Nicolás Lodeiro facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal family name is Lodeiro and the second or maternal family name is Benítez.

Quick facts for kids
Nicolás Lodeiro

Lodeiro with Uruguay in 2015

Personal information

Full name

Marcelo Nicolás Lodeiro Benítez

Date of birth

21 March 1989 (age 36)

Place of birth

Paysandú, Uruguay

Height

1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)

Position(s)

Attacking midfielder

Team information

Current team

Nacional

Number

Youth career

Barrio Obrero

2003–2007

Nacional

Senior career*

Years

Team

Apps

(Gls)

2007–2010

Nacional

(9)

2010–2012

Ajax

(2)

2012–2014

Botafogo

(7)

2014–2015

Corinthians

(0)

2015–2016

Boca Juniors

(6)

2016–2023

Seattle Sounders

191

(41)

2024–2025

Orlando City

(1)

2025

Houston Dynamo

(1)

2025–

Nacional

(0)

International career

2008–2009

Uruguay U20

(5)

2012

Uruguay Olympic

(1)

2009–2019

Uruguay

(5)

Medal record

Copa América

Representing Uruguay
Winner	2011 Argentina

*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 28 June 2025

Marcelo Nicolás Lodeiro Benítez (born on March 21, 1989), known as Nicolás Lodeiro, is a professional football player from Uruguay. He plays as an attacking midfielder for the club Nacional in Uruguay.

Nicolás has played football in many countries. These include Uruguay, the Netherlands, Brazil, Argentina, and the United States. He won the Eredivisie league title twice with Ajax. He also won the league and cup in 2015 with Boca Juniors. Lodeiro helped Nacional and Botafogo win titles. He also won the MLS Cup in 2016 and 2019 with Seattle Sounders.

Lodeiro has played for the Uruguay national team since 2009. He played in two FIFA World Cup tournaments. He also played in four Copa América tournaments. He was part of the team that finished fourth in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He also helped Uruguay win the 2011 Copa América.

Club Career Highlights

Lodeiro with Ajax in 2011

Starting Out in Football

Nicolás Lodeiro was born in 1989 in Paysandú, Uruguay. This city is right next to Argentina. He started playing football in the youth teams of a local club called Barrio Obrero. A scout named Daniel López noticed his talent. When Nicolás was just 14, he joined the youth team at Nacional Montevideo.

Playing for Nacional

Four years later, at 18, Lodeiro played his first game for Nacional's main team. This was on August 19, 2007, against Fénix. Later that year, he scored his first goal as a professional. Everyone could see he was a rising star.

In 2009, Lodeiro really started to shine. He scored three goals and made several assists in the Copa Libertadores. This helped Nacional reach the semi-finals of the tournament. His great play made him known as one of the best young players in Uruguay.

Time with Ajax

In January 2010, Lodeiro signed a contract with Ajax in the Netherlands. He joined his friends and fellow Uruguayan players, Bruno Silva and Luis Suárez. His first game for Ajax was on February 7, 2010. He scored his first goal for Ajax on March 25 in the KNVB Beker cup.

He got injured during the World Cup, so he did not play in the 2010-2011 season. But in the next season, he played 19 games and scored two goals. He also scored once in the Champions League. He helped Ajax win their 31st league title.

Moving to Botafogo

On July 20, 2012, Lodeiro signed a four-year contract with Botafogo in Brazil. He moved to Rio de Janeiro. He was a very important player for the team. He helped them win the Campeonato Carioca in 2013. This also helped Botafogo qualify for the 2014 Copa Libertadores after 18 years. While at Botafogo, Lodeiro also played for Uruguay in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Playing for Corinthians

On May 29, 2014, Lodeiro signed a four-year deal with Corinthians, another Brazilian club.

Joining Boca Juniors

Lodeiro with Boca Juniors in 2016

In 2015, Lodeiro joined the Argentinian club Boca Juniors. In September 2015, he scored a goal against River Plate in the famous Superclásico match. On November 4, 2015, Lodeiro scored a penalty in the 2015 Copa Argentina Final. This helped Boca beat Rosario Central 2–0 and win both the league and the cup that year.

Success with Seattle Sounders

In the summer of 2016, there were many talks about Lodeiro moving to Major League Soccer (MLS) club Seattle Sounders. He officially signed with the Sounders on July 27, 2016.

Lodeiro played his first game for the Sounders on July 31, 2016. He played the whole game in a 1–1 draw against LA Galaxy. He scored his first goal for the Sounders on August 14, 2016, in a 2–1 win against Real Salt Lake.

Lodeiro was key to the team's amazing run in the 2016 MLS Cup. He scored four goals and made eight assists in 13 regular season games. This helped Seattle reach the playoffs. In the playoffs, he scored four more goals in six games. He led the team to win the championship. In the MLS Cup Final against Toronto FC, the game ended 0–0. Lodeiro scored a penalty in the shootout. This helped the Sounders win their first MLS Cup. When Lodeiro joined, the Sounders were at the bottom of the league. But his ability to create plays and make his teammates better turned their season around. He was named the MLS Newcomer of the Year for his great performances.

Lodeiro playing for Seattle Sounders in 2017

On November 10, 2019, Lodeiro helped the Sounders win another MLS Cup. He assisted a goal in a 3–1 win over Toronto FC in the MLS Cup Final.

In the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League Final, he scored two penalties in the first game. He scored another goal in the second game, helping his club win their first title in this competition.

On October 21, 2023, Lodeiro announced he would leave the Sounders when his contract ended. His departure was confirmed on December 12.

Playing for Orlando City

On January 4, 2024, Lodeiro signed with Orlando City. He scored his first goal for the club on February 27 in the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup. On March 23, he scored his first regular season goal for Orlando City. On May 11, Lodeiro made three assists in one game. He finished the season with two goals and thirteen assists.

On February 18, 2025, Orlando City and Lodeiro agreed to end his contract early.

Short Time with Houston Dynamo

The day after leaving Orlando City, Lodeiro signed with another MLS club, Houston Dynamo. This was a one-year contract. Three days later, Lodeiro played his first game for Houston. On March 2, he scored his first goal for the Dynamo. On June 28, Houston Dynamo announced that Lodeiro's last game with the club would be that same day. He played 16 games for the club, scoring one goal and making one assist.

Returning to Nacional

On July 11, Lodeiro signed with his first club, Nacional. Lodeiro said he plans for Nacional to be his last club before he retires from playing. He also wants to help the club in other ways after he stops playing.

International Career

Youth Teams

In 2009, Lodeiro also played well for the Uruguay under-20 national team. He had great performances at a South American under-20 tournament. He scored three goals and helped Uruguay finish third. He also scored two goals in four matches at the FIFA under-20 tournament in Egypt.

Senior National Team

Lodeiro played his first game for the Uruguay senior team against Costa Rica. This was in a play-off game for the 2010 World Cup. He played in both games and was named player of the match in the second game.

Lodeiro played for Uruguay in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In Uruguay's first match against France, he was the first player to get a red card in that tournament.

Lodeiro scored his first goal for Uruguay on June 23, 2011. This was in a 3–0 friendly win against Estonia. He was part of the Uruguay team that won the 2011 Copa América in Argentina.

Lodeiro was also part of Uruguay's team at the 2012 Summer Olympics.

He played in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil, where Uruguay finished fourth. During this tournament, he scored in an 8–0 win over Tahiti on June 23.

Lodeiro was a member of the Uruguay team that played in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. He started two games and came in as a substitute in another.

Lodeiro playing for Uruguay in 2014

In May 2015, Lodeiro was chosen for Uruguay's team for the 2015 Copa América.

He also played for Uruguay in the 2016 Copa América Centenario in the United States. He started two games and made one assist.

In March 2019, Lodeiro was part of Uruguay's team for the 2019 Copa América in Brazil. On June 16, he scored the first goal in a 4–0 win over Ecuador. This was Uruguay's 400th goal in the competition. Uruguay was later knocked out by Peru in the quarter-finals.

How Nicolás Lodeiro Plays

Nicolás Lodeiro is a small, energetic, and very skilled midfielder. He is known for being able to get past defenders easily. He has great speed and can control the ball very well. Because of his dribbling skills, some people compared him to Enzo Francescoli when he was young. They even called him "the Uruguayan Messi."

He also has excellent vision and can create many chances for his teammates. He is good at passing the ball and helps his team build up attacks. Lodeiro is a versatile playmaker. He likes to play freely in the middle of the field, usually as an attacking midfielder (the number 10 role). In this position, he can drop back to get the ball and control the game with his passes.

He also likes to move to the sides of the field to help his team attack from the wings. He can play in many different positions, including as a winger or a central midfielder. He is a very energetic player and works hard to defend. He is also smart about tactics and can mark opponents well. His fitness and movement help him press opposing players. He can also create space for his teammates or make runs into the opponent's penalty area.

Lodeiro is naturally left-footed. He is known for his powerful and accurate shots with his left foot, which helps him score goals. He is also good at taking free kicks and other set pieces.

Personal Life

In February 2018, Lodeiro received a U.S. green card. This meant he was considered a domestic player for MLS teams.

Career Statistics

Club Appearances and Goals

Here are the numbers for Nicolás Lodeiro's games and goals for different clubs:

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National cup		Continental		Other		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Nacional	2007–08	Uruguayan Primera División	15	0	–		0	0	–		15	0
	2008–09		20	2	–		10	4	–		30	6
	2009–10		8	7	–		–		–		8	7
	Total		43	9	–		10	4	–		53	13
Ajax	2009–10	Eredivisie	8	0	2	1	–		–		10	1
	2010–11		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	2011–12		13	2	1	0	5	1	–		19	3
	Total		21	2	3	1	5	1	0	0	29	4
Botafogo	2012	Série A	18	2	0	0	1	1	0	0	19	3
	2013		26	5	8	1	0	0	16	8	50	14
	2014		3	0	0	0	8	0	5	0	16	0
	Total		47	7	8	1	9	1	21	8	85	17
Corinthians	2014	Série A	7	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	8	0
Boca Juniors	2015	Argentine Primera División	21	3	5	2	5	1	–		31	6
	2016	Argentine Primera División	9	3	0	0	9	2	0	0	18	5
	Total		30	6	5	2	14	3	0	0	49	11
Seattle Sounders	2016	Major League Soccer	13	4	0	0	–		6	4	19	8
	2017		33	7	0	0	–		5	0	38	7
	2018		27	8	0	0	3	2	2	1	32	11
	2019		28	7	0	0	–		4	2	32	9
	2020		20	7	–		0	0	5	1	25	8
	2021		9	0	–		–		2	1	11	1
	2022		28	7	0	0	6	5	–		34	12
	2023		33	1	1	0	0	0	6	1	40	2
	Total		191	41	1	0	9	7	30	10	231	58
Orlando City	2024	Major League Soccer	34	1	0	0	4	1	8	0	46	2
Houston Dynamo	2025	Major League Soccer	16	1	2	0	–		0	0	18	1
Nacional	2025	Uruguayan Primera División	0	0	–		–		–		0	0
Career total			389	67	20	4	51	17	59	18	519	106

International Appearances and Goals

Here are Nicolás Lodeiro's games and goals for the Uruguay national team:

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Uruguay	2009	2	0
	2010	5	0
	2011	5	1
	2012	2	0
	2013	10	2
	2014	11	0
	2015	9	0
	2016	7	1
	2017	2	0
	2018	1	0
	2019	6	1
Total		60	5

Scores and results list Uruguay Olympic team goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Lodeiro goal.

List of international goals scored by Nicolás Lodeiro
No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	26 July 2012	Old Trafford, Manchester, England	United Arab Emirates	2–1	2–1	2012 Olympic Games

Scores and results list Uruguay's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Lodeiro goal.

List of international goals scored by Nicolás Lodeiro
No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	23 June 2011	Estadio Atilio Paiva Olivera, Rivera, Uruguay	Estonia	3–0	3–0	Friendly
2	23 June 2013	Itaipava Arena Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil	Tahiti	5–0	8–0	2013 FIFA Confederations Cup
3	13 November 2013	Amman International Stadium, Amman, Jordan	Jordan	3–0	5–0	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
4	6 October 2016	Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay	Venezuela	1–0	3–0	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
5	16 June 2019	Estádio Mineirão, Belo Horizonte, Brazil	Ecuador	1–0	4–0	2019 Copa América