Edinson Cavani facts for kids
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Cavani with Uruguay at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Edinson Roberto Cavani Gómez | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 14 February 1987 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Salto, Uruguay | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | |||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Striker | |||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||
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Current team
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Boca Juniors | |||||||||||||||
| Number | 10 | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2005 | Danubio | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
| 2005–2007 | Danubio | 25 | (9) | |||||||||||||
| 2007–2011 | Palermo | 109 | (34) | |||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | → Napoli (loan) | 35 | (26) | |||||||||||||
| 2011–2013 | Napoli | 69 | (52) | |||||||||||||
| 2013–2020 | Paris Saint-Germain | 200 | (138) | |||||||||||||
| 2020–2022 | Manchester United | 41 | (12) | |||||||||||||
| 2022–2023 | Valencia | 25 | (5) | |||||||||||||
| 2023– | Boca Juniors | 50 | (14) | |||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2007 | Uruguay U20 | 15 | (11) | |||||||||||||
| 2012 | Uruguay Olympic (O.P.) | 5 | (3) | |||||||||||||
| 2008–2022 | Uruguay | 136 | (58) | |||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:21, 27 July 2025 (UTC) | ||||||||||||||||
Edinson Roberto Cavani Gómez (born on 14 February 1987) is a professional footballer from Uruguay. He plays as a striker for the Argentine Primera División club Boca Juniors. People often call him "El Matador," which means "The Bullfighter." Many consider him one of the best strikers of his time.
Cavani started his career at Danubio in Uruguay. After two years, he moved to Italy to play for Palermo in 2007. In 2010, he joined Napoli, first on loan, then permanently. He helped Napoli win the Coppa Italia in 2012. He became a top striker in Italy's Serie A league.
In 2013, Cavani moved to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in France. This was a very expensive transfer at the time. With PSG, he won many titles, including six Ligue 1 championships. He also became the club's second-highest goal scorer ever. In 2020, Cavani signed with Manchester United, scoring 17 goals in his first season. He then played for Valencia in 2022 before joining Boca Juniors in 2023.
Cavani made his debut for the Uruguay national team in 2008. He played in four FIFA World Cups and five Copas América. He helped Uruguay win the Copa América in 2011. He is one of Uruguay's top international goal scorers.
Contents
Club Football Journey
Starting in Palermo
After showing his talent in a youth tournament in 2007, many big teams wanted to sign Cavani. However, he joined Palermo in Italy in January 2007. He made his first appearance on 11 March 2007. He scored an amazing goal just 15 minutes after coming on as a substitute.
In his second season, Cavani became a regular player. He scored 14 goals in the 2008–09 season. This is when he earned his famous nickname, "El Matador," because he was so calm when scoring goals. He signed a new contract with Palermo in April 2010.
Time at Napoli
Moving to Europe in 2010
In July 2010, Cavani joined Napoli. He first came on a loan deal, and then Napoli bought him permanently. He scored two goals in his first start for Napoli in the UEFA Europa League. He also scored in his first four league matches for the club.
Cavani, along with his teammates Ezequiel Lavezzi and Marek Hamšík, became known as "The Three Tenors." This was because of their great attacking play. On 15 December, he scored a very late goal to help Napoli move past the group stage in the Europa League. He scored hat-tricks against Juventus and Sampdoria in January 2011.
He continued his excellent form, scoring many goals. On 3 April, he scored another hat-trick in a thrilling 4–3 win against Lazio. He set a new record for Napoli, scoring 25 goals in a single Serie A season. In May, he signed a new five-year contract with Napoli.
Winning the Coppa Italia in 2012
On 14 September 2011, Cavani scored in Napoli's first Champions League game against Manchester City. A few days later, he scored a hat-trick against Milan in a 3–1 home win. On 22 November, he scored both goals in a 2–1 win against Manchester City in the Champions League.
On 21 February 2012, Cavani scored against Chelsea in the Champions League. He also helped set up two goals for his teammate Lavezzi. Napoli won that game 3–1. On 20 May, Cavani scored a penalty in the Coppa Italia final against Juventus. Napoli won the match 2–0, and Cavani was the top scorer in the tournament with five goals.
Top Scorer in Serie A in 2013
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Cavani started the 2012–13 season by scoring against his old club, Palermo. On 26 September, he scored an amazing hat-trick against Lazio in a 3–0 win. This helped Napoli stay undefeated in the league.
On 8 November, Cavani scored all four goals in a 4–2 win against Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk in the Europa League. He scored a late penalty on 22 November to help Napoli reach the next round. On 6 January 2013, he scored another hat-trick against Roma. Cavani finished the season as the top scorer in Serie A with 29 goals.
Joining Paris Saint-Germain
On 16 July 2013, Cavani joined French champions Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). The transfer fee was around €64 million, which was a huge amount at the time. This made him the most expensive player ever signed in French football history. He joined his former Napoli teammate Ezequiel Lavezzi in Paris.
First Season in 2014
Cavani played his first game for PSG on 9 August. He scored his first goal for the club on 18 August against Ajaccio. He scored his first Champions League goal for PSG on 17 September. He ended the group stage with four goals.
On 19 April 2014, he scored both goals for PSG in their 2–1 win over Lyon in the 2014 Coupe de la Ligue Final. He finished his first season with 25 goals in 43 games.
Winning Many Titles (2014–2016)
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On 17 October 2014, Cavani scored a penalty for PSG. He celebrated by pretending to shoot a bow and arrow, which got him a yellow card. On 5 November 2014, he scored a quick goal against APOEL in the Champions League. This helped PSG reach the knockout stage.
In January 2015, Cavani and Lavezzi were fined and suspended for missing training. On 11 April, Cavani scored two goals to help PSG win the 2015 Coupe de la Ligue Final. On 8 May, he scored a hat-trick in a 6–0 win against Guingamp. This helped PSG win the Ligue 1 title. On 30 May, he scored the only goal in the 2015 Coupe de France Final to complete a domestic treble (winning three major trophies).
On 21 May 2016, Cavani scored a goal in PSG's 4–2 win over Marseille in the 2016 Coupe de France Final. This meant PSG won another domestic treble.
Player of the Year and Golden Foot (2016–2018)
On 13 September 2016, Cavani scored PSG's fastest-ever Champions League goal against Arsenal. On 16 September, he scored four goals in the first half against Caen. On 30 November, he scored his 100th goal for PSG.
Cavani scored in both legs of PSG's Champions League tie against FC Barcelona. On 1 April 2017, he scored two goals in the 2017 Coupe de la Ligue Final against Monaco. On 15 May 2017, he was named Ligue 1 Player of the Year for scoring 35 goals.
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Before the 2017–18 season, Neymar and Kylian Mbappé joined PSG. Cavani, Neymar, and Mbappé formed a powerful attacking trio. Cavani scored in PSG's first three Champions League games that season. On 22 October, he scored a fantastic free kick against Marseille.
Cavani became PSG's all-time top scorer on 27 January 2018. He scored his 157th goal in his 229th match, passing Zlatan Ibrahimović's record. On 8 May 2018, he scored as PSG won the 2017–18 Coupe de France.
Last Seasons in Paris (2018–2020)
On 25 August 2018, Cavani played his first game of the season after an injury. He, Neymar, and Mbappé all scored in a 3–1 win against Angers. On 11 November 2018, Cavani scored a hat-trick against Monaco.
In April 2020, PSG were awarded the 2019–20 Ligue 1 title. This was because the season ended early due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Cavani left PSG on 30 June 2020 when his contract ended.
Playing for Manchester United
First Season and Europa League (2020–2021)
On 5 October 2020, Cavani joined Manchester United in the Premier League. He was given the famous number 7 shirt. He made his debut on 24 October. On 7 November, he scored his first Premier League goal against Everton. On 29 November, he scored two goals, including a late winner, in a 3–2 comeback win against Southampton.
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On 2 February 2021, he scored in United's record-equalling 9–0 win against Southampton. On 29 April, he scored twice and set up two goals in a 6–2 win over Roma in the Europa League semi-finals. He scored two more goals in the second leg, helping United reach the final. In April, he won his first Manchester United Player of the Month award.
On 10 May, Cavani extended his contract with Manchester United for another season. On 18 May, he scored a fantastic 40-yard lob goal against Fulham. This goal won the Premier League Goal of the Month award. On 26 May, he scored in the Europa League Final against Villarreal. However, Manchester United lost the final on penalties.
Last Season in England (2021–2022)
For the 2021–22 season, Cavani changed his shirt number to 21 after Cristiano Ronaldo joined the club. He scored his first goal of the season on 30 October against Tottenham Hotspur. On 22 May 2022, it was announced that Cavani would leave Manchester United when his contract ended.
Time at Valencia
On 29 August 2022, Cavani signed a two-year contract with Valencia in Spain. He made his debut on 17 September. On 15 October, he scored his first goals for Valencia in a 2–2 draw with Elche.
He scored two more goals on 16 January 2023 in a 4–0 win against Sporting Gijón in the Copa del Rey. These were his last goals for Valencia. He left the club on 29 July 2023, having played 28 games and scored 7 goals.
Playing for Boca Juniors
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On 29 July 2023, Cavani joined Boca Juniors in Argentina on a free transfer. He signed a deal until December 2024. He made his debut for Boca Juniors on 9 August. Ten days later, he scored his first goal in a 3–1 win over Platense. On 6 October, he scored in a 1–1 draw with Palmeiras in the Copa Libertadores semi-finals. Boca Juniors reached the final but lost to Fluminense.
On 3 March 2024, Cavani scored a hat-trick in a 3–2 win against Belgrano de Córdoba. In October 2024, he extended his contract until the end of 2026. He has said he wants to retire at Boca Juniors.
International Career
Youth Team
In January 2007, Cavani played for the Uruguay under-20 team. He was the top scorer in the tournament with seven goals. This helped Uruguay finish third and qualify for the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Senior National Team
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Cavani made his debut for the Uruguayan senior team on 6 February 2008. He scored a goal in a 2–2 draw against Colombia. In the 2010 World Cup, he helped set up a goal for Luis Suárez against Mexico. Uruguay finished fourth in the tournament.
On 8 October 2010, Cavani scored his first international hat-trick in a 7–1 friendly win against Indonesia.
Cavani was part of the Uruguayan team that won the 2011 Copa América in Argentina. He played in the final, coming on as a substitute. Uruguay beat Paraguay 3–0 to win a record 15th title.
World Cups and Confederations Cup
Cavani was one of three older players chosen for Uruguay at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
At the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, Cavani scored against Brazil in the semi-final. He also scored twice against Italy in the third-place match. Uruguay lost on penalties, but Cavani was named man of the match.
On 13 November 2013, Cavani scored in Uruguay's 5–0 win over Jordan. This helped Uruguay qualify for the 2014 World Cup. In the World Cup, he scored a penalty against Costa Rica. Uruguay was later knocked out by Colombia.
After the World Cup
With Luis Suárez suspended, Cavani was a key player for Uruguay at the 2015 Copa América. He was sent off in the quarter-finals against Chile. Uruguay lost 1–0 and were eliminated. Cavani also played in the Copa América Centenario the next year.
In 2018, Cavani helped Uruguay win the 2018 China Cup. He scored in the semi-final and the final.
2018 World Cup Performance
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Cavani was the top scorer in the CONMEBOL 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification with 10 goals. In the 2018 FIFA World Cup, he scored Uruguay's third goal in a 3–0 win over hosts Russia.
On 30 June, Cavani scored both of Uruguay's goals in a 2–1 victory against Portugal in the Round of 16. He had to leave the game early due to a hamstring injury. Because of this injury, he missed Uruguay's 2–0 defeat to France in the quarter-finals.
2019 Copa América
In March 2019, Cavani was included in Uruguay's squad for the 2019 Copa América. On 16 June, he scored an amazing bicycle-kick goal in a 4–0 win over Ecuador. This was his first goal ever in the Copa América. In the quarter-finals against Peru, his goal was disallowed. Uruguay lost the penalty shootout 5–4 and were eliminated.
Retirement from National Team
On 30 May 2024, Cavani announced he was retiring from the national team. His last match was Uruguay's 2–0 win over Ghana in the group stages of the 2022 FIFA World Cup on 2 December 2022.
How He Plays
Cavani is a fast, strong, and skilled forward. He is known for scoring many goals. He has a great first touch and moves smartly without the ball. He can score amazing goals with his head and feet. He also works very hard all over the field, even helping his team defend. He is good in the air and can score acrobatic goals.
He is also good at taking set-pieces and penalties. Besides scoring, he helps create space for his teammates. Sometimes, people have said he misses too many chances or doesn't play his best in big games. He usually plays as a main striker, but he can also play as a supporting striker or a winger.
Because he is so calm when scoring, he earned the nickname "El Matador." Like his hero, Gabriel Batistuta, Cavani often celebrates goals by pretending to fire an imaginary machine gun. He also pretends to shoot a bow and arrow.
About His Life
Edinson Cavani was born in Salto, Uruguay on 14 February 1987. His older brothers, Walter Guglielmone and Christian Cavani, are also professional footballers. Cavani has an Italian passport because his family has Italian roots. His grandparents came from Maranello in Italy. Cavani can speak three languages: Spanish, Italian, and French.
Cavani was married to Maria Soledad Cabris Yarrús, and they have two sons. They divorced in 2013. He is a religious person and a devout Evangelical Christian. When he was a child, he looked up to Argentine striker Gabriel Batistuta. Cavani also enjoys ballet dancing.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Danubio | 2005–06 | Uruguayan Primera División | 10 | 4 | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | 15 | 7 | |||
| 2006–07 | Uruguayan Primera División | 15 | 5 | — | — | — | — | 15 | 5 | |||||
| Total | 25 | 9 | 5 | 3 | — | — | — | 30 | 12 | |||||
| Palermo | 2006–07 | Serie A | 7 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 7 | 2 | ||||
| 2007–08 | Serie A | 33 | 5 | 2 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 37 | 5 | |||
| 2008–09 | Serie A | 35 | 14 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 36 | 15 | ||||
| 2009–10 | Serie A | 34 | 13 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | 37 | 15 | ||||
| Total | 109 | 34 | 6 | 3 | — | 2 | 0 | — | 117 | 37 | ||||
| Napoli | 2010–11 | Serie A | 35 | 26 | 2 | 0 | — | 10 | 7 | — | 47 | 33 | ||
| 2011–12 | Serie A | 35 | 23 | 5 | 5 | — | 8 | 5 | — | 48 | 33 | |||
| 2012–13 | Serie A | 34 | 29 | 1 | 1 | — | 7 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 43 | 38 | ||
| Total | 104 | 78 | 8 | 6 | — | 25 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 138 | 104 | |||
| Paris Saint-Germain | 2013–14 | Ligue 1 | 30 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 25 |
| 2014–15 | Ligue 1 | 35 | 18 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 53 | 31 | |
| 2015–16 | Ligue 1 | 32 | 19 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 52 | 25 | |
| 2016–17 | Ligue 1 | 36 | 35 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 50 | 49 | |
| 2017–18 | Ligue 1 | 32 | 28 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 40 | |
| 2018–19 | Ligue 1 | 21 | 18 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 23 | |
| 2019–20 | Ligue 1 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 7 | |
| Total | 200 | 138 | 24 | 16 | 19 | 15 | 54 | 30 | 4 | 1 | 301 | 200 | ||
| Manchester United | 2020–21 | Premier League | 26 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 6 | — | 39 | 17 | |
| 2021–22 | Premier League | 15 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 20 | 2 | ||
| Total | 41 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 6 | — | 59 | 19 | |||
| Valencia | 2022–23 | La Liga | 25 | 5 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 28 | 7 | ||
| Boca Juniors | 2023 | Argentine Primera División | 8 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | 6 | 1 | — | 16 | 3 | ||
| 2024 | Argentine Primera División | 29 | 11 | 4 | 4 | — | 6 | 5 | — | 39 | 20 | |||
| 2025 | Argentine Primera División | 13 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 3 | ||
| Total | 50 | 14 | 7 | 6 | — | 13 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 71 | 26 | |||
| Career total | 554 | 290 | 56 | 36 | 20 | 16 | 107 | 61 | 7 | 2 | 743 | 405 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uruguay | 2008 | 4 | 1 |
| 2009 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 12 | 7 | |
| 2011 | 12 | 2 | |
| 2012 | 9 | 3 | |
| 2013 | 15 | 7 | |
| 2014 | 10 | 4 | |
| 2015 | 8 | 4 | |
| 2016 | 11 | 9 | |
| 2017 | 9 | 3 | |
| 2018 | 11 | 6 | |
| 2019 | 7 | 4 | |
| 2020 | 2 | 1 | |
| 2021 | 8 | 2 | |
| 2022 | 10 | 5 | |
| Total | 136 | 58 | |
Trophies and Awards
Danubio
- Primera División: 2006–07
Napoli
- Coppa Italia: 2011–12
Paris Saint-Germain
- Ligue 1: 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20
- Coupe de France: 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2019–20
- Coupe de la Ligue: 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2019–20
- Trophée des Champions: 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019
Manchester United
- UEFA Europa League runner-up: 2020–21
Boca Juniors
- Copa Libertadores runner-up: 2023
Uruguay
Individual Awards
- South American Youth Championship top goalscorer: 2007 (7 goals)
- Serie A Team of the Year: 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13
- Coppa Italia top goalscorer: 2011–12 (5 goals)
- Capocannoniere (Serie A top scorer): 2012–13
- UNFP Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2013–14, 2016–17, 2017–18
- UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Year: 2016–17
- Ligue 1 top goalscorer: 2016–17 (35 goals), 2017–18 (28 goals)
- Golden Foot: 2018
- Premier League Goal of the Month: May 2021
- UEFA Europa League Squad of the Season: 2020–21
See also
In Spanish: Edinson Cavani para niños
