Lucas Villalba (footballer, born 2001)

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Villalba and the second or maternal family name is Jaume.

Lucas Villalba
Personal information
Full name Lucas Martín Villalba Jaume
Date of birth (2001-05-11) 11 May 2001
Place of birth Montevideo, Uruguay
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position Winger
Team information
Current team
 Botafogo
Youth career
Boston River
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2022–2023 Tacuarembó 43 (4)
2024 Montevideo City Torque 30 (6)
2025 Nacional 36 (4)
2026– Botafogo 0 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 13:16, 13 January 2026 (UTC)

Lucas Martín Villalba Jaume (born 11 May 2001) is a Uruguayan professional footballer who plays as a right winger for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Botafogo.

Club career

Villalba played for Boston River as a youth, but was released before the start of the 2022 season. On 16 May of that year, he was announced at Segunda División Amateur side Tacuarembó,[1] and helped the side to achieve promotion in his first year. During his 18 months at the club, he struggled with unpaid wages and had to sleep in the club's facilities due to the lack of funds.[2]

On 5 February 2024, fellow Segunda División side Montevideo City Torque announced the signing of Villalba.[3] He scored six goals and provided seven assists during the season to help the club return to Primera División.[4]

On 20 January 2025, Villalba signed a three-year contract with Nacional also in the top tier.[5] On 28 May, during a Copa Libertadores match against Atlético Nacional, he was recorded as one of the fastest players in the world at 38.3 kilometres per hour.[6]

On 5 January 2026, Villalba moved abroad for the first time in his career, after agreeing to a four-year deal with Campeonato Brasileiro Série A side Botafogo.[7]

International career

In August 2024, Villalba was called up to a Uruguay national team composed of players from the local leagues, for a friendly against Guatemala.[8]

Career statistics

As of 13 January 2026[9]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup[a] Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Tacuarembó 2022[10] Segunda División Amateur 16 1 1 0 — — 17 1
2023[11] Segunda División 27 3 0 0 — — 27 3
Total 43 4 1 0 — — 44 4
Montevideo City Torque 2024 Segunda División 30 6 6 0 — — 36 6
Nacional 2025 Liga AUF Uruguaya 36 4 0 0 6[b] 0 1[c] 0 43 4
Botafogo 2026 Série A 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Career total 109 14 7 0 6 0 1 0 123 14
  1. ^ Includes Copa AUF Uruguay, Copa do Brasil
  2. ^ Appearance(s) in Copa Libertadores
  3. ^ Appearance(s) in Supercopa Uruguaya

References

  1. ^ Tacuarembó FC [@TacuaremboFC1] (16 May 2022). "✔️ Lucas Villalba es la nueva incorporación rojiblanca" [✔️ Lucas Villalba is the new red-and-white signing.] (Tweet) (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 January 2026 – via Twitter.
  2. ^ "El caso de superación de Lucas Villalba: durmió entre cucarachas, lo robaron policías y le interesó a Perchman" [The story of Lucas Villalba's overcoming adversity: he slept among cockroaches, was robbed by police, and caught Perchman's attention] (in Spanish). El País. 29 December 2024. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  3. ^ "Bienvenido Lucas" [Welcome Lucas] (in Spanish). Montevideo City Torque. 5 February 2024. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  4. ^ "Nacional ya tiene al extremo que tanto buscaba: Lucas Villalba será jugador del Tricolor" [Nacional already have the winger they were looking for: Lucas Villalba will be a player of the Tricolour] (in Spanish). Montevideo.com.uy. 18 January 2025. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  5. ^ "Lucas Villalba llega al Tricolor" [Lucas Villalba arrives at the Tricolour] (in Spanish). Club Nacional de Football. 20 January 2025. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  6. ^ "El impresionante pico de velocidad que registró Lucas Villalba por Copa Libertadores: ¿el más rápido del mundo?" [Lucas Villalba's impressive peak speed recorded in the Copa Libertadores: the fastest in the world?] (in Spanish). El País. 29 May 2025. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  7. ^ "Bienvenido, Lucas Villalba" [Welcome, Lucas Villalba] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Botafogo FR. 5 January 2026. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  8. ^ "Están los 22: mirá la lista de convocados para el partido de la selección local de Uruguay ante Guatemala" [These are the 22: check out the list of called up players for the match of the Uruguay local national team against Guatemala] (in Spanish). El País. 18 August 2024. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  9. ^ Lucas Villalba at Soccerway. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  10. ^ "Tacuarembó Fútbol Club – 2022" (in Spanish). Uruguayan Football Association. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  11. ^ "Tacuarembó Fútbol Club – 2023" (in Spanish). Uruguayan Football Association. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
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