Nicolás "Nico" Melamed Ribaudo (born 11 April 2001) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for RCD Espanyol as an attacking midfielder.
 Melamed with Espanyol in 2022 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Nicolás Melamed Ribaudo | ||
| Date of birth | 11 April 2001 | ||
| Place of birth | Castelldefels, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Espanyol | ||
| Number | 21 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Atlètic Vilafranca | |||
| Cornellà | |||
| 2013–2019 | Espanyol | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2019–2020 | Espanyol B | 39 | (9) |
| 2019– | Espanyol | 124 | (13) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2020 | Spain U19 | 2 | (0) |
| 2021– | Spain U21 | 1 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 6 June 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 8 October 2021 | |||
Club career
Born in Castelldefels, Barcelona, Catalonia, Melamed joined RCD Espanyol's youth setup in 2013, after representing UE Cornellà and FP Atlètic Vilafranca.[1][2] He made his senior debut with the reserves on 17 February 2019, starting in a 1–1 Segunda División B away draw against SD Ejea.[3]
Melamed renewed his contract with the Pericos on 29 April 2019, signing until 2023.[4] He scored his first senior goal on 5 May 2019, netting his team's second in a 2–0 away defeat of former side Cornellà; by doing so, he became the first player from the 21st century to score for Espanyol in any senior category.
Melamed made his professional debut on 15 August 2019, coming on as a second-half substitute for Matías Vargas in a 3–0 home defeat of FC Luzern, for the season's UEFA Europa League; he was also the first player from the 21st century to feature with the first team.[5] He made his La Liga debut on 25 June of the following year, replacing Adri Embarba in a 1–0 away loss against Real Betis.
Definitely promoted to the main squad for the 2020–21 campaign, now in Segunda División, Melamed scored his first professional goal on 4 October 2020, in a 1–0 away win against CE Sabadell FC. He scored a further five times in 33 appearances during the season, as his side returned to the top tier.
On 31 August 2021, Melamed changed kit number to the 21 jersey, worn by former Espanyol youth graduate Daniel Jarque.[6]
Personal life
Melamed was born in Spain and is of Argentine descent through his mother. His maternal grandfather Felipe Ribaudo (1940–1998) was an Argentine footballer who played for Estudiantes.[7]
References
External links
- Profile at the RCD Espanyol website
- Nico Melamed at BDFutbol
- Nico Melamed at Soccerway