Luis Alfonso Espino García (born 5 January 1992), commonly known as Pacha Espino, is a Uruguayan professional footballer who plays as a left-back for La Liga club Rayo Vallecano.

Alfonso Espino
Personal information
Full name Luis Alfonso Espino García
Date of birth (1992-01-05) 5 January 1992 (age 32)
Place of birth San Jacinto, Uruguay
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)[1]
Position(s) Left-back
Team information
Current team
Rayo Vallecano
Number 12
Youth career
Danubio
Huracán Buceo
Miramar Misiones
Nacional Montevideo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2014–2019 Nacional Montevideo 128 (4)
2019–2023 Cádiz 146 (3)
2023– Rayo Vallecano 31 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 5 June 2024

Club career

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Nacional Montevideo

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Born in San Jacinto, Espino joined Nacional Montevideo's youth setup in 2012, from Miramar Misiones.[2] He made his senior debut on 1 February 2014, starting in a 2–0 away win against Racing Montevideo for the Uruguayan Primera División championship.

Espino scored his first senior goal on 24 April 2016, netting the game's only in a home defeat of Fénix. A regular starter, he lifted the 2014–15 and 2016 league titles with the club.

Cádiz

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On 28 January 2019, Espino moved abroad for the first time in his career after agreeing to a two-and-a-half-year contract with Segunda División side Cádiz CF.[3] He became a regular starter during the 2019–20 season, scoring once in 36 matches as the club achieved promotion to La Liga.

Espino made his top tier debut on 12 September 2020, starting in a 2–0 away loss against CA Osasuna. On 31 October, he renewed his contract until 2023.[4]

Rayo Vallecano

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On 17 July 2023, free agent Espino signed a three-year contract with Rayo Vallecano also in the Spanish first division, La Liga.[5]

International career

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On 7 January 2022, Espino was named in Uruguay's 50-man preliminary squad for FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Paraguay and Venezuela.[6] On 21 October 2022, he was named in Uruguay's 55-man preliminary squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.[7]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played 4 June 2023[8]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Nacional 2013–14 Uruguayan Primera División 5 0 0 0 5 0
2014–15 Uruguayan Primera División 22 0 2[a] 0 24 0
2015–16 Uruguayan Primera División 27 1 3[b] 0 30 1
2016 Uruguayan Primera División 11 1 10[a] 0 21 1
2017 Urguayan Primera División 33 0 8[a] 0 41 0
2018 Uruguayan Primera División 34 2 11[c] 1 1[d] 0 46 3
Total 132 4 0 0 34 1 1 0 167 5
Cádiz 2018–19 Segunda División 5 0 0 0 5 0
2019–20 Segunda División 36 1 0 0 36 1
2020–21 La Liga 32 0 0 0 32 0
2021–22 La Liga 37 2 4 0 41 2
2022–23 La Liga 36 0 0 0 36 0
Total 146 3 4 0 0 0 0 0 150 3
Career total 278 7 4 0 34 1 1 0 317 8
  1. ^ a b c Appearance(s) in Copa Libertadores
  2. ^ Appearance(s) in Copa Sudamericana
  3. ^ Six appearances in Copa Sudamericana, five appearances and one goal in Copa Libertadores
  4. ^ Appearance(s) in Supercopa Uruguaya

References

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  1. ^ "Alfonso Espino" (in Spanish). Cádiz CF. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  2. ^ "Alfonso Espino, la ruta del campeón: desde San Jacinto en ómnibus a Los Céspedes" [Alfonso Espino, the rout of the champion: since San Jacinto on the bus to Los Céspedes] (in Spanish). Tenfield. 30 November 2014. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  3. ^ "'Pacha' Espino se convierte en el primer fichaje invernal" ['Pacha' Espino becomes the first winter signing] (in Spanish). Cádiz CF. 28 January 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  4. ^ "Pacha Espino renueva hasta 2023" [Pacha Espino renews until 2023] (in Spanish). Cádiz CF. 31 October 2020. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  5. ^ "Pacha Espino, segundo fichaje del Rayo Vallecano" [Pacha Espino, second signing of Rayo Vallecano] (in Spanish). Rayo Vallecano. 17 July 2023. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  6. ^ "Reservados vs. Paraguay y Venezuela". Uruguayan Football Association. 7 January 2022. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  7. ^ "Selección: Diego Alonso entregó la lista de 55 reservados para el Mundial de Catar" (in Spanish). 21 October 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  8. ^ Alfonso Espino at Soccerway. Retrieved 11 March 2021.
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