Renato Tapia facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Renato Tapia

Tapia with Peru in 2017
Personal information
Full name	Renato Fabrizio Tapia Cortijo
Date of birth	(1995-07-28) 28 July 1995 (age 30)
Place of birth	Lima, Peru
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Defensive midfielder, centre-back
Team information
Current team	Al Wasl
Youth career
2004–2007	Sporting Cristal
2007–2013	Esther Grande
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2013–2015	Jong Twente	21	(1)
2013–2016	Twente	31	(6)
2016–2020	Feyenoord	45	(2)
2019	→ Willem II (loan)	16	(1)
2020–2024	Celta	110	(1)
2024–2025	Leganés	34	(1)
2025–	Al Wasl	0	(0)
International career‡
2011	Peru U17	4	(0)
2013	Peru U20	6	(0)
2015–	Peru	91	(5)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Peru Copa América Runner-up 2019 Brazil
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 27 May 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 03:39, 11 June 2025 (UTC)

Renato Fabrizio Tapia Cortijo (born on July 28, 1995) is a professional footballer from Peru. He plays as a defensive midfielder or a centre-back. Currently, he plays for Al Wasl and is also a key player for the Peru national team.

Renato Tapia's Football Journey

Starting in Peru: Youth Career

Renato Tapia was born in Lima, Peru. He began his football journey at a young age. He first joined the youth team of Sporting Cristal. Later, when he was twelve years old, he moved to the Esther Grande academy.

At Esther Grande, Renato quickly became known as a talented youth player. He helped his academy team win the Copa Federación in their age group. He even won an award for Best Player at the 'Night of Stars' event. His skills caught the eye of big clubs in England, like Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur. Renato shared that he almost joined Liverpool, but he was not chosen because of his height at the time.

Playing in Europe: Twente

In the summer of 2013, Renato Tapia moved to Europe. This was his first time playing football outside of Peru. He signed a four-year contract with Twente, a team in the Eredivisie league in the Netherlands. When he first joined, he played for Jong FC Twente, which is the club's reserve team. This helped him develop his skills.

Renato played his first game for Jong FC Twente on September 20, 2013. It was a 3–3 draw against De Graafschap. He came into the game as a substitute in the second half. He scored his first goal for the reserve team on November 22, 2013, in a 2–1 win against Willem II. In his first season with Jong Twente, he played 19 games and scored one goal.

After playing for the reserve team, Renato was promoted to Twente's main team. He made his first team debut in the first game of the season. This was on August 10, 2014, in a 0–0 draw against Cambuur. He came on as a substitute late in the game. A week later, he got an ankle injury that kept him out for three months. He returned to play in November 2014.

Renato scored his first goal for Twente on January 31, 2015, in a 2–1 win against Cambuur. He scored four more goals that season against teams like PEC Zwolle and Groningen. He even scored two goals in one game against Go Ahead Eagles. His season ended early because of a knee injury. He played 22 games and scored five goals in total that season.

At the start of the 2015–16 season, Renato had surgery on his knee. He recovered and played in the first game of the season, scoring in a 1–1 draw against Groningen. He continued to play well for Twente, making 14 appearances and scoring one goal before the end of 2015.

Moving to Feyenoord

In December 2015, another Dutch club, Feyenoord, showed interest in Renato Tapia. They knew that FC Twente was having financial problems. On January 27, 2016, Renato officially joined Feyenoord. He signed a contract for four and a half years.

Renato played his first game for Feyenoord on February 7, 2016. It was a big rivalry match against Ajax. He started the game, but Feyenoord lost 2–1. In his first season, he mostly played for the reserve team. He knew he needed to improve to get more chances with the main team.

For the 2016–17 season, Renato worked hard to become a regular player. He made his first league appearance of the season on October 2, 2016. He came on as a substitute and scored a goal just 13 minutes later. This helped Feyenoord win 2–0 against Willem II.

Playing in Spain: Celta de Vigo and Leganés

On July 20, 2020, Renato Tapia moved to Spain. He signed a four-year contract with Celta de Vigo, a team in La Liga, which is Spain's top football league. He scored his first goal for Celta de Vigo in a friendly match against Al Nassar, which Celta won 5-0.

After four seasons with Celta de Vigo, Renato joined Leganés on August 15, 2024. He signed a two-year deal, continuing to play in the Spanish top league.

Playing for Peru: International Career

Renato Tapia has played for Peru at different age levels. He played for the Peru U17 team in 2011. He also played for the Peru U20 team in 2013.

In March 2015, Renato was called up to the Peru's senior team for the first time. He made his debut on April 1, 2015, in a 2–2 draw against Venezuela. He was supposed to play in the Copa América that year, but an injury stopped him. However, he was part of the team for the Copa América Centenario in 2016 and played in all four of Peru's matches.

Renato scored his first goal for Peru on September 7, 2016. It was in a 2–1 win against Ecuador. In May 2018, he was chosen for Peru's team for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Personal Life

Renato Tapia has a diverse background. He is of African and Quechua origin. During the 2018 FIFA World Cup, he and his teammate Edison Flores worked to promote and protect the Quechua people.

Career Achievements

Renato Tapia has won several titles with his clubs:

Feyenoord

• Eredivisie: 2016–17
• KNVB Cup: 2015–16, 2017–18
• Johan Cruijff Shield: 2017, 2018

Images for kids

• 

  Tapia with Peru in 2017

See also

In Spanish: Renato Tapia para niños