Lucas Cepeda

{{Short description|Chilean footballer}}

{{Family name hatnote|Cepeda|Barturen|lang=Spanish}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Lucas Cepeda

| image = Lucas Cepeda Santiago Wanderers v Unión San Felipe 20231115.jpg

| caption = Cepeda with Santiago Wanderers in 2023

| fullname = Lucas Antonio Cepeda Barturen

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2002|10|31|df=y}}

| birth_place = Viña del Mar, Chile

| height = 1.77 m

| position = Forward

| youthyears1 = –2020

| youthclubs1 = Santiago Wanderers

| youthyears2 = 2014{{Cite web|url=https://dalealbo.cl/colocolo/se-dio-la-vuelta-larga-el-olvidado-paso-de-lucas-cepeda-por-las-inferiores-de-colo-colo-20240208-DLA-71790.html|title=Se dio la vuelta larga: el olvidado paso de Lucas Cepeda por las inferiores de Colo Colo|publisher=Dale Albo|date=8 February 2024|access-date=4 April 2024}}

| youthclubs2 = Colo-Colo

| currentclub = Colo-Colo

| clubnumber = 32

| years1 = 2021–2023 | clubs1 = Santiago Wanderers | caps1 = 61 | goals1 = 7

| years2 = 2024– | clubs2 = Colo-Colo | caps2 = 24 | goals2 = 5

| nationalyears1 = 2024–

| nationalteam1 = Chile U23

| nationalcaps1 = 3

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| nationalyears2 = 2024–

| nationalteam2 = Chile

| nationalcaps2 = 5

| nationalgoals2 = 3

| pcupdate = 9 March 2025

| ntupdate = 20 March 2025

}}

Lucas Antonio Cepeda Barturen (born 31 October 2002) is a Chilean professional footballer who plays as a forward for Chilean Primera División club Colo-Colo and the Chile national team.

Club career

=Santiago Wanderers=

Cepeda started his career in the youth ranks of Santiago Wanderers. Nevertheless, in 2014, he had a brief spell at the Colo-Colo Football Academy in the Estadio Monumental David Arellano, which he abandoned due to the exhaustion generated by the constant trips between Santiago –where the training facility was located– and Curauma, where, at that time, he lived. After that, he returned to the lower divisions of Santiago Wanderers.

In 2021, Cepeda was promoted to Wanderers senior team.{{Cite web|url=https://redgol.cl/chile/Santiago-Wanderers-se-aviva-y-amarra-a-promisorio-canterano-Lucas-Cepeda-con-su-primer-contrato-profesional-20210915-0074.html|title=Santiago Wanderers se aviva y amarra a promisorio canterano, Lucas Cepeda, con su primer contrato profesional|publisher=Red-Gol|date=15 September 2021|access-date=4 April 2024}} He made his professional debut in a 2–0 defeat against Palestino in a Chilean Primera División match. After Wanderers' relegation to Primera B, Cepeda made sporadic appearances in the 2022 campaign but was named starter for the 2023 season, where the team failed to promote to the first-tier during the promotion playoffs finals with Deportes Iquique.

=Colo-Colo=

On 11 February 2024, it was announced that Cepeda signed with Colo-Colo.{{Cite web|url=https://chile.as.com/futbol/el-fichaje-sorpresa-de-colo-colo-puede-ser-una-de-las-grandes-figuras-del-futbol-chileno-n/|title=El fichaje sorpresa de Colo Colo: "Puede ser una de las grandes figuras del fútbol chileno"|publisher=AS Chile|date=11 February 2024|access-date=4 April 2024}} On March 31, he scored his first goal for the team in a 4–1 home win over Everton de Viña del Mar,{{Cite web|url=https://cooperativa.cl/noticias/deportes/futbol/colo-colo/colo-colo-califico-el-gol-de-cepeda-como-una-obra-de-arte-para-el-museo/2024-03-31/125545.html|title=Colo Colo calificó el gol de Cepeda como una "obra de arte para el museo del Monumental"|publisher=Radio Cooperativa|date=31 March 2024|access-date=4 April 2024}} Wanderers' historic rival. Three days later, Cepeda scored his first continental goal against Paraguayan side, Cerro Porteño, for the 2024 Copa Libertadores.{{Cite web|url=https://tntsports.cl/copalibertadores/Gol-Lucas-Cepeda-Colo-Colo-vs-Cerro-Porteno--El-joven-futbolista-cumple-el-sueno-con-el-Cacique-20240404-0001.html|title=Lucas Cepeda cumple el sueño con Colo Colo en pocos días: "Marcó diferencias"|publisher=TNT Sports Chile|date=3 April 2024|access-date=4 April 2024}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.chvnoticias.cl/deportes/colo-colo-cerro-porteno-como-ver-en-vivo-online-chilevision_20240403/|title=Lucas Cepeda fue el salvador: Colo Colo venció con un agónico gol en el último minuto a Cerro Porteño|publisher=Chilevisión|date=3 April 2024|access-date=4 April 2024}} His score was an agonizing goal (90' min).{{Cite web|url=https://redgol.cl/colocolo/colo-colo-lucas-cepeda-ya-pago-mas-de-la-mitad-de-su-pase-con-su-gol|title=Cepeda ya pagó más de la mitad de su pase con su gol agónico a Cerro gracias a la Conmebol|publisher=Red Gol|date=4 April 2024|access-date=4 April 2024}}{{Cite web|url=https://cooperativa.cl/noticias/deportes/copa-libertadores/colo-colo/video-el-agonico-gol-de-lucas-cepeda-para-el-triunfo-de-colo-colo-ante/2024-04-03/232832.html|title=[Video] El agónico gol de Lucas Cepeda para el triunfo de Colo Colo ante Cerro|publisher=Radio Cooperativa|date=3 April 2024|access-date=4 April 2024}} Months later, on August 20, he netted a key goal against Junior de Barranquilla in a 1–2 visit victory at Colombia for the 2024 Copa Libertadores Round of 16.{{Cite web|url=https://www.beinsports.com/en-us/soccer/conmebol-libertadores/articles-video/lucas-cepeda-scores-the-best-goal-of-the-copa-libertadores-2024-08-21|title=Lucas Cepeda Scores the Best Goal of the Copa Libertadores|publisher=BeIN Sports|date=20 August 2024|accessdate=21 August 2024}}

International career

In 2024, Cepeda received a call from the coach, Nicolás Córdova, to play in the CONMEBOL Pre-Olympic Tournament held in Venezuela. He played three games in that competition.

At senior level, Cepeda received his first call-up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Brazil and Colombia in October 2024.{{cite web |last1=Encina |first1=Camilo |title=El gran presente de Lucas Cepeda en Colo Colo: de desconocido refuerzo a llamado a la Roja |url=https://dalealbo.cl/colocolo/el-gran-presente-de-lucas-cepeda-en-colo-colo-de-desconocido-refuerzo-a-llamado-a-la-roja |website=Dale Albo |access-date=7 October 2024 |language=es |date=27 September 2024}} He made his debut in the first match on 10 October.{{cite web |title=A la altura ante Brasil: Los debutantes de la Roja en Clasificatorias |url=https://tntsports.cl/laroja/La-Roja-Lucas-Cepeda-Marcelo-Morales-debutantes-seleccion-chilena-Brasil-Clasificatorias-20241011-0008.html |publisher=TNT Sports Chile |access-date=11 October 2024 |language=es |date=11 October 2024}}

On 19 November 2024, Cepeda scored his first two international goals against Venezuela at the Estado Nacional in Santiago de Chile.{{Cite web|url=https://www.footboom1.com/en/news/football/2082400-chile-triumphs-4-2-against-venezuela-lucas-cepeda-shines|title=Chile Triumphs 4-2 Against Venezuela, Lucas Cepeda Shines|publisher=Footboom1|date=20 November 2024|accessdate=20 November 2024}}

Career statistics

=Club=

{{updated|9 March 2025}}

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

|+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

!rowspan="2"|Club

!rowspan="2"|Season

!colspan="3"|League

!colspan="2"|National cup

!colspan="2"|Continental

!colspan="2"|Total

DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
rowspan="4"|Santiago Wanderers

|2021

|Chilean Primera División

|6

010colspan="2"|—70
2022

|Primera B de Chile

|23

410colspan="2"|—244
2023

|Primera B de Chile

|32

320colspan="2"|—343
colspan="2"|Total

!61

740colspan="2"|—657
rowspan=3|Colo-Colo

|2024

|Chilean Primera División

|20

35352307
2025

|Chilean Primera División

|4

2300072
colspan="2"|Total

!24

5835237||9
colspan="3"|Career total

!85

121235210216

=International=

{{updated|match played 20 March 2025}}

class=wikitable style=text-align:center

|+ Appearances and goals by national team and year

National teamYearAppsGoals
202432
202521
colspan="2"|Total53

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ List of international goals scored by Lucas Cepeda

!scope=col|No.

!scope=col|Date

!scope=col|Venue

!scope=col|Cap

!scope=col|Opponent

!scope=col|Score

!scope=col|Result

!scope=col|Competition

1.

| rowspan="2" | 19 November 2024

| rowspan="2" | Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos, Santiago, Chile

| rowspan="2" align=center | 3

| rowspan="2" | {{fb|VEN}}

| align="center" | 3–2

| rowspan="2" align=center |4–2

| rowspan="2" | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

2.

| align="center" | 4–2

3.

| rowspan="1" | 8 February 2025

| rowspan="1" | Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos, Santiago, Chile

| rowspan="1" align=center | 4

| rowspan="1" | {{fb|PAN}}

| align="center" | 4–1

| rowspan="1" align=center |6–1

| rowspan="1" | Friendlies

Honors

;Colo-Colo

;Individual

References

{{Reflist|30em}}