Nico González (footballer, born 2002)
{{short description|Spanish footballer}}
{{Other uses|Nicolás González (disambiguation){{!}}Nicolás González}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{family name hatnote|González|Iglesias|lang=Spanish}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Nico González
| image = Nico Gonzalez (cropped).jpg
| caption = González playing for Barcelona in 2021
| full_name = Nicolás González Iglesias{{cite web |url=https://www.premierleague.com/news/4243590 |title=2024/25 Updated Premier League squad lists |publisher=Premier Leagues |date=7 February 2025|access-date=10 February 2025}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2002|1|3|df=y}}
| birth_place = A Coruña, Spain{{WorldFootball.net|nico_12}}
| position = Midfielder
| currentclub = Manchester City
| clubnumber = 14
| youthyears1 = 2009–2013
| youthclubs1 = Montañeros
| youthyears2 = 2013–2020
| youthclubs2 = Barcelona
| years1 = 2019–2022
| clubs1 = Barcelona B
| caps1 = 26
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2021–2023
| clubs2 = Barcelona
| caps2 = 27
| goals2 = 2
| years3 = 2022–2023
| clubs3 = → Valencia (loan)
| caps3 = 26
| goals3 = 1
| years4 = 2023–2025
| clubs4 = Porto
| caps4 = 42
| goals4 = 7
| years5 = 2025–
| clubs5 = Manchester City
| caps5 = 8
| goals5 = 0
| nationalyears1 = 2018–2019
| nationalteam1 = Spain U17
| nationalcaps1 = 8
| nationalgoals1 = 0
| nationalyears2 = 2021–2024
| nationalteam2 = Spain U21
| nationalcaps2 = 11
| nationalgoals2 = 0
| club-update = 17:54, 19 April 2025 (UTC)
| nationalteam-update =
}}
Nicolás González Iglesias (born 3 January 2002), sometimes known mononymously as Nico, is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for {{English football updater|ManchesC}} club Manchester City.
Club career
=Barcelona=
Nico was born in A Coruña, Galicia, and started his career with local side Montañeros at the age of seven. In December 2012, he agreed to a move to Barcelona, effective as of the following July.{{cite web|url=https://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/deportes/2012/12/11/nicolas-rumbo-masia/0003_201212G11P42997.htm|title=Nicolás, rumbo a La Masía|trans-title=Nicolás, towards La Masía|publisher=La Voz de Galicia|language=es|date=11 December 2012|accessdate=19 December 2021}}
On 19 May 2019, aged just 17, Nico made his senior debut for the reserves, coming on as a late substitute for Kike Saverio in a 2–1 Segunda División B away loss against Castellón.{{cite web|url=https://www.sport.es/es/noticias/barca/nico-hijo-fran-debuta-barca-7463391|title=Nico, el hijo de Fran, debuta con el Barça B|trans-title=Nico, the son of Fran, debuts with Barça B|publisher=Sport|language=es|date=19 May 2019|accessdate=19 December 2021}} In the 2020–21 season, he was initially a member of the Juvenil A before starting to feature regularly for the B-team from November 2020 onwards.
On 12 May 2021, Nico renewed his contract until 2024, with a €500 million buyout clause.{{cite web|url=https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/football/barca-b/news/2139154/nico-gonzalez-renews-through-to-2024|title=Nico González renews through to 2024|publisher=FC Barcelona|date=12 May 2021|accessdate=19 December 2021}} After featuring in the main squad during the pre-season, he made his first team – and La Liga – debut on 15 August, replacing Sergio Busquets in the opening game of the 2021–22 La Liga season, a 4–2 win over Real Sociedad.{{Cite web|date=2021-08-15|title=Braithwaite 9/10, De Jong and Depay 8/10 as Barcelona win to begin post-Messi era|url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/barcelona-espbarcelona/story/4453136/barcelona-led-by-braithwaitede-jongdepay-in-first-win-of-post-messi-era|access-date=2021-08-16|website=ESPN.com|language=en}}{{cite web|url=https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/football/first-team/news/2242528/nico-and-gavi-latest-masia-debutants|title=Nico and Gavi, latest Masía debutants|publisher=FC Barcelona|date=3 September 2021|accessdate=19 December 2021}}
Nico scored his first professional goal on 12 December 2021, netting the opener in a 2–2 away draw against Osasuna.{{cite web|url=https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/football/first-team/news/2413084/nico-and-ez-abde-score-first-goals-for-fc-barcelona|title=Nico and Ez Abde score first goals for FC Barcelona|publisher=FC Barcelona|date=12 December 2021|accessdate=19 December 2021}}
==Loan to Valencia==
On 13 August 2022, Nico renewed his contract until 2026, and later signed with Valencia on a season-long loan.{{cite web |url=https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/football/first-team/news/2737851/nico-renews-contract-to-2026-loaned-to-valencia|title=Nico renews contract to 2026, loaned to Valencia|date=13 August 2022 |publisher=FC Barcelona |access-date=13 August 2022}}
=Porto=
On 29 July 2023, Nico signed a five-year contract with Primeira Liga club Porto, for a reported fee of €8.5 million, with Barcelona having a buy-back clause.{{Cite web |date=2023-07-29 |title=Nico González é Dragão até 2028 |url=https://www.fcporto.pt/pt/noticias/20230729-pt-nico-gonzalez-e-dragao-ate-2028 |access-date=2023-07-29 |website=FC Porto |language=pt}}{{Cite web |title=Agreement for the transfer of Nico to Porto |url=https://www.fcbarcelona.com/en/football/first-team/news/3610157/agreement-for-the-transfer-of-nico-to-porto |access-date=2023-07-29 |website=FC Barcelona |language=en}}
He made his debut for the Portuguese side on 14 August, coming off the bench to replace Romário Baró in the 70th minute of a 2–1 win away at Moreirense in the Primeira Liga.{{Cite web |date=14 August 2023 |title=Moreirense ainda assustou, mas o FC Porto deu a volta em sete minutos |trans-title=Moreirense still scared, but FC Porto turned it around in seven minutes |url=https://www.dn.pt/desporto/moreirense-ainda-assustou-mas-o-fc-porto-deu-a-volta-em-sete-minutos-16859255.html |access-date=16 September 2023 |publisher=Diário de Notícias |language=pt-PT}} One week later, Nico made his first start for Porto, in a 2–1 home win over Farense.{{Cite web |date=20 August 2023 |title=Marcano, goleador dos últimos minutos. FC Porto vence Farense na compensação |trans-title=Marcano, last-minute goalscorer. FC Porto beats Farense in extra-time |url=https://www.tsf.pt/desporto/fc-porto-farense-relato-tsf-direto-i-liga-16883431.html |access-date=16 September 2023 |website=TSF |language=pt-PT}}
=Manchester City=
On 3 February 2025, in the final hour of the winter transfer window, Premier League club Manchester City announced the signing of Nico on a four-and-a-half-year deal for a reported fee of £50 million.{{cite web |url=https://www.mancity.com/news/mens/nico-gonzalez-signs-63874209 |title=Gonzalez becomes City’s fourth winter signing |publisher=Manchester City F.C. |date=3 February 2025 |access-date=4 February 2025}}{{cite web |last=Jackson |first=Bobbie |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/c98yqd3z7gro |title=Gonzalez takes Man City's spend to £180m - how they dominated window |website=BBC Sport |date=3 February 2025 |access-date=4 February 2025}}
On 8 February 2025, he made his City debut in a 2–1 away victory over League One side Leyton Orient in the fourth round of the FA Cup, before being substituted with an injury 22 minutes into the first-half.{{cite news |title=FA Cup fourth round: Man City come from behind to beat Leyton Orient|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/ce9n4mg7kpkt |first=Simon |last=Stone |work=BBC Sport |access-date=8 February 2025}} On 19 February, Nico scored his first goal for the club and in the UEFA Champions League, getting on the scoresheet in a 3–1 loss to Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu, as City got knocked out of the tournament.{{Cite web|last=McNulty|first=Phil|title=Real Madrid 3–1 Manchester City (Agg 6–3): Kylian Mbappé's stunning hat-trick dumps City out|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/live/clyne5v9j7pt|publisher=BBC|work=BBC Sport|date=19 February 2025|access-date=19 February 2025|archive-date=19 February 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250219223320/https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/live/clyne5v9j7pt|url-status=live}}
Personal life
He is the son of former Spanish footballer and Deportivo La Coruña legend Fran González and the nephew of José Ramón.{{cite web|url=https://as.com/futbol/2021/04/15/primera/1618514859_788607.html|title=El Barça atará al hijo de Fran|trans-title=Barça will tie the son of Fran down|date=15 April 2021|accessdate=16 August 2021|website=as.com|language=Spanish}}
Career statistics
{{updated|match played 27 April 2025}}{{Soccerway|nicolas-gonzalez-iglesias/571788|access-date=15 February 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{{efn|Includes Copa del Rey, Taça de Portugal, FA Cup}} !colspan="2"|League cup{{efn|Includes Taça da Liga}} !colspan="2"|Europe !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||||
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="5"|Barcelona B
|1 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 1 | 0 | |||||
| 2019–20
|Segunda División B |0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 2020–21
|Segunda División B |23 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2" |— | colspan="2"|— | 1{{efn|Appearance in Segunda División B play-offs}} | 0 | 24 | 0 | ||||
| 2021–22
|2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||||
| colspan="2"|Total
!26||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||1||0||27||0 | ||||||||||||
| Barcelona
|27 | 2 | 2 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 7{{efn|Four appearances in UEFA Champions League, three appearances in UEFA Europa League}} | 0 | 1{{efn|Appearance in Supercopa de España}} | 0 | 37 | 2 | ||
| Valencia (loan) | 2022–23
|La Liga |26 | 1 | 0 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 0 | 0 | 26 | 1 | ||
| rowspan="3"|Porto
|25 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6{{efn|name=UCL|Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League}} | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 2 | |
| 2024–25
|Primeira Liga |17 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7{{efn|Appearances in UEFA Europa League}} | 1 | 1{{efn|Appearance in Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira}} | 1 | 29 | 7 | |
| colspan="2"|Total
!42||7||9||0||3||0||13||1||1||1||68||9 | ||||||||||||
| Manchester City
|8 | 0 | 4 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 1{{efn|name=UCL}} | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 1 | ||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!129||10||15||0||3||0||21||2||3||1||171||13 |
{{notelist}}
Honours
Porto
- Taça de Portugal: 2023–24{{cite web|url=https://www.rtp.pt/noticias/fc-porto/taca-de-portugal-sergio-conceicao-e-o-terceiro-treinador-a-vencer-quatro-finais_d1574481|title=Taça de Portugal. Sérgio Conceição é o terceiro treinador a vencer quatro finais|trans-title=Portugal Cup. Sérgio Conceição is the third manager to win four finals|publisher=Rádio e Televisão de Portugal|language=pt|date=26 May 2024|access-date=27 May 2024}}
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 2024{{cite news|url=https://portugoal.net/club-news/4011-porto-star-in-seven-goal-super-taca-thriller|title=Porto pull off stunning comeback to beat Sporting in seven-goal Super Taça thriller|date=4 August 2024|access-date=4 August 2024|website=PortuGOAL}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [https://www.mancity.com/players/nico-gonzalez Profile] at the Manchester City F.C. website
- {{UEFA player}}
{{Manchester City F.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:González, Nico}}
Category:Footballers from A Coruña
Category:Spanish men's footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:FC Barcelona Atlètic players
Category:Manchester City F.C. players
Category:Segunda División B players
Category:Primeira Liga players
Category:Premier League players
Category:Spain men's youth international footballers
Category:Spain men's under-21 international footballers
Category:Spanish expatriate men's footballers
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in England
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Portugal
Category:Spanish expatriate sportspeople in England