Eugenio Pizzuto

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Pizzuto and the second or maternal family name is Puga.
Eugenio Pizzuto
Personal information
Full name Eugenio Pizzuto Puga
Date of birth (2002-05-13) 13 May 2002 (age 22)
Place of birth San Luis Potosí, Mexico
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 UANL
Number 21
Youth career
2014–2017 Wellington Phoenix
2018–2020 Pachuca
2020–2021 Lille
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020 Pachuca 1 (0)
2020–2022 Lille 0 (0)
2022–2023 Braga B 1 (0)
2023– Tigres UANL 2 (0)
International career‡
2018–2019 Mexico U17 15 (2)
2022 Mexico U21 5 (0)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Mexico
FIFA U-17 World Cup
Second place 2019 Brazil Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15 July 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12 June 2022

Eugenio Pizzuto Puga (born 13 May 2002) is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Liga MX club Tigres UANL.

Club career

Early career

Born in San Luis Potosí, Pizzuto was first spotted at the age of 12 in 2013 by scout Jess Ibrom of the New Zealand-based Asia-Pacific Football Academy which worked in association with Chelsea FC (now merged with professional side Wellington Phoenix) during open trials in the city of Monclova, Mexico. Following his performances, Pizzuto was offered a place in the academy along with a scholarship to Scots College in Wellington.[1][2]

Pachuca

Following his time at Wellington Phoenix - where he was unable to play organised club football due to FIFA laws preventing the international transfer of minors - Pizzuto returned to Mexico and joined the youth ranks of Pachuca in 2018.[3]

On 21 January 2020, Pizzuto made his professional debut during a Copa MX group stage match against Ascenso MX club Venados. Four days later, Pizzuto made his Liga MX debut, coming on as a 59th-minute substitute for Franco Jara in an eventual 3–0 loss against León. However, just nine minutes after coming on, Pizzuto broke his fibula and dislocated his ankle after getting his foot caught on the pitch.[4]

Lille

On 1 August 2020, Pizzuto joined French side Lille on a free transfer.[5] He debuted for the club's reserve team, Lille II, on 10 October, coming on as a substitute on the 58th minute against US Maubeuge, winning 3–1.[6] He appeared on the bench for the first team for first time as an unused substitute on 22 November in a league match against Lorient, winning 4–0.[7]

On 17 January 2022, Pizzuto's contract was terminated by Lille making him a free agent.[8]

Braga

On 26 January 2022, Pizzuto joined Braga.[9]

Tigres UANL

On 14 June 2023, Pizzuto returned to Mexico and joined Tigres UANL as a free agent.[10]

International career

Youth

Pizzuto was part of the under-17 squad that participated at the 2019 CONCACAF U-17 Championship,[11] where Mexico won the competition. He was included in the Best XI of the tournament.[12] Pizzuto was the captain of the team that participated at the 2019 U-17 World Cup.[13] Finishing runner-up against Brazil, he won the Bronze Ball of the tournament.[14] He was included in the France Football team of the tournament.[15]

Pizzuto was called up by Raúl Chabrand to participate with the under-21 team at the 2022 Maurice Revello Tournament,[16] where Mexico finished the tournament in third place.[17]

Personal life

Pizzuto is of Italian descent. His father is from Italy and his mother from Mexico.

Career statistics

Club

As of 4 August 2023[18]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Pachuca 2019–20 Liga MX 1 0 1 0 – – 2 0
Lille 2020–21 Ligue 1 0 0 – – – 0 0
Braga B 2022–23 Liga 3 1 0 – – – 1 0
Tigres UANL 2022–23 Liga MX – – – 1[a] 0 1 0
2023–24 2 0 – – 1[b] 0 3 0
Total 2 0 – 0 0 2 0 4 0
Career total 4 0 1 0 0 0 2 0 7 0
  1. ^ Appearance in Campeón de Campeones
  2. ^ Appearance in Leagues Cup

Honours

Lille

Tigres UANL

Mexico U17

Individual

References

  1. ^ Rollo, Phillip (17 August 2019). "Wellington schoolboy Eugenio Pizzuto now one of Mexico's brightest football prospects". Stuff. Archived from the original on 14 February 2021. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  2. ^ "From Wellington to the world: Meet the Mexican football sensation schooled in NZ". Stuff. 21 August 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  3. ^ "¿Quién es Eugenio Pizzuto? El Sub 17 que convocó Gerardo Martino con México | Aquí está el Tri". TUDN. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
  4. ^ "17-year-old Mexico starlet Eugenio Pizzuto suffers horror injury just NINE minutes into his professional debut for Pachuca". talksport.com. 26 January 2020. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
  5. ^ "Lille sign young Mexico star Eugenio Pizzuto". ESPN. August 2020. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
  6. ^ "Eugenio Pizzuto es descartado por el Lille para la fase de grupos de la Europa League". Marca. 19 October 2020.
  7. ^ "Pizzuto entra en convocatoria de Lille por primera vez para la Liga de Francia". MedioTiempo.com. 22 November 2019.
  8. ^ "Résiliation Du Contrat Entre Le LOSC et Eugenio Pizzuto" (Press release) (in French). Lille. 17 January 2022.
  9. ^ "Eugenio Pizzuto assina pelo SC Braga" (Press release) (in Portuguese). Braga. 26 January 2022.
  10. ^ "Pizzuto hace su debut con Tigres y reaparece en Liga MX". ESPN. 25 June 2023.
  11. ^ "Efraín Álvarez encabeza lista del Tri para el Premundial Sub-17".
  12. ^ "TSG anuncia el XI Ideal Sub-17 de Concacaf 2019". Archived from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  13. ^ Medel, Édgar Malagón (7 October 2019). "Revelan lista del Tri para Mundial Sub-17; la encabeza la 'joya' que Zlatan alaba" (in Spanish). Mediotiempo. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  14. ^ "Eugenio Pizzuto ganó Balón de Bronce; brasileño Gabriel Veron se llevó el de Oro" (in Spanish). Mediotiempo. 17 November 2019. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
  15. ^ "Notre équipe type de la Coupe du monde U17" [Our typical U17 World Cup team]. France Football (in French). 18 November 2019.
  16. ^ "Mexico announce squad for 2022 Toulon Tournament". FMF State of Mind. 27 May 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  17. ^ "México Sub-21 vence a Colombia y es tercer lugar del Maurice Revello 2022". Fox Sports. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
  18. ^ Eugenio Pizzuto at Soccerway