ||
| 2007–2010 | Valencia | ||
| 2010–2011 | Roda | ||
| 2011–2012 | Villarreal | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2012–2013 | Villarreal C | 29 | (11) |
| 2013–2017 | Celta B | 144 | (73) |
| 2014–2018 | Celta | 1 | (0) |
| 2017–2018 | → Zaragoza (loan) | 39 | (22) |
| 2018–2019 | Espanyol | 37 | (17) |
| 2019– | Betis | 142 | (39) |
| 2024 | → Bayer Leverkusen (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2024–2025 | → Celta (loan) | 37 | (11) |
| International career | |||
| 2022–2023 | Spain | 2 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21:00, 24 May 2025 (UTC) | |||
Borja Iglesias Quintas (born on January 17, 1993) is a Spanish professional footballer. He plays as a striker for the La Liga club Real Betis.
Borja started his football journey at Celta, where he mostly played for their reserve team. He has played over 200 games in La Liga, scoring more than 60 goals for teams like Celta, Espanyol, and Betis. He even won the 2021–22 Copa del Rey with Betis.
In 2022, Borja Iglesias also played his first game for the Spanish national team.
Contents
Borja's Club Journey
Starting Out at Villarreal
Borja Iglesias was born in Santiago de Compostela, a city in Galicia. He started playing football very young at his local school. When he was 10, he joined SD Compostela. Later, he moved through youth teams at CD Roda and Valencia CF before joining Villarreal CF. In 2012, he began his senior career playing for Villarreal's C team.
Time with Celta
On July 9, 2013, Borja joined RC Celta de Vigo. He signed a two-year contract and played for their reserve team, Celta B. On January 3, 2015, he played his first game for Celta's main team in La Liga. He came on as a substitute in a match against Sevilla FC.
In December 2016, Borja became Celta B's all-time top scorer with 53 goals. He scored 32 goals in the 2016–17 season, helping his team reach the play-offs.
In July 2017, Borja was loaned to Real Zaragoza for one year. He scored his first goal for them in August. He scored two goals in several games, reaching 15 goals by March and finishing the season with 22 goals.
Playing for Espanyol
On July 9, 2018, Borja Iglesias signed a four-year contract with RCD Espanyol. His contract included a release clause of €28 million. He played his first official game for Espanyol on August 18, 2018, in a 1–1 draw against his old club, Celta. In his next game, he scored to help Espanyol win 2–0 against Valencia CF.
In July and August 2019, Borja scored three goals in the UEFA Europa League qualifying rounds against Ungmennafélagið Stjarnan.
Success with Betis
On August 14, 2019, Borja Iglesias joined Real Betis for €28 million. He signed a five-year deal and reunited with his former Espanyol coach, Rubi. In his first season, he scored only three goals. However, in the 2020–21 season, he scored 13 goals, helping Betis qualify for the Europa League.
On March 3, 2022, Borja scored a goal in the Copa del Rey semi-finals against Rayo Vallecano. This goal helped his team reach the final. In the final match on April 23, he scored the first goal in a 1–1 draw against Valencia. Betis then won the game in a penalty shootout. Borja was the top scorer in the tournament with five goals and was named the most valuable player in the final.
Borja started the 2022–23 season strongly, scoring six goals in his first six games. Because of this, he was named La Liga Player of the Month for August.
In January 2024, Borja was loaned to the German club Bayer 04 Leverkusen until the end of the season. He played ten games for them and helped them win a domestic double (two major trophies).
On July 19, 2024, Borja returned to Celta on a loan for the season. He scored 11 goals, helping Celta qualify for the Europa League. He even scored his first hat-trick (three goals in one game) in the top division on April 19, 2025, against FC Barcelona.
Playing for Spain
In September 2022, Borja Iglesias was called up to play for the Spanish national team for the first time. He made his debut against Switzerland.
In August 2023, Borja announced that he would not play for Spain until a leader in the Spanish Football Federation resigned. This was a protest against unfair behavior in sports leadership.
About Borja's Life
Borja Iglesias is nicknamed Panda, after a popular song. He gained attention for painting his fingernails black in 2020. This was a way to show his support for fairness and equality for everyone. He was praised for this gesture by actor Brays Efe. When asked about his thoughts on society, he said he prefers to live in a country where he likes how money is used to help people.
Career Statistics
Borja Iglesias has played many games and scored many goals throughout his career. Here's a quick look at his club and international appearances:
- Villarreal C: 29 games, 11 goals
- Celta B: 144 games, 73 goals
- Celta (main team): 1 game, 0 goals
- Zaragoza (loan): 39 games, 22 goals
- Espanyol: 37 games, 17 goals
- Betis: 142 games, 39 goals
- Bayer Leverkusen (loan): 7 games, 0 goals
- Celta (loan): 37 games, 11 goals
- Spain National Team: 2 games, 0 goals
Awards and Achievements
With Betis
- Copa del Rey: 2021–22
With Bayer Leverkusen
- Bundesliga: 2023–24
- DFB-Pokal: 2023–24
Individual Awards
- La Liga Player of the Month: August 2022
See also
In Spanish: Borja Iglesias para niños
