Luciano Cabral

{{short description|Argentine-born Chilean footballer (born 1995)}}

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Luciano Cabral

| image = Luciano Cabral Universidad Católica v Coquimbo Unido 20230723 01.jpg

| caption = Cabral with Coquimbo Unido in 2023

| fullname = Luciano Javier Cabral Melgarejo

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|4|26|df=y}}

| birth_place = General Alvear, Argentina

| height = {{height|m=1.70|precision=0}}

| currentclub = Independiente

| clubnumber = 10

| position = Attacking midfielder

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 = C.A.I.

| youthyears2 = 2011–2014

| youthclubs2 = Argentinos Juniors

| years1 = 2011

| clubs1 = C.A.I.

| caps1 = 2

| goals1 = 0

| years2 = 2014–2017

| clubs2 = Argentinos Juniors

| caps2 = 55

| goals2 = 4

| years3 = 2016

| clubs3 = → Athletico Paranaense (loan)

| caps3 = 6

| goals3 = 0

| years4 = 2022

| clubs4 = Sportivo El Porvenir

| caps4 = –

| goals4 = –

| years5 = 2023–2024

| clubs5 = Coquimbo Unido

| caps5 = 43

| goals5 = 8

| years6 = 2024

| clubs6 = León

| caps6 = 15

| goals6 = 1

| clubs7 = Independiente

| caps7 = 13

| goals7 = 2

| years7 = 2025–

| nationalyears1 = 2014

| nationalteam1 = Argentina U20

| nationalyears2 = 2015

| nationalteam2 = Chile U20

| nationalcaps2 = 4

| nationalgoals2 = 0

| nationalyears3 = 2024–

| nationalteam3 = Chile

| nationalcaps3 = 3

| nationalgoals3 = 0

| pcupdate = 23:33, 12 April 2025 (UTC)

| ntupdate = 25 March 2025

}}

Luciano Javier Cabral Melgarejo (born April 26, 1995) is a footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Independiente. Born in Argentina, he represents Chile internationally.

Club career

Cabral returned to professional football for the 2023 season, after signing with Coquimbo Unido in the Chilean Primera División.{{cite web |title=Luciano Cabral llega a Coquimbo Unido tras estar en prisión: club confirma el fichaje y anuncia a dos refuerzos más |url=https://www.adnradio.cl/futbol/2022/12/12/luciano-cabral-llega-a-coquimbo-unido-tras-estar-en-prision-club-confirma-el-fichaje-y-anuncia-a-dos-refuerzos-mas.html |publisher=ADN Radio Chile |access-date=12 December 2022 |language=es |date=12 December 2022}}

In the second half of 2024, Cabral moved to Mexico and signed with León in the Liga MX.{{cite news |last1=Bastidas |first1=Juan Miguel |title=La teleserie de Luciano Cabral se termina con una cinematográfica presentación de León |url=https://tntsports.cl/internacional/Luciano-Cabral-mercado-de-pases-Club-Leon-anuncio-oficial-fichaje-Liga-MX-20240702-0003.html |access-date=2 July 2024 |work=TNT Sports Chile |date=2 July 2024 |language=es}}

In 2025, Cabral returned to his country of birth and joined Independiente on a deal for three seasons.{{cite news |last1=Vega |first1=Diego |title=Oficial: Luciano Cabral firma un contrato por tres temporadas |url=https://chile.as.com/futbol/chilenos-por-el-mundo/oficial-luciano-cabral-firma-un-contrato-por-tres-temporadas-n/ |access-date=1 January 2025 |work=Diario AS |date=1 January 2025 |language=es}}{{cite news |last1=Jara Marchant |first1=Max |title=¡Se viste de rojo! Luciano Cabral es el nuevo refuerzo de Independiente |url=https://tntsports.cl/internacional/luciano-cabral-es-el-nuevo-fichaje-de-independiente-de-avellaneda-y-no-llegara-a-colo-colo-20250101-0003.html |access-date=1 January 2025 |work=TNT Sports Chile |date=1 January 2025 |language=es}}

International career

Cabral represented Argentina at under-20 level in the 2014 COTIF Tournament.{{cite web |title=Historiales de participación de la Selección Argentina en el torneo COTIF L'Alcúdia |url=https://www.afa.com.ar/es/posts/historiales-de-participacion-de-la-seleccion-argentina-en-el-torneo-l-alcudia-en-espana |website=www.afa.com.ar |publisher=Argentine Football Association |access-date=26 June 2023 |language=es}}

In 2015, he represented Chile at under-20 level in the South American Championship.{{cite web |title=Nóminas de Chile para Campeonatos Sudamericanos Sub-20 |url=https://www.partidosdelaroja.com/1970/01/nominas-de-chile-para-sudamericanos-sub20.html |website=PartidosdelaRoja.com |access-date=13 June 2022 |language=es}}

At senior level, Cabral was included in the preliminary squad for the 2024 Copa América.{{cite news |last1=Orrego Bocchieri |first1=Héctor |title=La Roja presenta prenómina para la Copa América 2024: Luciano Cabral entra a la lista |url=https://tntsports.cl/laroja/La-prenomina-de-55-jugadores-de-la-Roja-que-Ricardo-Gareca-armo-pensando-en-la-Copa-America-2024-20240505-0021.html |access-date=6 May 2024 |work=TNT Sports Chile |date=5 May 2024 |language=es}} Later, he received his first call-up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Brazil and Colombia in October 2024.{{cite news |last1=Bastidas |first1=Juan Miguel |title=Luciano Cabral celebra su nominación con precisa asistencia con León |url=https://tntsports.cl/internacional/Luciano-Cabral-nomina-de-la-Seleccion-Chilena-asistencia-Leon-2-2-Tigres-por-la-Liga-MX-20240928-0007.html |access-date=7 October 2024 |work=TNT Sports Chile |date=28 September 2024 |language=es}} He made his debut on 19 November 2024 in a World Cup qualifier against Venezuela at the Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos. He substituted Arturo Vidal in the 67th minute and scored the goal that was overturned after VAR review, as Chile won 4–2.{{cite web|publisher=ESPN|url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/match/_/gameId/684636/venezuela-chile|title=Chile v Venezuela game report|date=19 November 2024}}

Personal life

He is naturalized Chilean since his grandfather was born in Chile.{{cite web |last1=Andino Sports |first1=Sección |title=El mendocino Cabral, en la mira de Sampaoli |url=https://www.sitioandino.com.ar/n/165510-el-mendocino-cabral-en-la-mira-de-sampaoli/ |website=www.sitioandino.com.ar |access-date=13 June 2022 |language=es |date=22 July 2015}}

In June 2018, he was given a {{frac|9|1|2}} years prison sentence due to being linked along with his father to a homicide occurred in January 2017 in Mendoza, Argentina.{{cite web |title=Ex seleccionado chileno Sub 20 es condenado a nueve años y medio de cárcel en Argentina por brutal crimen |url=https://www.emol.com/noticias/Deportes/2018/06/04/908642/Luciano-Cabral-ex-seleccionado-Sub-20-de-Chile-es-condenado-a-nueve-anos-y-medio-de-carcel.html |website=Emol |publisher=El Mercurio |access-date=13 June 2022 |language=es |date=5 June 2018}} Due to his good behavior, In September 2022, he came out on parole.{{cite web |last1=González Lucay |first1=Carlos |title=Luciano Cabral obtiene la libertad condicional y proyecta su futuro en Chile |url=https://www.latercera.com/el-deportivo/noticia/luciano-cabral-obtiene-la-libertad-condicional-y-proyecta-su-futuro-en-chile/NE5KSM6J2NE4DNDAI2ZPGNBVY4/ |publisher=La Tercera |access-date=11 November 2022 |language=es |date=28 October 2022}}