Franco Nicolás Escobar (born 21 February 1995) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a right-back for Major League Soccer club Houston Dynamo.
 Escobar in 2018 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Franco Nicolás Escobar | ||
| Date of birth | 21 February 1995 | ||
| Place of birth | Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina | ||
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Right-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Houston Dynamo | ||
| Number | 2 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Newell's Old Boys | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2015–2017 | Newell's Old Boys | 34 | (0) |
| 2018–2021 | Atlanta United | 63 | (2) |
| 2019 | Atlanta United 2 | 1 | (0) |
| 2021 | → Newell's Old Boys (loan) | 7 | (0) |
| 2022 | Los Angeles FC | 19 | (1) |
| 2023– | Houston Dynamo | 28 | (2) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15 July 2023 | |||
Club career
Newell's Old Boys
Escobar began his career in the Newell's Old Boys academy. He made his first team debut on 7 June 2015, getting the start against Boca Juniors in a 4–0 loss.[2] He made 15 appearances during his debut season as Newell's finished 16th in the table.[3] Escobar made 6 appearances during the 2016 season and 12 in the 2016–17 season, playing as both a rightback and a centerback. He made 2 appearance during the 2017–18 season prior to being sold.[3]
Atlanta United
On 8 December 2017 Escobar signed with MLS side Atlanta United.[4] On 3 March 2018 he made his debut for Atlanta, playing 90 minutes in a 4–0 loss to the Houston Dynamo in the opening match of the season.[5] He suffered a concussion on 17 March in a 4–1 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps that would keep him out for the next 4 games.[6][5] On 5 May, late in a 2–1 against the Chicago Fire, Escobar collided with Atlanta goalkeeper Brad Guzan and injured his chest.[7] Escobar would miss the next 3 matches. He scored his first goal for Atlanta on 21 October, helping Atanta to a 2–1 win over Chicago.[5] Escobar finished the regular season with 22 appearances and 1 goal as Atlanta finished 2nd in the Eastern Conference.[5][8] During Atlanta's playoff run, Escobar played every minute of the 5 games, scored 2 goals, and had an assist, including one in the final where Atlanta beat the Portland Timbers 2–0.[8][9] He was named to the MLS Cup Playoffs Best XI.[10]
On 16 January 2019, on the first day of preseason, Escobar suffered a fractured right clavicle.[11] The injury forced him to miss all of Atlanta's CONCACAF Champions League matches as well as the first 3 games of the MLS season. After making an appearance for Atlanta United 2 to regain fitness, he made his first MLS match of the season in a 2–0 loss to the Columbus Crew on 30 March.[12] Escobar ended the regular season with 1 goal and 3 assists in 25 appearances, helping Atlanta finish 2nd in the East.[13][14] In the opening round of the playoffs, Escobar scored the lone goal to give Atlanta a 1–0 win over the New England Revolution.[12] He played every minute of Atlanta's 3 playoff games, with the run ending in the Conference Finals following a 2–0 loss to Toronto FC.[12] In the 2019 Campeones Cup, Atlanta beat Club América 3–2, but Escobar was forced out of the game due to injury.[15]
In a shortened 2020 season due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Escobar played in 16 of the 23 matches and had 2 assists.[13] Atlanta finished the season 12th in the conference, missing the playoffs for the first time in team history.[16] In CCL play, Escobar made 3 appearances as Atlanta fell to Club América in the quarterfinals 3–1 on aggregate.[2]
Loan to Newell's Old Boys
On 9 February 2021, Escobar returned to Newell's Old Boys on a loan deal until 1 January 2022.[17] On 16 February, Escobar broke his foot (fifth metatarsal) in training.[18][19] He made his first appearance of the loan on 17 July, playing 58 minutes in a 3–2 win over Talleres de Córdoba.[20] In Newell's next match, Escobar had to be subbed off due to pain in his foot.[21] He would miss the next 18 matches.[20] He recovered from his injury to play in the final 5 games the year, ending the season with 7 appearances.[20]
Los Angeles FC
On 12 December 2021, Atlanta traded Escobar to Los Angeles FC in exchange for $600,000 in General Allocation Money.[22] He made his LAFC debut on 26 February, playing the full match in a 3–0 win over the Colorado Rapids in the opening game of the season.[23] On 6 March, LAFC drew 1–1 with the Portland Timbers, Escobar was forced off 13 minutes into the game with a calf injury that would keep him out for 6 games.[23][24] He scored his first goal for LAFC on 7 May, his second game back from the injury, to give LAFC a 2–2 draw with the Philadelphia Union.[23] Escobar missed another 4 MLS games plus an Open Cup game in May due to his calf.[23][25] He also missed 3 games due to a concussion at the end of the season.[26] Escobar ended the season with 1 goal and 1 assist in 19 regular season appearances, helping LAFC win the Supporters' Shield.[23] He made just one appearance in the playoffs, coming on as a late sub in a 3–0 win over Austin FC in the conference final.[23] LAFC would go onto win MLS Cup 2022 3–0 on penalties against Philadelphia.[26]
Escobar's contract expired following the 2022 season.[27]
Houston Dynamo
On 12 January 2023, Escobar signed with the Houston Dynamo.[28]
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National Cup[a] | League Cup[b] | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Newell's Old Boys | 2015 | Primera División | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 15 | 0 | |||
| 2016 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 6 | 0 | |||||
| 2016–17 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 12 | 0 | |||||
| 2017–18 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | ||||
| Total | 34 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 0 | ||
| Atlanta United | 2018 | Major League Soccer | 22 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | — | — | 28 | 3 | ||
| 2019 | 25 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 34 | 2 | ||
| 2020 | 16[d] | 0 | — | — | 3[e] | 0 | — | 19 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 63 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 81 | 5 | ||
| Atlanta United 2 (loan) | 2019 | USL Championship | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Newell's Old Boys (loan) | 2021 | Primera División | 7 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | ||
| LAFC | 2022 | Major League Soccer | 19 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 22 | 1 | ||
| Houston Dynamo | 2023 | Major League Soccer | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | |
| Career total | 124 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 146 | 6 | ||
Honours
Atlanta United
Los Angeles FC
- Supporters' Shield: 2022
- MLS Cup: 2022
Houston Dynamo
- U.S. Open Cup: 2023
Personal life
Escobar obtained a green card in 2020, classifying him as a domestic player for MLS roster purposes.[31]
References
External links
- Franco Escobar at Soccerway