Justin Cuero
Personal information
Full name Justin Raúl Cuero Palacio[1]
Date of birth (2004-03-18) 18 March 2004[1]
Place of birth Esmeraldas, Ecuador
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Orenburg
(on loan from Independiente del Valle)
Number 19
Youth career
2017–2022 Independiente del Valle
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2023– Independiente del Valle 2 (0)
2023– Independiente Juniors 6 (1)
2023– → Orenburg (loan) 10 (1)
International career
2022– Ecuador U20 9 (4)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Ecuador
South American Games
Silver medal – second place2022 AsunciónTeam
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 10 December 2023

Justin Raúl Cuero Palacio (born 18 March, 2004) is an Ecuadorean football player who plays as a forward for Russian club Orenburg on loan from Independiente del Valle. He played as Ecuador finished runners-up at the 2022 South American Games and represented his country at the 2023 South American U-20 Championship.

Early life

Cuero is from Esmeraldas, Ecuador, in the north-western part of the country.[2] He came from the Independiente del Valle football academy.[3]

Career

Cuero made his Liga Pro debut for Independiente del Valle in a 3-1 home win against Mushuc Runa S.C. on February 25, 2023.[4]

On 15 August 2023, Cuero joined Russian Premier League club Orenburg on loan with an option to buy.[5]

International career

Cuero was selected to play Football at the 2022 South American Games in October 2022 for Ecuador in Asunción. He scored a hat-trick in the semi-final against Uruguay to help his team to the final against hosts Paraguay.[6][7] Cuero excelled playing for Ecuador at the 2023 South American U-20 Championship.[8] Cuero was Ecuador's top scorer in the initial phase of the tournament from which they qualified for the Hexagonal group stage.[9] Cuero scored four goals in total at the tournament, including two against Paraguay that ensured his country finished in the top four and qualified from the Hexagonal group stage for the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup to be held in Indonesia.[10][11] Cuero thanked the Ecuadorean fans for helping the team achieve their never-say-die attitude.[12]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 10 December 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Independiente del Valle 2023 Ecuadorian Serie A 20000020
Independiente Juniors 2023 Serie B 00005[lower-alpha 1]050
Orenburg (loan) 2023–24 Russian Premier League 10150—151
Career total 1215050221

Style of play

Cuero has been described as a target man style centre forward,[13] adept at playing on his own up-front.[14] He has also been described as being “powerful physically and with good movements in the area to make space for himself”.[15][16]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "FIFA U-20 World Cup Argentina 2023™ SQUAD LIST: Ecuador (ECU)" (PDF). FIFA. 22 May 2023. p. 5. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
  2. ↑ "Esmeraldeños in the Ecuadorian sub-20 team". Lahora.com.
  3. ↑ "Beyond Brazil: get to know the other jewels of the U-20 South American Championship". Placar.Arbil.com.
  4. ↑ "INDEPENDIENTE DEL VALLE VS. MUSHUC RUNA 3-1". Soccerway. February 25, 2023. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Новичок ФК "Оренбург" - Джастин Куэро" (in Russian). FC Orenburg. 15 August 2023.
  6. ↑ "The mini 'Tri' with a 'hat-trick' from Cuero advances to the final of the South American Games". ecuavisa.com.
  7. ↑ "Ecuador will play the soccer final at the South American Games in Asunción 2022". El Telegrafo.
  8. ↑ "Justin Cuero, among the figures of the South American Sub-20". Elcomercio.com.
  9. ↑ "Justin Cuero says that Ecuador will fight in the hexagonal of the South American U-20". Elcomercio.com.
  10. ↑ "Double by Justin Cuero in the 2-1 victory of Ecuador against Paraguay". Ambito.com.
  11. ↑ "Ecuador, with a brace from Justin Cuero, dramatically defeats Paraguay and qualifies for the World Cup". Aficioncentral.com.
  12. ↑ "Justin Cuero:Our team never gave up". Directvsports.com.
  13. ↑ "Uruguay, Brazil among those standing out so far at South American U20 Championships". ESPN.
  14. ↑ "Pateando tachos: Justin Cuero, nueve funcional". Expreso.ec.
  15. ↑ "Ecuador sub-20 and the two 'cracks that will go to the 2023 World Cup', according to the newspaper AS". Eluniverso.com.
  16. ↑ "Los cracks de las selecciones que irán al Mundial Sub-20 de Indonesia". AS.com.
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