Christian Cueva facts for kids
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Cueva training with Peru at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Christian Alberto Cueva Bravo | ||
| Date of birth | 23 November 1991 | ||
| Place of birth | Trujillo, Peru | ||
| Height | 1.69 m | ||
| Playing position | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Cienciano | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2005–2006 | Racing de Huamachuco | ||
| 2007–2008 | Universidad de San Martín | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2008–2012 | Universidad de San Martín | 121 | (19) |
| 2012 | UCV | 5 | (0) |
| 2013 | Unión Española B | 2 | (0) |
| 2013–2014 | Unión Española | 16 | (0) |
| 2013–2014 | → Rayo Vallecano (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 2014 | → Rayo Vallecano B (loan) | 8 | (5) |
| 2014–2015 | Alianza Lima | 19 | (3) |
| 2015–2016 | Toluca | 36 | (4) |
| 2016–2018 | São Paulo | 55 | (10) |
| 2018–2020 | Krasnodar | 15 | (0) |
| 2019 | → Santos (loan) | 5 | (0) |
| 2020 | Pachuca | 2 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | Malatyaspor | 8 | (0) |
| 2021–2023 | Al-Fateh | 48 | (16) |
| 2023 | → Alianza Lima (loan) | 22 | (0) |
| 2024– | Cienciano | 0 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2011 | Peru U20 | 4 | (0) |
| 2011– | Peru | 100 | (16) |
† Appearances (Goals). |
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Christian Alberto Cueva Bravo (born on November 23, 1991) is a professional footballer from Peru. He plays as an attacking midfielder for Cienciano and is also a key player for the Peru national team.
Cueva has been an important part of the Peru national team. He helped them finish third in the 2015 Copa América and reach the finals in the 2019 Copa América. He has also played in major tournaments like the Copa América Centenario, the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the 2021 Copa América, and the 2024 Copa América.
Contents
Christian Cueva's Football Journey
Christian Cueva started his football career at a young age. He has played for many different clubs in several countries. He is known for his skills in the midfield and his ability to score goals.
Early Career in Peru
Christian Cueva was born in Trujillo. He began playing football at age 14 for an amateur team. In 2007, he played a friendly match against Universidad San Martín. He impressed them so much that he joined their youth team.
Playing for Universidad San Martín
Cueva made his first team debut for Universidad San Martín on April 12, 2008, when he was just 16. He scored two goals in 18 games in his first season. His team even won the championship that year. He became a regular player from the 2010 season onwards. He scored 20 goals in 121 league games for the club.
Moving to Universidad César Vallejo
In August 2012, Cueva joined another top team in Peru, César Vallejo. He played five games for them before moving on.
Playing in Chile and Spain
Christian Cueva then moved to play football outside of Peru.
Unión Española in Chile
In January 2013, Cueva joined Chilean Primera División team Unión Española. He helped them win the Chilean First Division title in 2013.
Loan to Rayo Vallecano in Spain
On August 13, 2013, Cueva went on a one-year loan to La Liga club Rayo Vallecano in Spain. He didn't play much for the main team. So, in March 2014, he was moved to their reserve team, Rayo Vallecano B. In his first game for the reserves, he scored three goals!
Return to Peru and Beyond
After his time in Spain, Cueva returned to play in his home country.
Back with Alianza Lima
In August 2014, Cueva signed an 18-month contract with Alianza Lima. He quickly became a regular player for them. He played 19 games and scored 3 goals during this period.
Playing for Toluca in Mexico
On July 18, 2015, Cueva moved to the Mexican club Toluca. He played his first game for them on July 29. He played 36 games and scored 4 goals for Toluca.
Time with São Paulo in Brazil
In June 2016, Cueva signed a four-year contract with the Brazilian team São Paulo FC. He extended his contract in 2017. He played 55 games and scored 10 goals for São Paulo.
Joining Krasnodar in Russia
On July 19, 2018, Cueva signed a four-year contract with FC Krasnodar in the Russian Premier League. He played 15 games for the club.
Loan to Santos in Brazil
In February 2019, Cueva returned to Brazil on a one-year loan deal with Santos FC. He played 5 games for Santos.
Short Stays in Mexico and Turkey
After Santos, Cueva played for Pachuca in Mexico in 2020, where he played 2 games. In August 2020, he moved to the Turkish club Yeni Malatyaspor, playing 8 games.
Playing for Al-Fateh in Saudi Arabia
In January 2021, Cueva moved to the Saudi Arabian club Al-Fateh. He made his debut on February 4, 2021. He played 48 games and scored 16 goals for Al-Fateh.
Another Loan to Alianza Lima
In 2023, Cueva returned to Alianza Lima on loan, playing 22 games.
Current Club: Cienciano
In September 2024, Christian Cueva signed with Cienciano.
Christian Cueva's International Career
Christian Cueva has proudly represented his country, Peru, at different levels.
Youth and Senior Debut
He played for the Peru under-20 team in 2011. He made his first appearance for the senior Peru national team on June 1, 2011, in a game against Japan.
Copa América and World Cup Appearances
Cueva was chosen for Peru's squad in the 2015 Copa América. He scored Peru's first goal in the tournament. Peru finished in third place, and Cueva was named one of the best midfielders in the competition.
He also played in the Copa América Centenario. He scored a goal against Ecuador. However, in the quarter-finals against Colombia, the game went to a penalty shootout. Cueva missed his penalty, and Peru was eliminated.
Cueva was a key player during the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. He helped Peru qualify for the World Cup for the first time in 36 years! He was part of the 23-man squad for the World Cup in Russia.
He was also selected for the 2019 Copa América, where Peru reached the final but lost to Brazil. In 2021, he was called up for the 2021 Copa América, where Peru made it to the semi-finals.
On June 15, 2024, he was included in the squad for the 2024 Copa América. On June 29, he played his 100th international game for Peru against Argentina.
How Christian Cueva Plays
Christian Cueva is a very skilled player. For the Peru national team, he usually plays in the middle of the field as an attacking midfielder. For his club teams, he often plays on the side, especially on the left wing.
He is a good dribbler and can change direction quickly. He is also good at playing in small spaces. People have compared his playing style to Brazilian player Paulo Henrique Ganso. Cueva moves around the field a lot, making attacking runs and scoring goals. He also helps his team by defending when needed. In a big win against Corinthians in 2016, Cueva showed his talent by scoring a goal and helping his teammates score three more!
Career Statistics
Here are Christian Cueva's statistics, showing how many games he has played and goals he has scored for his clubs and national team.
Club
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Universidad San Martín | 2008 | Torneo Descentralizado | 18 | 2 | — | — | — | 18 | 2 | |||
| 2009 | 16 | 3 | — | — | — | 16 | 3 | |||||
| 2010 | 37 | 5 | — | 3 | 0 | — | 40 | 5 | ||||
| 2011 | 26 | 4 | — | 5 | 0 | — | 31 | 4 | ||||
| 2012 | 24 | 5 | — | 1 | 0 | — | 25 | 5 | ||||
| Total | 121 | 19 | — | 9 | 0 | — | 130 | 19 | ||||
| Universidad César Vallejo | 2012 | Torneo Descentralizado | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 5 | 0 | |||
| Unión Española B | 2013 | Segunda División Profesional | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||
| Unión Española | 2013 | Primera División | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 17 | 0 | ||
| Rayo Vallecano | 2013–14 | La Liga | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 | ||
| Rayo Vallecano B | 2013–14 | Tercera División | 8 | 5 | — | — | — | 8 | 5 | |||
| Alianza Lima | 2014 | Torneo Descentralizado | 15 | 3 | — | — | — | 15 | 3 | |||
| 2015 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 0 | — | 16 | 7 | |||
| Total | 19 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 2 | 0 | — | 31 | 10 | |||
| Toluca | 2015–16 | Liga MX | 36 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 0 | — | 49 | 6 | |
| São Paulo | 2016 | Série A | 24 | 7 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 26 | 7 | ||
| 2017 | 28 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 5 | 43 | 10 | ||
| 2018 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 18 | 3 | ||
| Total | 55 | 10 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 18 | 7 | 87 | 20 | ||
| Krasnodar | 2018–19 | Russian Premier League | 15 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 0 | — | 23 | 1 | |
| Santos (loan) | 2019 | Série A | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | 16 | 0 | |
| Pachuca | 2019–20 | Liga MX | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |
| Yeni Malatyaspor | 2020–21 | Süper Lig | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | |
| Al Fateh | 2020–21 | Saudi Pro League | 15 | 8 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 17 | 8 | ||
| 2021–22 | 24 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 8 | ||
| 2022–23 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | ||
| Total | 48 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 51 | 16 | ||
| Alianza Lima (loan) | 2023 | Liga 1 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 0 |
| Career total | 363 | 57 | 39 | 13 | 31 | 0 | 26 | 7 | 459 | 77 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peru | 2011 | 2 | 0 |
| 2012 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 13 | 1 | |
| 2016 | 13 | 5 | |
| 2017 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2018 | 11 | 1 | |
| 2019 | 14 | 2 | |
| 2020 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 17 | 5 | |
| 2022 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2023 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 2 | 0 | |
| Total | 100 | 16 | |
- Scores and results list Peru's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Cueva goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 June 2015 | Estadio Municipal Germán Becker, Temuco, Chile | 9 |  Brazil |
1–0 | 1–2 | 2015 Copa América |
| 2 | 23 May 2016 | Estadio Nacional, Lima, Peru | 22 |  Trinidad and Tobago |
1–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 3 | 8 June 2016 | University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, United States | 24 |  Ecuador |
1–0 | 2–2 | Copa América Centenario |
| 4 | 6 September 2016 | Estadio Nacional, Lima, Peru | 28 | Ecuador |
1–0 | 2–1 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 5 | 6 October 2016 | Estadio Nacional, Lima, Peru | 29 |  Argentina |
2–2 | 2–2 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 6 | 10 November 2016 | Estadio Defensores del Chaco, Asunción, Paraguay | 31 |  Paraguay |
3–1 | 4–1 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 7 | 31 August 2017 | Estadio Monumental, Lima, Peru | 37 |  Bolivia |
2–0 | 2–1 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 8 | 29 May 2018 | Estadio Nacional, Lima, Peru | 44 |  Scotland |
1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 9 | 22 March 2019 | Red Bull Area, Harrison, United States | 53 | Paraguay |
1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
| 10 | 5 June 2019 | Estadio Monumental, Lima, Peru | 55 |  Costa Rica |
1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
| 11 | 8 June 2021 | Estadio Rodrigo Paz Delgado, Quito, Ecuador | 72 | Ecuador |
1–0 | 2–1 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 12 | 5 September 2021 | Estadio Nacional, Lima, Peru | 81 |  Venezuela |
1–0 | 1–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 13 | 7 October 2021 | Estadio Nacional, Lima, Peru | 83 |  Chile |
1–0 | 2–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 14 | 11 November 2021 | Estadio Nacional, Lima, Peru | 86 | Bolivia |
2–0 | 3–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 15 | 16 November 2021 | Estadio Olímpico de la UCV, Caracas, Venezuela | 87 | Venezuela |
2–1 | 2–1 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 16 | 27 September 2022 | Audi Field, Washington, D.C., United States | 94 |  El Salvador |
4–1 | 4–1 | Friendly |
Awards and Achievements
Christian Cueva has received several awards for his excellent performance in football.
Individual Awards
- Copa América Team of the Tournament: 2015
- Campeonato Paulista Team of the year: 2017
See also
- List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps
