Christian Cueva

1.1. Childhood and Amateur Career

Born in Trujillo, Peru, Cueva began his football journey at a young age, joining the amateur club Instituto Pedagógico Nacional Monterrico at 14. His talent was recognized in August 2007 when he played for a Huamachuco representative team in a friendly match against Universidad San Martín. His performance impressed the club's scouts, leading to his subsequent move to their under-20 side.

1.2. First Professional Steps

Cueva made his professional debut with Universidad San Martín on 12 April 2008, at just 16 years old. He came on as a second-half substitute in a match against Universidad César Vallejo in the Torneo Descentralizado. In his first senior season, Cueva scored two goals in 18 appearances as his side was crowned champions of the 2008 Torneo Descentralizado. He gradually became a regular starter for the team from the 2010 season onwards.

2.1. Early Club Career (2008-2014)

Cueva's early professional career saw him establish himself in Peruvian football before venturing into South American and European leagues. During his time with Universidad San Martín, he made 121 league appearances and scored 19 goals. He was a key player for the club, winning the 2008 Torneo Descentralizado and 2010 Torneo Descentralizado titles.

On 3 August 2012, Cueva transferred to fellow Peruvian first division side Universidad César Vallejo. However, his tenure was short-lived, as his contract was rescinded in November due to a series of indiscipline problems. He only managed 5 appearances for the club.

Following his departure from César Vallejo, Cueva moved to Chile, joining Chilean Primera División side Unión Española on 24 January 2013. With Unión Española, he made 16 appearances and won the Chilean First Division title in 2013.

On 13 August 2013, Cueva secured a loan move to La Liga club Rayo Vallecano in Spain for a year. He made only 1 appearance for the senior team. After being rarely used by manager Paco Jémez, Cueva was assigned to the reserves in Tercera División on 1 March 2014. He quickly made an impact, scoring a hat-trick on his debut for the B-team nine days later in a 3-2 defeat of Internacional de Madrid. He played 8 matches for Rayo Vallecano B, scoring 5 goals.

As a free agent, Cueva returned to his home country, signing an 18-month contract with Alianza Lima on 18 August 2014. He became a regular starter during the 2014 Clausura Tournament. During the 2015 Apertura Tournament, he was initially handed a six-match suspension after being sent off in a match against Real Garcilaso; however, the sentence was later reduced to three matches. He made 19 appearances and scored 3 goals in his first spell with Alianza Lima.

2.2. International Club Career (2015-2020)

Cueva's talent led him to several international club stints, including playing in Mexico, Brazil, Russia, and Turkey.

On 18 July 2015, Cueva moved to Mexican club Toluca. He made his debut for the club on 29 July, coming on as a substitute in a Copa Mexico match against Necaxa, which Toluca won 4-3. He played 36 league matches for Toluca, scoring 4 goals, and 49 overall with 6 goals.

On 2 June 2016, Cueva signed a four-year contract with Brazilian side São Paulo FC. He quickly became an integral part of the team, and on 22 February 2017, his contract was extended until 2021. However, his time at São Paulo was also marked by disciplinary issues; he accumulated multiple incidents of indiscipline, was fined twice, and had a confrontation with teammate Rodrigo Caio due to the club's poor results. Despite this, he scored 10 goals in 55 league appearances and 20 goals in 87 total appearances for São Paulo. In a notable match on 5 November 2016, Cueva scored a goal and provided three assists in São Paulo's 4-0 victory against rivals Corinthians, showcasing his talent.

On 19 July 2018, Cueva signed a four-year contract with the Russian Premier League club FC Krasnodar. He played 15 league matches for the club, without scoring, and 23 total matches, scoring 1 goal.

On 7 February 2019, Cueva returned to Brazil on a one-year loan deal with Santos FC, with an obligation to buy him on a three-year contract starting 31 January 2020. The estimated transfer fee was 6.00 M EUR. In September 2019, Cueva was involved in a fight at a nightclub in Santos, which led to his suspension from the first team squad. Despite Santos president José Carlos Peres's request for his return, the club's director of football Paulo Autuori dismissed it. Cueva later left Santos in late January 2020 and was found in Argentina. He attempted to rescind his contract with Santos through FIFA, alleging unpaid wages, and reached an agreement with Pachuca. FIFA authorized Cueva to play for Pachuca on 14 February 2020, while also allowing Santos to charge a restitution fee for his transfer. He made 5 league appearances for Santos and 16 total appearances without scoring any goals.

Following FIFA's clearance, Pachuca announced Cueva's signing on 15 February 2020. He played 2 league matches and 3 total matches for Pachuca, without scoring.

In August 2020, Cueva moved to Turkish club Yeni Malatyaspor. He appeared in 8 league matches for the club, without scoring.

2.3. Return to Saudi Arabia and Peru (2021-Present)

Cueva's later career has seen him play in Saudi Arabia and return to his home country.

In January 2021, Cueva moved to Saudi Arabian club Al-Fateh. He made his debut for Al-Fateh on 4 February 2021 in a 4-1 away loss against Al-Ittihad. He became a key player for Al-Fateh, scoring 16 goals in 48 league appearances and 51 total appearances.

On 13 March 2023, Cueva returned to Peruvian Liga 1 club Alianza Lima for a loan spell. He made 22 league appearances and 27 total appearances, but did not score any goals during this period.

In September 2024, he signed for his current club, Cienciano.

3.1. Youth National Team

Cueva first represented Peru at the under-20 level. He participated in the 2011 South American Youth Championship, playing 4 matches for the team.

3.2. Senior National Team Debut and Early Years

Cueva earned his first call-up to the senior Peru national team in 2011. He made his full international debut on 1 June 2011, starting in a 0-0 draw against Japan in the Kirin Cup.

3.3. Major Tournament Appearances

Cueva has been a consistent presence in Peru's squads for major international competitions.

He was included in Peru's squad for the 2015 Copa América. In the tournament, he scored the team's opening goal in a 2-1 loss to Brazil. Cueva was an undisputed starter throughout the competition, helping his side achieve a third-place finish and earning a spot as one of the best midfielders in the "Team of the Tournament."

Cueva was also selected in Ricardo Gareca's squad for the Copa América Centenario in 2016. He scored the opening goal in an eventual 2-2 draw against Ecuador at University of Phoenix Stadium on 8 June 2016. However, in the quarter-finals against Colombia, the match went to a penalty shoot-out where Cueva missed his spot kick, leading to Peru's elimination with a 4-2 defeat.

He played a crucial role as a first-choice player during the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, helping Peru qualify for the final stage after a 36-year absence. On 4 June 2018, Cueva was named in Peru's provisional 23-man squad for the World Cup in Russia. During the group stage match against Denmark, Cueva missed a penalty kick awarded by the VAR, and Peru ultimately lost the match 0-1.

On 30 May 2019, Cueva was selected for the Peruvian squad for the 2019 Copa América. He featured in the tournament's final, where Peru suffered a 3-1 defeat against host nation Brazil.

On 10 June 2021, he was called up for the 2021 Copa América, where Peru reached the semi-finals of the competition.

He was included in the 26-man squad for the 2024 Copa América on 15 June 2024.

3.4. Key Moments and Milestones

A significant milestone in Cueva's international career occurred on 29 June 2024, when he earned his 100th international cap in a 2-0 defeat against Argentina in the final group stage match of the 2024 Copa América.

6.1. Club Statistics

6.2. International Statistics

6.3. International Goals

:Scores and results list Peru's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Cueva goal.

7.1. Club Honours

• Torneo Descentralizado:
  • Universidad San Martín: 2008, 2010
• Primera División de Chile:
  • Unión Española: 2013

7.2. Individual Honours

• Copa América Team of the Tournament: 2015
• Campeonato Paulista Team of the Year: 2017