Lucas Leonidas Chávez Cruz (born 17 April 2003) is a Bolivian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Saudi Arabian club Al-Taawoun, on loan from Club Bolívar, and the Bolivia national team. He made his international debut for Bolivia in 2023 and played at the 2024 Copa América.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Lucas Leonidas Chávez Cruz | ||
| Date of birth | 17 April 2003 | ||
| Place of birth | Santa Cruz, Bolivia | ||
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team |
Al-Taawoun (on loan from Bolívar) | ||
| Number | 19 | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021– | Bolivar | 51 | (6) |
| 2024– | → Al-Taawoun (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2023– | Bolivia | 9 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15:24, 3 September 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22:42, 19 November 2024 (UTC) | |||
Club career
editBorn in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Chávez began his career at Club Bolívar. He made his debut on 2 May 2021 in a 2–0 home win over C.D. Real Tomayapo in the Bolivian Primera División, coming on as a 67th-minute substitute under manager Natxo González. He totalled six appearances that season, all from the bench.[1]
In 2022, Chávez played 13 games as Bolívar won the Apertura, though the season was abandoned in the Clausura stage. He made his Copa Libertadores debut in a 2–0 loss away to C.D. Universidad Católica del Ecuador on 2 March, and scored his first goal on 19 April, concluding a 4–1 win at F.C. Universitario de Vinto; both were as a substitute.[1][2]
On 7 June 2023, Chávez scored his first goal in the Libertadores, concluding a 2–0 win over Cerro Porteño of Paraguay at the Estadio Hernando Siles to make it to the last 16.[1] In the league, he scored four goals in 22 games as his team came runners-up to La Paz rivals The Strongest; on 23 July he scored in a 3–0 home win in his first edition of the local derby.[3] On 5 August, he extended his contract until 2026.[1] Days later, he was ruled out with a fracture to his left clavicle.[4] In December, Bolívar also won the 2023 Copa de la División Profesional; Chávez received one of six red cards in an added-time brawl against C.D. Jorge Wilstermann, despite never leaving the substitutes' bench during the final.[5]
On 3 September 2024, Chávez joined Saudi Pro League side Al-Taawoun on a one-year loan.[6]
International career
editIn June 2023, Chávez was called up to the Bolivia national team for friendlies against Ecuador and Chile.[7] He made his debut against the latter in his hometown, starting in the goalless draw; manager Gustavo Costas praised his performance.[8]
Chávez was called up by former Bolívar manager Antonio Carlos Zago in the squad for the 2024 Copa América in the United States.[9] In a group-stage elimination, he played as a second-half substitute in the latter two games.[10][11]
Career statistics
editClub
edit- As of match played 2 June 2024
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Bolívar | 2021 | Bolivian Primera División | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 6 | 0 | ||
| 2022 | Bolivian Primera División | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1[a] | 0 | — | 14 | 1 | ||
| 2023 | Bolivian Primera División | 22 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 4[a] | 1 | — | 32 | 5 | ||
| 2024 | Bolivian Primera División | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3[a] | 0 | — | 13 | 1 | ||
| Total | 51 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 1 | — | 65 | 7 | |||
| Al-Taawoun (loan) | 2024–25 | Saudi Pro League | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 51 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 65 | 7 | ||
- ^ a b c Appearances in Copa Libertadores
International
edit- As of matches played 19 November 2024[12]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bolivia | 2023 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024 | 8 | 0 | |
| Total | 9 | 0 | |
Honours
editBolívar
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Siles-Zapata, Nicolás (5 August 2023). "Lucas Chávez renueva su contrato con Bolívar" [Lucas Chávez renews his contract with Bolívar] (in Spanish). Late!. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
- ^ "Bolívar goleó 4-1 a Universitario de Vinto con doblete de Bruno Miranda" [Bolívar thrashed Universitario de Vinto 4-1 with brace from Bruno Miranda] (in Spanish). Infobae. 20 April 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
- ^ Torrez Clavijo, Samuel (23 July 2023). "Lucas Chávez sumó otras sensaciones únicas a su carrera" [Lucas Chávez added other unique sensations to his career] (in Spanish). Late!. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
- ^ Panozo, Mauricio (11 August 2023). "Bolívar sufre la baja de Lucas Chávez por fractura de clavícula" [Bolívar suffer loss of Lucas Chávez through fractured clavicle]. El Deber (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 June 2024.
- ^ a b "Bolivia: Bolívar campeón de copa con final caliente y dos uruguayos entre las seis rojas" [Bolivia: Bolívar cup champions with hot finale and two Uruguayans among the six red cards] (in Spanish). Montevideo.com.uy. 19 December 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
- ^ "التعاون يضم البوليفي تشافيز على سبيل الإعارة" [Al-Taawoun signs Bolivian Chávez on loan]. Al Riyadh (in Arabic). 4 September 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
- ^ "Bolivia convoca a seis 'legionarios' para los amistosos ante Ecuador y Chile" [Bolivia call up six 'legionaries' for friendlies against Ecuador and Chile] (in Spanish). SWI swissinfo. 5 June 2023. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
- ^ Panozo, Mauricio (21 June 2023). "Selección: Costas destacó el gran nivel de Guillermo Viscarra, Lucas Chávez y Marcelo Suárez" [National team: Costas highlighted the high level of Guillermo Viscarra, Lucas Chávez and Marcelo Suárez]. El Deber (in Spanish). Retrieved 6 June 2024.
- ^ "Bolivia da a conocer su convocatoria definitiva para Copa América 2024" [Bolivia make their final squad for the 2024 Copa América known] (in Spanish). TUDN. 16 June 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
- ^ Dure, Beau (24 June 2024). "USA 2–0 Bolivia". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
- ^ "Panama defeats Bolivia and qualifies for the Quarterfinals for the first time in history". Copa América. 2 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
- ^ Lucas Chávez at WorldFootball.net
