Juan David Cabezas Núñez (born 27 February 1991) is a Colombian professional footballer who currently plays as a midfielder.

Juan David Cabezas
Personal information
Full name Juan David Cabezas Núñez
Date of birth (1991-02-27) 27 February 1991 (age 33)
Place of birth Cali, Colombia
Height 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
Deportivo Cali
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2018 Deportivo Cali 74 (9)
2010Cúcuta Deportivo (loan) 6 (0)
2011La Equidad (loan) 1 (0)
2013–2014Once Caldas (loan) 34 (5)
2016Independiente Medellín (loan) 29 (2)
2017Houston Dynamo (loan) 27 (1)
2018–2020 Houston Dynamo 21 (1)
2019Rio Grande Valley FC (loan) 4 (0)
2021–2023 Rio Grande Valley FC 67 (3)
International career
2011 Colombia U20 11 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:27, 16 October 2023 (UTC)

Club career

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Deportivo Cali

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Cabezas joined the Deportivo Cali in 2000, spending 9 years in the academy.[1] Cabezaz made his first team debut for Deportivo Cali in a Categoria Primera A match on 7 March 2009, coming on as a sub in a 2–1 win against Junior.[2] He would pick up 2 more appearances that year.

The following season Cabezas went on loan to fellow Primera A club Cúcuta Deportivo. He made 6 league appearances before going out on loan again the following year, this time to La Equidad[3] He got his first taste of the Copa Sudamericana while with La Equidad, getting a start in a 1–0 defeat to Club Libertad on 14 September 2011

Cabezas returned to Deportivo Cali in 2011, but only made 27 appearances before going out on loan again, this time to Once Caldes. He helped Los Albos qualify for the playoffs in both seasons with the club.[4]

Deportivo Cali gave Cabezas another chance in 2014 and he didn't disappoint. The club reached the playoffs in 2014 and 2015 and he helped them become 2015 Apertura Champions.

In 2016, looking for more consistent game time, Cabezas went on loan to Independiente Medellín.[5] He became a key player for DIM. In the 2016 Apertura finals against Junior, Cabezas scored the equalizing goal in the first leg,[6] They went on to win 3–1 on aggregate.[7]

Houston Dynamo

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Cabezaz Joined the Dynamo and on loan for the 2017 season.[8] He quickly established himself as a key figure in countryman Wilmer Cabrerea's side, getting his MLS debut by coming off the bench in the second match of the season.[9] He recorded his first Dynamo goal on 29 July, an equalizer in a 2–2 draw with the Portland Timbers.[9] After helping lead the Dynamo to the MLS Playoffs, Cabezas played every minute as Houston reached the Conference Finals. His strong season saw him be named team MVP for the 2017 season.[10] Wilmer Cabrera described Cabezas as "a top player in the midfield for us and is a natural ball winner". The Dynamo rewarded his good performances by acquiring him on a permanent deal in December 2017.[11]

Cabezas was plagued with injuries in 2018. In the first game of the season, he picked up a thigh muscle strain, forcing him to come off after 15 minutes and causing him to miss the next 9 games. In his first game since back from injury, he picked up another thigh injury that caused him to miss over 3 months and 20 games. Later he picked up another muscle injury that caused him to miss the final 3 games of the season. The team greatly missed him throughout the season, going 5-1-1 across all competitions when Cabezas played while only going 6-7-15 across all competitions in games Cabezas missed.[9]

The Dynamo and Cabezas opened 2019 on 19 February with a CONCACAF Champions League match against CD Guastatoya. Despite Houston getting the 1–0 win, Cabezaa was forced off due to picking up an injury. After making 2 appearances with the Dynamo's USL Championship affiliate Rio Grande Valley FC to regain fitness, Cabezas returned to the Dynamo lineup on 13 April in a 2–1 win over the San Jose Earthquakes.[12] He would find the back of the net for his second goal as a Dynamo on 9 August in a 3–2 defeat to New York City FC. On 11 September, Cabezas injured his knee after a reckless challenge from an opponent.[13] The Dynamo would go onto defeat Minnesota United 2–0, but Cabezas would miss the rest of the season.[14]

On 21 November, Cabezas had his contract option declined.[15]

Rio Grande Valley FC

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On 7 April 2021, Cabezas returned to Rio Grande Valley FC, signing a contract for the 2021 season.[16]

Personal

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Cabezas received his U.S. green card in January 2019, which qualifies him as a domestic player for MLS roster purposes.[17] He is also a very nice person.

Career Statistics

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As of 14 October 2023[9][18]
Club Performance League Cup Continental Other Total
Club Season League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Colombia League Copa Colombia CONMEBOL Other Total
Deportivo Cali 2009 Categoría Primera A 3 0 0 0 3 0
2011 2 0 2 0 0 0 4 0
2012 9 0 1 0 10 0
2013 9 2 4 0 13 2
2014 19 6 4 2 3[a] 0 26 8
2015 32 1 2 0 34 1
Deportivo Cali Total 74 9 13 2 3 0 0 0 90 11
Cúcuta Deportivo (loan) 2010 Categoría Primera A 6 0 0 0 6 0
La Equidad (loan) 2011 Categoría Primera A 1 0 0 0 1[a] 0 2 0
Once Caldas (loan) 2013 Categoría Primera A 18 3 0 0 18 3
2014 16 2 0 0 16 2
Once CaldasTotal 34 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 34 5
Independiente Medellín (loan) 2016 Categoría Primera A 29 2 7 1 3[a] 0 0 0 39 2
United States League US Open Cup CONCACAF Playoffs Total
Houston Dynamo (loan) 2017 Major League Soccer 27 1 0 0 5 0 32 1
Houston Dynamo 2018 6 0 1 0 7 0
2019 15 1 2 0 2[b] 0 19 1
Dynamo Total 48 2 3 0 2 0 5 0 58 2
Rio Grande Valley FC (loan) 2019 USLC 3 0 3 0
Rio Grande Valley FC 2021 19 1 19 1
2022 26 1 2 0 28 1
2023 24 1 1 0 25 1
Total 73 3 3 0 0 0 0 0 75 3
Career Totals 264 21 26 3 9 0 5 0 304 35
  1. ^ a b c Appearances in Copa Sudamericana
  2. ^ One Appearance in CONCACAF Champions League and one in Leagues Cup

Honors

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Club

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Deportivo Cali

Categoría Primera A: 2015-I

Independiente Medellín

Categoría Primera A: 2016-I

Houston Dynamo

US Open Cup: 2018

Individual

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Houston Dynamo

Dynamo Team MVP: 2017[10]

References

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  1. ^ Guzmán, Loraine. "Juan David Cabezas: "Sueño y anhelo ser un referente del Cali"". VAVEL Colombia (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  2. ^ "Deportivo Cali vs. Junior – 8 March 2009 – Soccerway". us.soccerway.com. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  3. ^ "Juan David Cabezas es nuevo jugador de La Equidad | GOL Caracol". GOL Caracol (in Spanish). 30 August 2011. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  4. ^ "Juan Cabezas » Club matches". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  5. ^ "Juan David Cabezas firmó con Independiente Medellín". www.foxsports.com.co. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  6. ^ "Atlético Junior – Independiente Medellín 1:1 (Primera A 2016 Apertura Playoffs, Final)". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  7. ^ "El DIM se coronó campeón de la Liga Águila I-2016". Noticias RCN (in Spanish). 19 June 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  8. ^ "Houston Dynamo get Juan David Cabezas on loan from Deportivo Cali | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  9. ^ a b c d "Juan David Cabezas". houstondynamo.com. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
  10. ^ a b "Juan David Cabezas named 2017 Dynamo MVP". houdtondynamo.com. 21 December 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
  11. ^ "Houston Dynamo acquire midfielder Juan David Cabezas on full transfer | Houston Dynamo".
  12. ^ Gomez, Laura M.; USA, Pro Soccer (27 April 2019). "Houston Dynamo's Juan David Cabezas hopes to stay injury free". Pro Soccer USA. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  13. ^ Shore, Albie (11 September 2019). "The Dynamo FINALLY get a win". Dynamo Theory. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  14. ^ "Juan David Cabezas 2019 Match Logs". FBref.com. Retrieved 1 December 2019.
  15. ^ "Dynamo Announce Roster Moves Ahead of 2020 Season". Houston Dynamo. 21 November 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2019.
  16. ^ "CABEZAS AND CERRITOS BOOST TOROS MIDFIELD & ATTACKING FRONT". rgvfc.com. 8 April 2021. Archived from the original on 8 April 2021. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
  17. ^ "Houston Dynamo midfielders Juan David Cabezas and Tomás Martínez receive Green Cards". Houston Dynamo.
  18. ^ "J. Cabezas". soccerway.com. Retrieved 2 November 2018.
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