Damián Bobadilla

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Bobadilla and the second or maternal family name is Benítez.
Damián Bobadilla
Personal information
Full name Damián Josué Bobadilla Benítez
Date of birth (2001-07-11) 11 July 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth Asunción, Paraguay
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 São Paulo
Number 21
Youth career
0000–2021 Cerro Porteño
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–2023 Cerro Porteño 55 (9)
2024– São Paulo 25 (2)
International career‡
2024– Paraguay 9 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 9 December 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 9 December 2024

Damián Josué Bobadilla Benítez (born 11 July 2001) is a Paraguayan professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Série A club São Paulo and the Paraguay national team.

Club career

Cerro Porteño

Trained in the youth sectors of Cerro Porteño, he made his professional debut on 5 May 2021, against Atlético Mineiro in the 2021 Copa Libertadores.[1][2]

Bobadilla was elected with the “Futbolista de la Gente” award for the 2023 edition of the Paraguayan Championship.[3]

São Paulo

On 20 December 2023, Bobadilla moved to Brazil, signing a four-year contract with Série A club São Paulo,[4] for a reported fee of around $3 million for 60% of the player's economic rights.[5]

International career

Bobadilla made his debut for the Paraguay national team on 11 June 2024 in a friendly against Chile at Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos. He substituted Andrés Cubas at half-time as Chile won 3–0.[6]

Bobadilla played the 2024 Copa América, missing São Paulo FC seven league matches in the process. In order to not be absent in more games with his club, he opted to decline the Paraguay call up for the 2024 Summer Olympics.[7]

Personal life

Damián is son of the former goalkeeper Aldo Bobadilla.[8]

Career statistics

Club

As of 9 December 2024[9]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League State League Cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Cerro Porteño 2021 Paraguayan Primera División 2 0 — 0 0 2 0 4 0
2022 Paraguayan Primera División 15 1 — 0 0 2 0 17 1
2023 Paraguayan Primera División 38 8 — 1 1 10 2 49 11
Total 55 9 — 1 1 14 2 70 12
São Paulo 2024 Série A 18 1 7 1 4 0 6 1 35 3
Career total 73 10 7 1 5 1 20 3 105 15

International

As of match played 14 November 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Paraguay 2024 9 0
Total 9 0

Honours

Cerro Porteño
São Paulo

References

  1. ^ Martínez, Carlos (17 May 2021). "Versus / Damián Bobadilla; la capitanía en Cerro, el legado de su padre y sus referentes". Versus (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  2. ^ Candia, Pedro (25 April 2022). "Diario HOY | Damián Bobadilla, sobre canteranos de Cerro: "Lo único que queremos es jugar"". Diario HOY (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  3. ^ "Premiaron a los mejores del fútbol paraguayo en el 2023". Agencia de Informacíon Paraguaya (in Spanish). 5 December 2023.
  4. ^ "Tricolor acerta a contratação de Damián Bobadilla" [Tricolor agrees to sign Damián Bobadilla] (in Brazilian Portuguese). São Paulo FC. 20 December 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  5. ^ "São Paulo anuncia a contratação de Damián Bobadilla" [São Paulo announces signing of Damián Bobadilla]. TNT Sports (in Brazilian Portuguese). 20 December 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  6. ^ "Chile v Paraguay game report". ESPN. 11 June 2024.
  7. ^ "Bobadilla abdica das Olimpíadas para ajudar o São Paulo e ganha elogios de Zubeldía: "Foi premiado"".
  8. ^ Rojas, Arturo (25 October 2019). "Versus / Bobadilla, sobre su hijo que está en Cerro: "Él remó desde abajo"". Versus (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 October 2023.
  9. ^ Damián Bobadilla at Soccerway