Roberto Molina (footballer, born 2001)

Roberto Molina
Personal information
Full name Roberto Molina
Date of birth (2001-01-28) 28 January 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth Sonsonate, El Salvador
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
 Miami FC
Youth career
2017–2019 Barca Residency Academy
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019–2020 UC Irvine Anteaters 19 (3)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–2022 Las Vegas Lights 44 (3)
2023–2024 Indy Eleven 17 (3)
2024– Miami FC 26 (1)
International career‡
2021– El Salvador 6 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:59, 31 October 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 16:41, 13 March 2024 (UTC)

Roberto Molina (born 28 January 2001) is a Salvadoran professional footballer who plays as a winger for USL Championship club Miami FC and the El Salvador national team.

Career

Youth

Molina played with the USSDA Barca Residency academy for 3 years prior to attending college.[1]

College

In 2019, Molina attended the University of California, Irvine to play college soccer. In his freshman season, Molina made 19 appearances, scoring 3 goals and tallying 3 assists for the Anteaters.[2] There was no 2020 season in the Big West Conference due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Professional

On 5 April 2021, Molina was announced as a signing for USL Championship side Las Vegas Lights, opting to pursue a professional career and leaving college early.[3] Molina made his professional debut on 5 May 2021, starting in a 5–0 loss to LA Galaxy II.[4]

On January 11, 2022, Molina was selected 45th overall in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft by Colorado Rapids.[5]

On May 18, 2023, Molina signed with USL Championship club Indy Eleven.[6] The club announced that Molina would return for the 2024 USL Championship season on January 12, 2024.[7]

Molina was transferred to USL Championship club Miami FC as part of a swap deal on April 11, 2024.[8]

Personal

Molina was born in El Salvador, and raised in both Sonsonate and North Hollywood, California.[2]

References

  1. ^ "Barca Academy". grsa.ussoccerda.com.
  2. ^ a b "Roberto Molina - Men's Soccer". UCI Athletics.
  3. ^ "LIGHTS FC ANNOUNCE INITIAL SET OF PLAYER SIGNINGS FOR 2021 SEASON". www.lasvegaslightsfc.com.
  4. ^ "LA Galaxy II vs. Las Vegas Lights FC - May 5, 2021 | USLChampionship.com". www.uslchampionship.com.
  5. ^ "Rapids make trade then take three players in 2022 MLS Superdraft". 11 January 2022.
  6. ^ "Eleven Adds to Attack with Signing of Roberto Molina".
  7. ^ "Forward Roberto Molina Returns for the Boys in Blue in 2024". Indy Eleven. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  8. ^ "Miami FC Announces the Trade of Ben Ofeimu and Ben Mines to Indy Eleven". Miami FC. Retrieved 11 April 2024.