Erik Expósito

Erik Expósito
Personal information
Full name Erik Alexander Expósito Hernández
Date of birth (1996-06-23) 23 June 1996 (age 28)
Place of birth Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Al Ahli
Number 10
Youth career
Unión La Paz
Verdellada
Paracuellos
Barranco Hondo
Lorquí
2015 Málaga
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015–2016 Málaga B 1 (0)
2016 → Rayo Cantabria (loan) 18 (6)
2016–2019 Las Palmas B 54 (29)
2017–2019 Las Palmas 11 (1)
2018–2019 → Córdoba (loan) 7 (0)
2019–2024 Śląsk Wrocław 152 (54)
2024– Al Ahli 9 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:30, 9 November 2024 (UTC)
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Expósito and the second or maternal family name is Hernández.

Erik Alexander Expósito Hernández (born 23 June 1996) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a forward for Qatar Stars League club Al Ahli.

Club career

Born in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Expósito joined Málaga CF's youth setup in January 2015, after stints at AJ Unión La Paz, CD Verdellada, CD Paracuellos, Atlético Barranco Hondo and ADM Lorquí.[1][2] He made his debut with the reserves on 27 September of that year, coming on as a substitute for goalscorer Kuki Zalazar in a 5–0 Tercera División home routing of Atarfe Industrial CF.[3]

On 2 January 2016, he was loaned to fellow fourth tier club Deportivo Rayo Cantabria, until June.[4] After appearing regularly he moved to another reserve team, UD Las Palmas Atlético in the same division on 18 July.[5]

On 26 April 2017, Expósito made his first team – and La Liga – debut, starting in a 3–0 away loss against CD Leganés.[6] On 16 June, he was promoted to the main squad ahead of the 2017–18 campaign.[7]

Expósito scored his first professional goal on 5 March 2018, netting the opener in a 2–1 loss at Celta de Vigo. He contributed with ten first-team appearances during the campaign, as his side suffered relegation.

On 31 August 2018, Expósito was loaned to Segunda División side Córdoba CF, for one year.[8] The following 25 January, after being rarely used, his loan was cut short.[9]

Expósito moved abroad on 27 June 2019, signing a three-year deal with Polish Ekstraklasa club Śląsk Wrocław after his Las Palmas contract expired.[10] On 21 September, he scored a hat-trick in a 4–4 home draw against local rivals Zagłębie Lubin.[11]

After finishing the 2021–22 and 2022–23 campaigns in the last spot safe from relegation,[12] Expósito, as the club's captain, led Śląsk to a second-place finish in the 2023–24 Ekstraklasa.[13] He ended the season with 19 goals in 33 league appearances, making him the league's best goalscorer.[14] For his efforts, he was named the Ekstraklasa Forward of the Season.[15] On 7 June 2024, he confirmed he would be leaving the club at the end of the month once his contract expires.[16]

On 11 June 2024, it was announced he would join Qatari side Umm Salal on 1 July that year.[17] However, the deal was cancelled shortly after, and Expósito became a free agent on 30 June.[18]

Expósito would continue his career in Qatar after all; on 4 July 2024, he joined Al Ahli on a three-year deal.[19]

Career statistics

As of match played 1 November 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Las Palmas 2016–17 La Liga 2 0 0 0 — — 2 0
2017–18 La Liga 9 1 0 0 — — 9 1
Total 11 1 0 0 — — 11 1
Córdoba (loan) 2018–19 Segunda División 7 0 3 0 — — 10 0
Śląsk Wrocław 2019–20 Ekstraklasa 35 8 1 0 — — 36 8
2020–21 Ekstraklasa 27 9 0 0 — — 27 9
2021–22 Ekstraklasa 28 11 1 0 5[b] 1 — 34 12
2022–23 Ekstraklasa 29 7 4 3 — — 33 10
2023–24 Ekstraklasa 33 19 1 0 — — 34 19
Total 152 54 7 3 5 1 — 164 58
Al Ahli 2024–25 Qatar Stars League 9 3 2 1 — — 11 4
Career total 179 58 12 4 5 1 0 0 196 63
  1. ^ Includes Copa del Rey, Polish Cup, Qatari Stars Cup
  2. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa Conference League

Honours

Individual

References

  1. ^ "Entrevista. Erik Expósito: "Cada vez estamos mejor y con más confianza"" [Interview. Erik Expósito: "We are better each time and with more confidence"] (in Spanish). Vavel. 12 November 2014. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  2. ^ "El Málaga pierde a Pepín, pero se refuerza para ser campeón" [Málaga lose Pepín, but bolster to become champion] (in Spanish). Cuenta con la Cantera. 21 February 2015. Archived from the original on 13 June 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  3. ^ "El Malagueño golea 5–0 a un Atarfe con nueve" [Malagueño thrash by 5–0 a nine-man Atarfe] (in Spanish). Diario Sur. 28 September 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  4. ^ "Erik Expósito y Jerin Ramos, nuevos jugadores del Rayo Cantabria" [Erik Expósito and Jerin Ramos, new players of Rayo Cantabria] (in Spanish). 2 January 2016. Archived from the original on 27 April 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  5. ^ "El filial echó a rodar con el fichaje del delantero Erik Expósito" [The reserves start up with the signing of forward Erik Expósito] (in Spanish). Tinta Amarilla. 18 July 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  6. ^ "Las Palmas le hace un favor al Leganés" [Las Palmas do a favour to Leganés] (in Spanish). Marca. 26 April 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  7. ^ "La UD Las Palmas presenta a sus tres nuevos valores de la cantera" [UD Las Palmas present their three new prospects of the youth squad] (in Spanish). UD Las Palmas. 16 June 2017. Retrieved 17 June 2017.
  8. ^ "Erik Expósito, cedido al Córdoba CF" [Erik Expósito, loaned to Córdoba CF] (in Spanish). UD Las Palmas. 31 August 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  9. ^ "Acuerdo para la rescisión de Aythami Artiles y Erik Expósito" [Agreement for the rescision of Aythami Artiles and Erik Expósito] (in Spanish). Córdoba CF. 25 January 2019. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  10. ^ "Erik Expósito se marcha al Slask Wroclaw de Polonia" [Erik Expósito goes to Śląsk Wrocław of Poland]. La Provincia (in Spanish). 26 June 2019. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  11. ^ Pietrasik, Maciej (21 September 2019). "PKO Ekstraklasa. Hat-trick Exposito, szalone derby we Wrocławiu! Dzięki Hiszpanowi Śląsk wciąż niepokonany!" [PLO Ekstraklasa. Expósito hat-trick, crazy derby in Wrocław! Thanks to the Spaniard Śląsk remain unbeaten!] (in Polish). Gol 24. Retrieved 31 October 2019.
  12. ^ Bugajski, Karol (6 June 2023). "Alfabet Śląska Wrocław. "Ta groźba jest realna"". przegladsportowy.onet.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  13. ^ "Piłkarze Śląska Wrocław wicemistrzami Polski". wroclaw.tvp.pl (in Polish). 25 May 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  14. ^ a b "Klasyfikacja strzelców PKO Ekstraklasy w sezonie 2023/24. Kto został królem strzelców?". sport.tvp.pl (in Polish). 25 May 2024. Retrieved 25 May 2024.
  15. ^ a b "Kamil Grosicki z dwoma nagrodami za sezon. Wybrano najlepszych w sezonie 2023/24" (in Polish). Ekstraklasa. 27 May 2024. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  16. ^ Figlewicz, Antoni (7 June 2024). "Oficjalnie: Erik Exposito odchodzi ze Śląska. "Odrzuciłem wszystkie oferty z Polski"". weszlo.com (in Polish). Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  17. ^ Wieczorek, Bartosz (11 June 2024). "Erik Exposito opuścił Śląsk Wrocław. Zagra w Umm-Salal. Zarobi kosmiczne pieniądze!". sport.tvp.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 11 June 2024.
  18. ^ Michałek, Mateusz (1 July 2024). "Erik Expósito do wzięcia". transfery.info (in Polish). Retrieved 2 July 2024.
  19. ^ "الاهلي يتعاقد مع المهاجم الإسباني ايريك اكسبوسيتو" [Al-Ahli signs Spanish striker Eric Exposito] (in Arabic). Al Ahli. 4 July 2024. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  20. ^ "PIŁKARZ SIERPNIA 2023: ERIK EXPOSITO" (in Polish). Ekstraklasa. 6 September 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  21. ^ "PIŁKARZ WRZEŚNIA 2023: ERIK EXPOSITO" (in Polish). Ekstraklasa. 12 October 2023. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  22. ^ "Piłkarz Października 2023: Erik Exposito (Śląsk Wrocław)" (in Polish). Ekstraklasa. 8 November 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2023.
  23. ^ "Dominatorzy z Jagiellonii! Piłkarze PKO BP Ekstraklasy wybrali" (in Polish). Polish Union of Footballers. 9 August 2024. Retrieved 9 August 2024.