Luis Paradela

Luis Paradela

File:Luis Paradela.jpg Luis Paradela in the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup
Personal information
Full name	Luis Javier Paradela Díaz
Date of birth	(1997-01-21) 21 January 1997
Place of birth	Calimete, Cuba
Height	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Team information
Current team	Jocoro F.C. (on loan from Universidad SC)
Number	32
Youth career
	FC Matanzas
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2018	FC Pinar del Río
2019	Universidad SC	12	(6)
2019	→ Reno 1868 (loan)	5	(0)
2020–	→ Jocoro F.C. (loan)	3	(1)
International career‡
2018–	Cuba	10	(5)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 27 October 2019

Luis Paradela (born 21 January 1997), is a Cuban professional football player who plays for Jocoro F.C. in the La Liga Mayor on loan from Universidad SC, and the Cuban national football team. He primarily plays as a forward, but can also be deployed as a winger or an attacking midfielder.

Club career

Youth career

Paradela began his youth career in his native Cuba with clubs FC Matanzas, FC Guantánamo, FC Isla de La Juventud, and FC Pinar del Rio.

Universidad SC

He joined Universidad SC in 2019, when he signed his first professional contract.

He made his competitive debut for Universidad SC in a 2–1 home defeat against Sansare FC on January 20, 2019, during the Clausura tournament of the 2018-2019 season. He scored his first goal and brace in a 4-1 home victory over Deportivo Achuapa on January 26, 2019, followed by another brace four days later in a 2-2 away tie against Aurora F.C..

Reno 1868

In August 2019, Paradela joined USL Championship side Reno 1868 on loan. Paradela became the first Cuban soccer player to play in the United States without defecting.

Jocoro F.C.

In January 2020, after being denied return to the USL Championship due to pressure from the Football Association of Cuba, and missing out on several offers in different countries due immigration bottlenecks, Paradela joined Jocoro F.C. in the La Liga Mayor on loan.

International career

On August 27, 2018 he made his official senior international debut in a friendly against Barbados. He scored 3 goals against Turks and Caicos Islands resulting in a biggest win for Cuba with an 11-0 victory on September 8, 2018.

Style of play

Paradela is a talented, fast, skillful, and hardworking player, with good technique, a short stature, and a strong build. He usually plays as a left winger, a position which enables him to beat opponents with the ball, cut into the centre, and shoot on goal from outside the area with his stronger right foot, although he is also an accurate striker of the ball with his left foot; he is also capable of creating chances for teammates as well as scoring goals himself. He is also known for his defensive contribution off the ball, and has been deployed anywhere along the front line, as well as in several midfield positions, most frequently as either an attacking or central midfielder, although he has also been used as a main or second striker on occasion.

International goals

Scores and results list Cuba's goal tally first.

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	8 September 2018	Estadio Pedro Marrero, Havana, Cuba	Turks and Caicos Islands	1–0	11–0	2019–20 CONCACAF Nations League qualification
2.				4–0
3.				6–0
4.	12 October 2018	Kirani James Athletic Stadium, St. George's, Grenada	Grenada	1–0	2–0
5.	24 March 2019	Stade Sylvio Cator, Port-au-Prince, Haiti	Haiti	1–1	1–2