Darwin Quintero facts for kids
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Quintero playing for Minnesota United FC in 2018
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Carlos Darwin Quintero Villalba | ||
| Date of birth | 19 September 1987 | ||
| Place of birth | Tumaco, Colombia | ||
| Height | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
|
Current team
|
Deportivo Pereira | ||
| Number | 7 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2004–2005 | Deportes Tolima | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2006–2007 | Deportes Tolima | 55 | (24) |
| 2007–2008 | Krylia Sovetov | 11 | (1) |
| 2008 | → Deportivo Pereira (loan) | 12 | (4) |
| 2008 | Deportivo Pereira | 22 | (13) |
| 2009–2014 | Santos Laguna | 225 | (66) |
| 2014–2018 | América | 107 | (17) |
| 2018–2019 | Minnesota United | 57 | (21) |
| 2020–2022 | Houston Dynamo | 73 | (18) |
| 2023 | América de Cali | 42 | (5) |
| 2024– | Deportivo Pereira | 36 | (13) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2008–2012 | Colombia | 14 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 29 December 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15 October 2013 |
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Carlos Darwin Quintero Villalba (born 19 September 1987) is a Colombian professional footballer. He plays as an attacking midfielder for Categoría Primera A club Deportivo Pereira. People often call him El Científico del Gol, which means "The Goal Scientist". Darwin is known for his speed, creativity, and amazing dribbling skills. He has played in many different positions during his career, including striker and winger.
Contents
- Playing for Clubs
- International Career
- Career statistics
- About Darwin Quintero
- Awards and Achievements
- See also
Playing for Clubs
Starting Out with Deportes Tolima
Darwin Quintero started his football journey at youth training schools. He tried out for bigger teams but was not accepted at first. However, a scout for Deportes Tolima saw his talent. Darwin joined Tolima's youth team in 2004.
He made his first team debut for Tolima in 2005 when he was 18. In 2006, he joined the main team and scored his first goal on 19 February. He even scored three goals in one game on 26 February! That season, he scored 19 goals in 42 games. Tolima did well, reaching the final of a big tournament, but they lost. Darwin also played in his first international club competition, the 2006 Copa Sudamericana, scoring two goals.
In 2007, Darwin played in the Copa Libertadores for the first time. He scored a goal that helped Tolima win an important match.
Time in Russia with Krylia Sovetov
In July 2007, Darwin moved to Russia to play for FC Krylia Sovetov Samara. He made his debut in August and scored his first goal in October. It was a tough season for him, as he didn't play much and only scored one goal.
Returning to Deportivo Pereira
In 2008, Darwin came back to Colombia on loan to Deportivo Pereira. He quickly started scoring goals, including two in one game against Deportivo Pasto. Fans even voted him the best player on the team.
He officially joined Deportivo Pereira later that year. Darwin had a fantastic second half of the season, scoring 13 goals in 22 games. He helped Pereira finish high enough to avoid relegation. He was one of the top goal scorers in the league that season.
Success with Santos Laguna
In December 2008, Darwin moved to Mexico to play for Santos Laguna. He quickly became a key player for the team.
First Seasons with Santos Laguna
Darwin made his debut for Santos in January 2009. He scored his first goal for the team in February. He also scored two dramatic late goals in a CONCACAF Champions League game, helping Santos win! He finished his first season with 8 goals and 2 assists.
In the 2009-10 season, Darwin continued to play well. He helped Santos reach the league final, where they lost in a penalty shootout. He scored 6 goals and had 4 assists that season.
More Goals and a League Title
The 2010-11 season saw Darwin score 3 goals in the playoffs, helping Santos reach another final. However, they lost again. During this season, he was involved in an incident that led to a four-match suspension.
Before the 2011-12 season, Darwin changed his jersey number to 3 because his son was born on March 3. He had a strong season, scoring 5 goals and helping Santos reach the playoffs. They made it to the final but lost.
In the 2012 Clausura tournament, Darwin scored 6 goals and had 4 assists. He helped Santos win their fourth league title! He also helped Santos reach the final of the 2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League, where they lost.
Later Years with Santos Laguna
Darwin continued to be a top player for Santos. In the 2012-13 season, he scored 7 goals, the most on his team. He also scored three goals in one game in the 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League, helping Santos reach the final again. They lost to Monterrey in a close match. Darwin was the top scorer in that tournament with 6 goals.
In the 2013-14 season, Darwin signed a new contract with Santos. He had a great season for assists, leading the league with 9 assists in one tournament and 8 in another. He also scored a hat trick in a game against Atlante. Santos reached the playoffs but didn't win the championship. He also played in the 2014 Copa Libertadores, scoring two goals and assisting two more in one game.
In 2014, Darwin helped Santos win their first Copa MX trophy. He assisted the winning goal in the final. After this, Darwin decided he wanted a new challenge. He left Santos Laguna as one of their all-time top players in appearances, goals, and assists.
Moving to Club América
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In December 2014, Darwin joined Club América, another big Mexican club. He made his debut in January 2015, scoring a goal in his first game.
Winning with América
América had a very successful run in the 2014–15 CONCACAF Champions League. Darwin helped the team reach the final. In the semifinal, América was losing 3-0 after the first game, but Darwin scored and assisted two goals in the second game, helping his team win 6-0! América went on to win their sixth CONCACAF championship.
In the 2015-16 season, Darwin scored 4 goals and had 3 assists in the first part of the league. He also played in the FIFA Club World Cup for the first time. He scored 6 goals and had 2 assists in the second part of the league. América won their second straight 2015–16 CONCACAF Champions League title, with Darwin playing an important role.
Later Years with América
In the 2016-17 season, Darwin started strong, scoring and assisting in early games. However, he suffered a leg injury that kept him out for a few months. He returned later in the season and helped América reach the league final, where they lost on penalties. He also played in the 2016 FIFA Club World Cup.
His final season with América was 2017-18. He showed improvement, scoring 2 goals and providing 4 assists. He helped América reach the semifinals of the league playoffs. His time with América had ups and downs, but he helped the club win important trophies.
Playing in the MLS with Minnesota United
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On March 31, 2018, Darwin joined Major League Soccer (MLS) team Minnesota United FC. He was the first "Designated Player" for the club, which means he was a star player. He said he wanted a new experience for his family.
Darwin made a great debut for Minnesota on April 14, scoring a goal. On July 4, he scored three amazing goals, which was the first hat-trick in Minnesota United's history! He continued to play very well, scoring 4 goals and assisting 7 more in his next 7 games. He was even chosen for the 2018 MLS All-Star Game. He finished his first season leading the team with 11 goals and 15 assists.
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In 2019, Darwin started the season strong again, scoring and assisting in the first two games. He scored 10 league goals, leading his team, and helped Minnesota reach the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time.
He also had a fantastic run in the 2019 U.S. Open Cup. He scored 6 goals in 4 games, helping Minnesota reach the final of the tournament for the first time in club history. Although they lost the final, Darwin won the Golden Boot for being the top scorer and was named Player of the Tournament. At the end of 2019, Darwin was the top goal scorer and assist provider in Minnesota United's short history.
Time with Houston Dynamo
On November 13, 2019, Darwin was traded to the Houston Dynamo. He made his debut in March 2020. The MLS season was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but when it returned, Darwin played very well.
In July 2020, he had 2 assists in one game. He scored his first goal for the Dynamo later that month. In August, he scored 2 goals and had 2 assists in a big win. He even scored against his old club, Minnesota United, twice! Darwin had a strong first season for Houston, scoring 7 goals and providing 10 assists, which tied for the most in the league.
In 2021, Darwin played less at the start of the season due to fitness and a coach's new playing style. He also missed games after getting COVID-19. He started his first game in September and helped Houston win, ending a long winless streak. He finished the season with 3 goals and 2 assists.
In 2022, Darwin scored twice in his first start of the season in March. He ended the season with 8 goals and 5 assists in 32 games. After the season, his contract with Houston ended.
Back to Colombia with América de Cali and Deportivo Pereira
On December 23, 2022, Darwin returned to Colombia, signing with Categoría Primera A club América de Cali. He made his debut in January 2023 and quickly started assisting and scoring goals. He scored his first goal for América in February.
In 2024, he joined Deportivo Pereira again, where he continues to play.
International Career
Darwin Quintero played for the Colombia U-20 team in 2007, scoring a winning goal against Argentina. He made his debut for the senior Colombia team on October 11, 2008. He scored his first goal for Colombia in a friendly game against Mexico on September 30, 2009. He hopes to play for his country again in the future.
Career statistics
Club
| Club Performance | League | National cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Season | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Deportes Tolima | 2005 | Categoría Primera A | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2006 | 42 | 19 | — | 6 | 2 | — | 48 | 21 | ||||
| 2007 | 12 | 5 | — | 5 | 2 | — | 17 | 7 | ||||
| Total | 55 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 66 | 28 | ||
| Krylia Sovetov | 2007 | Russian Premier League | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 1 | ||
| Deportivo Pereira (loan) | 2008 | Categoría Primera A | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 12 | 4 | ||
| Deportivo Pereira | 22 | 13 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 22 | 13 | ||||
| Total | 34 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 17 | ||
| Santos Laguna | 2008–09 | Primera División | 16 | 4 | — | 4 | 4 | — | 20 | 8 | ||
| 2009–10 | 41 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 46 | 12 | |||
| 2010–11 | 33 | 8 | — | 7 | 3 | — | 40 | 11 | ||||
| 2011–12 | 43 | 14 | — | 8 | 4 | — | 51 | 18 | ||||
| 2012–13 | Liga MX | 34 | 13 | — | 9 | 6 | — | 43 | 19 | |||
| 2013–14 | 41 | 14 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 3 | — | 52 | 22 | |||
| 2014–15 | 17 | 2 | 8 | 0 | — | — | 25 | 2 | ||||
| Total | 225 | 66 | 15 | 5 | 37 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 277 | 92 | ||
| Club América | 2014–15 | Liga MX | 17 | 1 | — | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 2 | |
| 2015–16 | 39 | 12 | — | 9 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 49 | 16 | |||
| 2016–17 | 26 | 2 | 9 | 2 | — | 3 | 0 | 38 | 4 | |||
| 2017–18 | 25 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 35 | 4 | ||
| Total | 107 | 17 | 15 | 3 | 18 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 146 | 26 | ||
| Minnesota United FC | 2018 | Major League Soccer | 27 | 11 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 11 | ||
| 2019 | 30 | 10 | 5 | 6 | — | 1 | 0 | 37 | 16 | |||
| Total | 57 | 21 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 64 | 27 | ||
| Houston Dynamo | 2020 | Major League Soccer | 22 | 7 | — | — | — | 22 | 7 | |||
| 2021 | 20 | 3 | — | — | — | 20 | 3 | |||||
| 2022 | 31 | 8 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 32 | 8 | ||||
| Total | 73 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 74 | 18 | ||
| América de Cali | 2023 | Categoría Primera A | 42 | 5 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 44 | 5 | ||
| Pereira | 2024 | Categoría Primera A | 18 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 9 |
| Career total | 622 | 178 | 39 | 14 | 66 | 31 | 7 | 0 | 734 | 223 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colombia | 2008 | 3 | 0 |
| 2009 | 6 | 1 | |
| 2010 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 14 | 1 | |
- Scores and results list Colombia's goal tally first.
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Final | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 30 September 2009 | Cotton Bowl, Dallas, United States |  Mexico |
2–0 | 2–1 | Friendly |
About Darwin Quintero
Darwin was born in Tumaco, Colombia, but he moved to Cali when he was five years old. He lived with his dad and sister. His name "Darwin" comes from a character in a book his father liked, not from the famous scientist Charles Darwin. Darwin says he always wanted to be a professional footballer, even from a very young age.
Darwin and his wife, Valentina Sierra, have two children. He became a citizen of Mexico in 2013. In 2019, he also got a U.S. green card, which helped him play in the MLS.
Awards and Achievements
Santos Laguna
- Primera División: Clausura 2012
- Copa MX: Apertura 2014
América
- CONCACAF Champions League: 2014–15, 2015–16
Individual Awards
- Primera A Player of the Tournament, Torneo Finalización: 2008
- CONCACAF Champions League Top scorer: 2012–13 (6 goals)
- MLS All-Star: 2018
- U.S. Open Cup Top scorer: 2019 (6 goals)
- U.S. Open Cup Player of the Tournament: 2019
- MLS top assist provider: 2020
See also
In Spanish: Darwin Quintero para niños
