Marcos Maximiliano Cantera Mora (born 10 May 1993) is a Uruguayan professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Danubio. He has made over 250 appearances in the Uruguayan Primera División for Cerro Largo, Liverpool Montevideo, Fénix, Deportivo Maldonado, Nacional and Danubio.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Marcos Maximiliano Cantera Mora | ||
| Date of birth | 10 May 1993 | ||
| Place of birth | Cerrillos, Uruguay | ||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Danubio | ||
| Number | 20 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Juventud de Las Piedras | |||
| Bologna | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2013–2014 | Cerro Largo | 22 | (3) |
| 2014–2017 | Liverpool Montevideo | 36 | (0) |
| 2016 | → Fénix (loan) | 28 | (5) |
| 2017 | Fénix | 14 | (2) |
| 2018 | Deportivo Táchira | 10 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | Fénix | 37 | (2) |
| 2020–2024 | Deportivo Maldonado | 104 | (27) |
| 2021 | → Nacional (loan) | 20 | (1) |
| 2023 | → Atlético Nacional (loan) | 12 | (0) |
| 2024– | Danubio | 5 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:16, 20 July 2024 (UTC) | |||
He won the Uruguayan Segunda División in 2015 for Liverpool and the Supercopa Uruguaya with Nacional in 2021. Abroad, he played in the Venezuelan Primera División for Deportivo Táchira in 2018 and the Colombian Categoría Primera A for Atlético Nacional in 2023.
Career
editEarly career
editBorn in Cerillos in Canelones Department, Cantera began his youth career at Juventud de Las Piedras before joining Peñarol in Montevideo. Aged 18 and having made the fourth team, he moved through his agent to Italian club Bologna for a three-month trial. Without the technology to communicate with his family back home, he entertained himself by watching television in his hotel room, becoming a fan of Cristiano Ronaldo.[1]
Cantera began his professional career at Cerro Largo. On his debut in the Uruguayan Primera División on 23 February 2013, he equalised away to Montevideo Wanderers eight minutes into the second half, albeit in a 2–1 defeat.[2]
Ahead of the 2014–15 season, Cantera left relegated Cerro Largo for another team in the Uruguayan Segunda División, Liverpool Montevideo.[3] In January 2016, with Liverpool back in the top flight, he transferred to Fénix.[4]
At the start of 2018, Cantera moved abroad for the first time, signing a one-year deal at Deportivo Táchira in the Venezuelan Primera División.[5] Speaking in 2022, he said that he was shocked by the hunger and poverty in his new country.[1]
Deportivo Maldonado
editCantera signed for Deportivo Maldonado in January 2020.[6] He scored eight goals in his first season, including opening a 2–0 home win over Peñarol on 19 August,[7] and equalising with a penalty away to the same team on 11 February 2021.[8]
In April 2021, Cantera returned to the capital city and signed for Nacional on a 15-month loan with option to purchase.[9] On his debut on 2 May, he won the Supercopa Uruguaya in a 1–0 win over Wanderers, playing the final nine minutes in place of Felipe Carballo.[10] He played 20 league games for the Tricolor, scoring once to open a 2–1 win at former club Fénix on 10 October.[11]
In the 2022 Uruguayan Primera División season, Cantera scored a career-best 11 goals as Maldonado finished a best-ever third and qualified for the first time to the Copa Libertadores. On 30 July, he scored twice in the first half of a 2–1 home win over Nacional.[12]
Cantera moved abroad again in July 2023 to Atlético Nacional of the Colombian Categoría Primera A, on a one-year loan with options to extend or make permanent.[13] His spell in Medellín ended by mutual accord in December, having only proven himself on 3 August by scoring twice off the bench in a 4–2 home win over Argentina's Racing Club in the Libertadores.[14]
Danubio
editIn July 2024, Cantera signed for Danubio until June 2025.[15]
Honours
editLiverpool Montevideo
- Uruguayan Segunda División: 2014–15[16]
Nacional
References
edit- ^ a b Domínguez, Diego (3 November 2022). "Maxi Cantera: el "hambre" en Venezuela, su paso por Peñarol y la idolatría por Cristiano Ronaldo" [Maxi Cantera: "hunger" in Venezuela, his time at Peñarol and idolising Cristiano Ronaldo]. El País (Uruguay) (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ "Wanderers ganó con dos de Maxi" [Wanderers won with two from Maxi]. La República (in Spanish). 24 February 2013. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ "Último momento: Altas y bajas de los equipos de la "B"" [Latest: Ins and outs of the teams in "B"] (in Spanish). El Ascenso. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ "Fénix: Incorporó a Maxi Cantera" [Fénix: Maxi Cantera brought in] (in Spanish). Tenfield. 8 January 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ "Venezuela: Deportivo Táchira anunció el fichaje de Maximiliano Cantera que ya entrenó allí" [Venezuela: Deportivo Táchira announced the signing of Maximiliano Cantera who already trained there] (in Spanish). Montevideo.com.uy. 3 January 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ "Se sumó Maxi Cantera" [Maxi Cantera was added] (in Spanish). Tenfield. 11 January 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ Martínez Chenlo, Rómulo (19 August 2020). "Gran triunfo de Deportivo Maldonado sobre Peñarol" [Great triumph of Deportivo Maldonado over Peñarol]. La Diaria (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ Cozza, Marcelo (11 February 2021). "Peñarol, barranca abajo" [Peñarol, looking down] (in Spanish). Tenfield. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ "Nacional se refuerza: anunció la llegada de Christian Almeida y Maximiliano Cantera" [Nacional strengthen: arrival of Christian Almeida and Maximiliano Cantera announced] (in Spanish). ESPN. 9 April 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ a b "Con goles de Bergessio y Leandro Fernández, Nacional derrotó a Wanderers y se consagró campeón de la Supercopa" [With goals from Begressio and Leandro Fernández, Nacional defeated Wanderers and were crowned champion of the Supercopa] (in Spanish). ESPN. 2 May 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ "Nacional ganó por 2-1 en su visita a Fénix" [Nacional won 2-1 on their visit to Fénix] (in Spanish). Infobae. 9 October 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ "Nacional perdió 2 a 1 ante Deportivo Maldonado y podría perder la punta de la Anual" [Nacional lost 2-1 to Deportivo Maldonado and could lose first place in the overall rankings] (in Spanish). Telenoche. 30 July 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ Huérfano Sánchez, Jhon Sebastián (14 July 2023). "Nacional: ¿Quién es Maxi Cantera, cuántos años tiene y por qué llamó la atención su fichaje?" [Nacional: Who is Maxi Cantera, how old is he and why did his signing gain attention?] (in Spanish). Antena 2. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ Gómez, John Eric (5 December 2023). "Maximiliano Cantera se fue de Nacional y no cobró los seis meses que le faltaban, ¿quiénes más no siguen en el club?" [Maximiliano Cantera left Nacional and did not get paid for the remaining six months, who else won't continue at the club?]. El Colombiano (in Spanish). Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ "Maxi Cantera: "Tuve llamado de otros clubes, pero me interesó más Danubio"" [Maxi Cantera: "I had calls from other clubs, but Danubio interested me more"] (in Spanish). ESPN. 10 July 2024. Retrieved 20 July 2024.
- ^ "Segunda División: ¡Liverpool campeón!" [Segunda División: Liverpool champions!] (in Spanish). Montevideo.com.uy. 2 May 2015. Retrieved 24 June 2024.