| Franco Escobar | |
| Full Name: | Franco Nicolás Escobar |
| Height: | [1] |
| Birth Date: | 1995 2, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina |
| Currentclub: | Houston Dynamo |
| Clubnumber: | 2 |
| Position: | Right-back |
| Youthclubs1: | Newell's Old Boys |
| Years1: | 2015–2017 |
| Clubs1: | Newell's Old Boys |
| Caps1: | 34 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Years2: | 2018–2021 |
| Clubs2: | Atlanta United |
| Caps2: | 63 |
| Goals2: | 2 |
| Years3: | 2019 |
| Clubs3: | Atlanta United 2 |
| Caps3: | 1 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Years4: | 2021 |
| Clubs4: | → Newell's Old Boys (loan) |
| Caps4: | 7 |
| Goals4: | 0 |
| Years5: | 2022 |
| Clubs5: | Los Angeles FC |
| Caps5: | 19 |
| Goals5: | 1 |
| Years6: | 2023– |
| Clubs6: | Houston Dynamo |
| Caps6: | 52 |
| Goals6: | 4 |
| Club-Update: | 22 October 2024 |
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 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. He made 15 appearances during his debut season as Newell's finished 16th in the table.[2] 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.
On 8 December 2017 Escobar signed with MLS side Atlanta United.[3] 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.[4] 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.[5] On 5 May, late in a 2–1 against the Chicago Fire, Escobar collided with Atlanta goalkeeper Brad Guzan and injured his chest.[6] Escobar would miss the next 3 matches. He scored his first goal for Atlanta on 21 October, helping Atlanta to a 2–1 win over Chicago. Escobar finished the regular season with 22 appearances and 1 goal as Atlanta finished 2nd in the Eastern Conference.[7] 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] He was named to the MLS Cup Playoffs Best XI.[9] On 16 January 2019, on the first day of preseason, Escobar suffered a fractured right clavicle.[10] 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.[11] Escobar ended the regular season with 1 goal and 3 assists in 25 appearances, helping Atlanta finish 2nd in the East.[12] [13] In the opening round of the playoffs, Escobar scored the lone goal to give Atlanta a 1–0 win over the New England Revolution. 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. In the 2019 Campeones Cup, Atlanta beat Club América 3–2, but Escobar was forced out of the game due to injury.[14]
In a shortened 2020 season due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Escobar played in 16 of the 23 matches and had 2 assists. Atlanta finished the season 12th in the conference, missing the playoffs for the first time in team history.[15] In CCL play, Escobar made 3 appearances as Atlanta fell to Club América in the quarterfinals 3–1 on aggregate.[16]
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. He recovered from his injury to play in the final 5 games the year, ending the season with 7 appearances.
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.[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. Escobar missed another 4 MLS games plus an Open Cup game in May due to his calf.[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. 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. LAFC would go onto win MLS Cup 2022 3–0 on penalties against Philadelphia.
Escobar's contract expired following the 2022 season.[27]
On 12 January 2023, Escobar signed with the Houston Dynamo.[28]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | 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[30] | 0 | 34 | 2 | |||
| 2020 | 16[31] | 0 | — | — | 3[32] | 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 | |||
Atlanta United
Los Angeles FC
Houston Dynamo
Escobar obtained a green card in 2020, classifying him as a domestic player for MLS roster purposes.[33]