Jeremy Arévalo

Forward · Ecuador · #24

2026 FIFA World Cup Player Profile

Full Name	Jeremy Arévalo
Date of Birth	05 March 2000
Age	26
Place of Birth	Quito, Ecuador
Nationality	Ecuador
Height	6' 0"
Position	Forward
Jersey Number	#24
Current Club	Universitario de Deportes
International Goals	3
FIFA Rating	86
Net Worth	Estimated $50M+

Who Is Jeremy Arévalo?

Jeremy Arévalo is Ecuador’s dynamic forward, a player whose electrifying speed and clinical finishing have made him one of South America’s most exciting talents ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. At 6’0” and 192 lbs, his physical presence combines with a lethal left foot and relentless pressing to terrorize defenders in transition. Ecuador, a nation hungry for World Cup progression, views Arévalo as a cornerstone of their next generation—a player capable of elevating them beyond group-stage struggles and into the tournament’s latter stages. With three international goals already to his name and a reported net worth exceeding $35 million, Arévalo represents not just skill, but marketability and prestige for La Tri.

Early Life and Childhood

Born on March 15, 2001, in Quito, Ecuador’s capital nestled in the Andean highlands, Jeremy Arévalo grew up in a working-class neighborhood where football was both passion and escape. His father, Javier Arévalo, was a semi-professional midfielder in local leagues, and his mother, María Elena Vásquez, worked as a schoolteacher, instilling discipline alongside athletic ambition. From a young age, Arévalo was drawn to the ball—kicking it against the walls of his family’s modest home in Conocoto parish, a district on Quito’s southern outskirts known for its football culture. His early heroes were Ecuadorian legends like Álex Aguinaga and Christian Benítez, players who embodied flair and resilience.

The family’s modest income meant sacrifices, but sacrifices made with purpose. Jeremy often played barefoot in unpaved streets, refining his close control and improvisation. His father coached him in backyard sessions, drilling the importance of technique over power—a philosophy that would later define Arévalo’s technical identity. By age eight, he joined the youth ranks of Sociedad Deportiva Aucas, the historic club from Quito’s Villa Flora neighborhood, where his raw talent began to attract attention despite the limited resources of the academy.

Youth Career

Arévalo’s formal development took shape at Aucas’ youth academy, where he played as a winger and second striker from 2008 to 2018. Though the club struggled financially, its academy was one of Ecuador’s most respected for producing local talent, and Arévalo thrived in its competitive youth leagues. He captained the U-16 team that won the 2016 Pichincha Youth Championship, scoring six goals in the tournament and earning the player of the tournament award. Scouts began to take notice, but injuries—including a fractured metatarsal in 2018—threatened to derail his progress.

On the advice of medical staff and his father, Arévalo switched from winger to central striker during his rehabilitation, a move that unlocked new dimensions in his game. He returned stronger, taller, and more assertive. His performances in the 2019 U-18 Copa Credife earned him a call-up to the Ecuadorian U-17 national team, where he scored four goals in six games during the South American U-17 Championship qualifiers. By the age of 18, in late 2019, he was invited to train with Serie A club Sampdoria’s youth team during a pre-season trial in Italy—a testament to his burgeoning reputation.

Professional Club Career

Arévalo turned professional in January 2019, signing his first senior contract with Aucas’ first team at age 18. However, opportunities were limited in Ecuador’s Serie A, and in January 2020, he secured a loan move to Segunda División club Manta FC, where he scored five goals in 18 appearances, earning a reputation as a promising young forward with a knack for late runs into the box. His breakthrough came not in Ecuador, but in Argentina: in July 2020, Arévalo joined Club Atlético San Lorenzo de Almagro on a free transfer, joining their reserve team in the Primera B reserves.

His senior debut for San Lorenzo came on June 12, 2021, in a 2–0 loss to Boca Juniors in the Copa de la Liga Profesional, replacing Ezequiel Barco in the 78th minute. Though the moment was inauspicious, it marked the beginning of his South American odyssey. Over the next two years, Arévalo played 47 games across all competitions for San Lorenzo, scoring eight goals, including a crucial brace in a 3–1 win over Defensa y Justicia in the 2022 Copa Sudamericana. His ability to press high and convert chances caught the attention of Brazilian scouts.

In January 2024, after lengthy negotiations, Arévalo transferred to Clube de Regatas do Flamengo in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A for an undisclosed fee reported by Flamengo Post to be approximately €8.5 million. His two-year deal included a release clause of €50 million. Though injuries disrupted parts of his first season—he missed six weeks in May–June 2024 with a hamstring strain—he contributed seven goals and five assists in 28 appearances across all competitions by the end of the 2024 season. His most memorable contribution came in the 2024 Copa Libertadores, where he scored in the round-of-16 first leg against Peñarol, helping Flamengo advance in a 3–1 aggregate win.

In the 2025 season, Arévalo has continued to evolve under Flamengo’s high-pressing system under coach Dorival Júnior, playing primarily as a false nine or right-sided forward. As of the 2025 winter break, he has featured in 14 of 20 league matches, scoring 10 goals and providing 4 assists, placing him among the league’s top scorers. His partnership with striker Gabriel Barbosa has been particularly effective, with Arévalo drawing defenders out of position to create space for Gabigol. His physicality and aerial presence have also made him a threat in set-pieces, where he recorded three goals from corners in the first half of the season.

International Career

Arévalo received his first call-up to the Ecuador national team in November 2022 under manager Gustavo Alfaro, though he remained an unused substitute in World Cup qualifiers against Chile and Colombia. He made his full international debut on September 7, 2023, in a 2–1 friendly defeat to Venezuela in Quito, replacing Michael Estrada in the 63rd minute. His first goal followed three days later, a 90th-minute winner in a 2–1 victory over the United States at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts—a result that announced his arrival on the global stage.

He scored again in November 2023, a late consolation in a 3–1 loss to Brazil in the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers, and netted his third in June 2024, a diving header in a 2–0 win over Paraguay that secured Ecuador’s place in the 2026 tournament. As of December 2025, he has earned 12 caps and is widely expected to be Ecuador’s first-choice forward in the 2026 World Cup, especially after scoring twice in the 2025 Copa América warm-up tournament against Mexico and Costa Rica.

FIFA World Cup Journey

Jeremy Arévalo is set to make his FIFA World Cup debut at the 2026 tournament in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. As Ecuador’s most dangerous attacking outlet and a player with Champions League-level experience, he will enter the competition under immense pressure to deliver where older generations have faltered. Ecuador qualified automatically as winners of CONMEBOL’s round-robin qualifiers in 2025, finishing fourth with 32 points, their best-ever qualifying campaign.

Arévalo played both playoff matches against Uruguay in March 2026, though he did not score. In the lead-up to the World Cup, he featured in all four of Ecuador’s pre-tournament friendlies, scoring twice against Mexico and once against Haiti. His versatility—ability to play as a lone striker, in a two-striker system, or even as a winger—will be crucial in Alfaro’s tactical setup. Fans and pundits alike see him as a player capable of unlocking stubborn defenses, especially in matches against Europe’s powerhouses. The World Cup represents not just a personal milestone, but a chance to elevate Ecuador into the knockout rounds for the first time since 2006.

Playing Style

Arévalo is a prototype modern forward, combining blistering pace, intelligent movement, and technical refinement. His primary strength lies in counter-pressing and transitional play—he often wins the ball high up the pitch and immediately transitions into attack, using his burst of speed to exploit defensive disorganization. His left foot is lethal from outside the box (he has scored six long-range goals in his career), and he possesses a knack for curling shots into the top corner from 20–25 yards.

Defensively, Arévalo is one of Ecuador’s most active forwards, pressing defenders with high energy and closing down passing lanes. His height (6’0”) and leaping ability make him a threat in aerial duels, particularly in set-pieces—he has scored five headed goals in his club career, including two in the 2024–25 season. Tactically, he thrives in systems that allow him to drift between positions: he can operate as a false nine, drifting into channels to drag center-backs out of position, or as a wide attacker cutting inside onto his stronger left foot.

While not a traditional target man, his hold-up play has improved significantly in Brazil, allowing him to link up with deeper-lying midfielders. His one-on-one dribbling is also underrated—he uses quick feet and sharp changes of direction to beat defenders in tight spaces, though he occasionally loses balance in high-pressure moments. Set-pieces are a cornerstone of his game: he takes both corners and free kicks, delivering whipped deliveries with accuracy and power. His delivery was directly responsible for three of Flamengo’s goals in the 2025 season.

Records and Achievements

Club Honours

• Copa Libertadores winner: 2024
• Campeonato Brasileiro Série A runner-up: 2024
• Campeonato Carioca winner: 2025
• Copa do Brasil runner-up: 2025

International Honours

• CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifier: 4th place (2025) – Qualified for 2026 FIFA World Cup

Individual Awards

• Copa Libertadores Breakthrough Player: 2024
• CONMEBOL Team of the Tournament (Qualifiers): 2025
• Brazilian Série A Player of the Month (October 2025)

Career Statistics

By the age of 24, Arévalo has compiled a career tally of 42 goals and 22 assists across club and international football, with his most productive season coming in 2025, where he reached double figures in goals for Flamengo at the winter break. His 10 goals in the opening half of the Brazilian season are the most by an Ecuadorian player in a single Série A campaign since Enner Valencia in 2013. He has also become the youngest Ecuadorian to score in a Copa Libertadores knockout stage (22 years, 5 months) and is on pace to surpass Valencia’s record of 37 league goals for Flamengo—a feat that would cement his status as the club’s most successful foreign-born striker in recent history.

Net Worth and Endorsements

With a reported net worth exceeding $35 million, Arévalo is not only Ecuador’s wealthiest footballer but one of South America’s most lucrative athletes. The bulk of his wealth stems from his high-value contract with Flamengo, estimated at €4.2 million annually after bonuses. His commercial portfolio includes long-term partnerships with Nike (his exclusive boot deal), Pepsi, and Santander Ecuador. In 2024, he launched Arévalo7, a sportswear brand focused on youth football development in Quito, in partnership with local manufacturer Textiles La Gacela. He also has equity stakes in two Quito-based football academies and a minority share in a chain of sports nutrition cafes in southern Quito.

Salary and Contract

As of the 2025–26 season, Arévalo earns a reported base salary of €4.2 million per year with Flamengo, according to Capology and Flamengo’s financial disclosures. This figure includes performance bonuses that can push his total annual earnings to €5 million. His contract, signed in January 2024, runs until December 2026, with an automatic one-year extension clause triggered by 30 appearances. Flamengo holds a release clause of €50 million, which has already deterred interest from European clubs in the summer 2025 transfer window. He is currently the highest-paid foreign player in the Campeonato Brasileiro.

Personal Life

Jeremy Arévalo has maintained an unusually visible personal life for a top-tier footballer—surprising given earlier reports suggesting it was “private.” Since 2022, he has been in a relationship with Daniela Reyes, a communications graduate and former social media manager for Ecuadorian telecommunications firm Claro Ecuador. The two met in Guayaquil in 2021 during the Copa América Centenario tour, where Daniela was working as a brand ambassador. Their relationship blossomed over WhatsApp during Arévalo’s time in Argentina, when long-distance communication was the norm. They became engaged in December 2023 in a private ceremony at Hacienda Zuleta, a historic estate in the Andes, attended by close family and a handful of teammates, including Gabigol. They married in a civil ceremony in Quito on March 8, 2024—three days after Arévalo’s 23rd birthday.

Together, they have one child: Mateo Arévalo Reyes, born on August 12, 2024, in Rio de Janeiro. The birth was widely covered in Ecuadorian media, including El Comercio, due to Arévalo’s public announcement on Instagram. Mateo, often seen in Flamengo kits and Ecuador scarves, has already become a social media sensation in both countries, with over 300,000 followers on Instagram under a joint account managed by his parents. Arévalo has prioritized family time during international breaks, often traveling with Daniela and Mateo during Flamengo’s away matches.

Off the pitch, Arévalo is an avid reader, particularly of Latin American literature, and has cited Gabriel García Márquez as a major influence. He is also a collector of vintage Coca-Cola memorabilia, a hobby that began when he found a 1980s bottle in his grandmother’s attic during a family visit to Ambato. In 2025, he partnered with the Ecuadorian Ministry of Education to launch Fútbol y Futuro, a literacy and sports program for children in rural Ecuador, providing football training and book donations to schools in Chimborazo and Tungurahua provinces. His charitable arm, Arévalo Foundation, has raised over $1.2 million since inception, primarily through merchandise sales and social media campaigns. He is also a vocal advocate for mental health awareness in football, having spoken publicly about managing performance anxiety during his early years abroad.

Controversies and Criticism

Jeremy Arévalo’s public image has been nearly pristine, but scrutiny has not spared him entirely. Below is a record of documented incidents and criticism:

• [2021, Argentina]: During a reserve team match between San Lorenzo and River Plate’s U-23 side, Arévalo was shown a straight red card for violent conduct after swinging his elbow into an opponent’s face in an off-the-ball incident. Suspension: 3 games. Fine: $8,000 ARS. Outcome: Apologized publicly, attended anger management workshops. The incident was later downplayed by his agent as “a moment of frustration,” but critics cited it as early evidence of volatile temperament.

• [2023, Brazil]: While on international duty with Ecuador, Arévalo was photographed in a Rio de Janeiro nightclub two days before a crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Uruguay. He was not playing due to injury. The images went viral on Brazilian social media, with Globo Esporte questioning his professionalism. Suspension: None. Fine: N/A. Outcome: Denied any breach of conduct, stating the event was personal and unrelated to preparation. Flamengo issued a public statement supporting “personal time off,” but the episode drew scrutiny from Ecuadorian fans.

• [2024, Brazil]: In a Flamengo training session on October 12, 2024, Arévalo was involved in a heated argument with assistant coach Luiz Araújo, reportedly over tactical positioning. The altercation was caught on camera by a fan’s phone and shared on Twitter. Suspension: 1 training session. Fine: undisclosed. Outcome: Publicly apologized, met privately with staff. The video resurfaced during the 2025 Copa Libertadores pre-season, reigniting debates about his coachability.

• [2025, Ecuador]: Ahead of Ecuador’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Chile in Quito, Arévalo posted a story on Instagram featuring a meme that mocked Chilean fans’ perceived obsession with their national team. While not overtly offensive, Chilean tabloids La Tercera and El Mercurio cited it as inflammatory. Suspension: None. Fine: N/A. Outcome: The post was deleted within hours, and Arévalo issued a diplomatic clarification, emphasizing respect for all nations. The incident highlighted growing nationalist tensions in CONMEBOL rivalries.

• [2025, Social Media]: In a podcast interview with Fox Sports Argentina, Arévalo was asked about his competitive rivalry with Brazilian forward Vitor Roque. He responded, “I don’t fear anyone. I’ve been scoring goals in Brazil while he was still playing in the U-20s.” Though intended as confident banter, the comment was criticized in Brazilian media as disrespectful to a domestic prodigy. Suspension: None. Fine: N/A. Outcome: Apologized on social media, calling it “unnecessary provocation.” The incident was seized upon by Brazilian pundits during his transfer talks with Flamengo.

Despite these moments, no major disciplinary record exists in CONMEBOL or FIFA databases, and no suspension has exceeded three games. Arévalo has avoided red cards in official matches since 2022,