Stiven Plaza Explained

Stiven Plaza
Fullname:Stiven Ricardo Plaza Castillo[1]
Birth Date:11 March 1999
Birth Place:Eloy Alfaro, Ecuador
Height:1.88m
Position:Forward
Currentclub:Venados
(on loan from Mazatlán)
Clubnumber:11
Youthyears1:2011–2016
Youthclubs1:Norte América
Youthyears2:2014
Youthclubs2:Deportivo Azogues (loan)
Youthyears3:2015
Youthclubs3:Deportivo Azogues (loan)
Youthyears4:2016
Youthclubs4:Aucas
Youthyears5:2017–2018
Youthclubs5:Independiente del Valle
Years1:2018
Clubs1:Alianza Cotopaxi
Caps1:0
Goals1:0
Years2:2018
Clubs2:Independiente del Valle
Caps2:22
Goals2:7
Years3:2019–2022
Clubs3:Valladolid
Caps3:2
Goals3:0
Years4:2019–2020
Clubs4:Valladolid B
Caps4:11
Goals4:1
Years5:2020–2021
Clubs5:Trabzonspor (loan)
Caps5:2
Goals5:0
Years6:2021–2022
Clubs6:Independiente del Valle (loan)
Caps6:8
Goals6:0
Years7:2022
Clubs7:New York Red Bulls II
Caps7:7
Goals7:1
Years8:2023
Clubs8:S.D. Aucas
Caps8:2
Goals8:0
Years9:2023
Clubs9:Guayaquil City
Caps9:7
Goals9:0
Years10:2024-
Clubs10:Mazatlán
Caps10:2
Goals10:0
Years11:2024-
Clubs11:Venados (loan)
Caps11:0
Goals11:0
Nationalyears1:2019
Nationalteam1:Ecuador U20
Nationalcaps1:2
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2018
Nationalteam2:Ecuador
Nationalcaps2:2
Nationalgoals2:0
Club-Update:29 May 2024
Nationalteam-Update:14 June 2019

Stiven Ricardo Plaza Castillo (born Esmeraldas, Ecuador, 11 March 1999) is an Ecuadorean professional footballer who plays as a forward for Mexican side Mazatlán F.C..

Club career

Independiente del Valle

Born in Eloy Alfaro Canton, Plaza started his career with Norte América in 2011, as a left winger. In 2017, after stints at Deportivo Azogues and Aucas, he joined Independiente del Valle and was a regular starter in the club's under-18 squad.[2]

Converted to a forward by Juan Carlos León, Plaza made his senior debut during the 2018 season with Alianza Cotopaxi, the club's reserve team.[2] After scoring 7 goals in 3 games in the 2018 U-20 Copa Libertadores, he was reportedly being watched by scouts of the Premier League sides Manchester City and Manchester United.[3]

Plaza made his professional – and Serie A – debut on 11 June 2018, coming on as a late substitute in a 1–1 away draw against Universidad Católica.[4] He scored his first goal on 12 August, netting his team's third in a 3–1 home win against Emelec.[5]

On 23 October 2018, Plaza scored a brace in a 2–0 away defeat of Técnico Universitario.[6]

Valladolid

On 10 December 2018, Spain's Real Valladolid confirmed a pre-contract with Plaza to join the club once the transfer window opened on 1 January 2019.[7] Then, Plaza made his debut with Valladolid on 16 February 2019, in a 1–0 away loss against Barcelona. On 25 August 2019, Plaza scored his first goal in Europe, helping Real Valladolid Promesas to a 4–1 victory over CD Izarra in a Segunda División B match.[8]

Trabzonspor (loan)

On 17 August 2020, Plaza was loaned to Turkish side Trabzonspor for two seasons.[9] On 26 September 2020, Plaza made his debut with Trabzonspor in 3–1 victory over Yeni Malatyaspor.[10] He appeared in only three official matches with the club.

Independiente del Valle (loan)

After struggling to fulfill his promise, Valladolid loaned Plaza to his former club Independiente del Valle during February 2021.[11]

New York Red Bulls

On 30 August 2022, Valladolid announced the transfer of Plaza to New York Red Bulls.[12] He was initially assigned to New York Red Bulls II.[13] He made his debut for New York Red Bulls II on 31 August 2022, coming on late in the match in a 3–3 draw versus Hartford Athletic.[14] On 10 October 2022, Plaza scored his first goal for New York in a 2–1 loss to Memphis 901 FC.[15]

Guayaquil City

He joined Guayaquil City in July 2023 after a brief spell with SD Aucas. If was his fifth club in four years.[16]

International career

On 4 October 2018, Plaza was called up by Ecuador manager Hernán Darío Gómez for friendlies against Qatar and Oman.[17] He made his full international debut eight days later, starting in a 4–3 loss against the former at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha.[18]

Career statistics

Club

ClubSeasonLeagueCupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Alianza Cotopaxi2018[19] Segunda Categoría007[20] 878
Independiente del Valle2018Serie A227227
Real Valladolid2018–19La Liga2020
Real Valladolid Promesas2019–20Segunda División B111111
Trabzonspor (loan)2020–21Süper Lig201030
Independiente del Valle (loan)2021Serie A5050
Independiente del Valle (loan)2022Serie A301040
New York Red Bulls II2022USL Championship610061
Career total5191010786017

International

Ecuador national team
YearAppsGoals
201820
Total20

Honours

Ecuador U20

Individual

Notes and References

  1. Web site: FIFA U-20 World Cup Poland 2019: List of Players: Ecuador . FIFA . 3 . 13 June 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200206013743/https://www.fifadata.com/document/FWYC/2019/pdf/FWYC_2019_SquadLists.pdf . 6 February 2020.
  2. Web site: Stiven Plaza, el delantero que comenzó como volante. Stiven Plaza, the forward who started as a midfielder. El Comercio. es. 3 November 2018. 14 January 2019.
  3. Web site: Stiven Plaza estaría en la mira de equipos de Inglaterra. Stiven Plaza would be on target of English club. Estadio. es. 23 February 2018. 14 January 2019.
  4. Web site: Universidad Católica salvó el empate 1–1 con Independiente del Valle gracias a Jhon Cifuente. Universidad Católica saved a 1–1 draw with Independiente del Valle thanks to Jhon Cifuente. El Universo. es. 11 June 2018. 14 January 2019.
  5. Web site: Independiente logra primer triunfo de la segunda etapa con Stiven Plaza como figura. Independiente reach the first triumph of the second half with Stiven Plaza as the main man. El Universo. es. 11 August 2018. 14 January 2019.
  6. Web site: Independiente del Valle derrotó 2–0 a Técnico Universitario y entra en la pelea por la segunda etapa. Independiente del Valle defeated Técnico Universitario by 2–0 and get in the fight for the second half. El Comercio. es. 22 October 2018. 14 January 2019.
  7. Web site: Preacuerdo para la incorporación de Stiven Plaza. Pre-contract for the signing of Stiven Plaza. Real Valladolid. es. 10 December 2018. 14 January 2019.
  8. Web site: 4-1: EL PROMESAS DEJA SU CARTA DE PRESENTACIÓN. Real Valladolid. es. 26 August 2019. 26 August 2019.
  9. Web site: Stiven Plaza, cedido dos temporadas al Trabzonspor. Stiven Plaza, loaned two seasons to Trabzonspor. Real Valladolid. es. 17 August 2020. 19 August 2020.
  10. Web site: Süper Lig Trabzonspor-Yeni Malatyaspor. tff.org. Turkish. 26 September 2020. 26 September 2020.
  11. Web site: Independiente del Valle confirma el regreso de Stiven Plaza. primicias.ec. es. 4 February 2021. 4 February 2021.
  12. Web site: Stiven Plaza, al New York Red Bulls. Stiven Plaza, to New York Red Bulls. Real Valladolid. es. 30 August 2022. 30 August 2022.
  13. Web site: New York Red Bulls II Acquire Ecuadorian Forward Stiven Plaza from Real Valladolid. New York Red Bulls. 30 August 2022. 30 August 2022.
  14. Web site: Dally Caps off Comeback in Stoppage Time, Hartford tie New York 3-3. hartfordathletic.com. 31 August 2022.
  15. Web site: NYRB II Falls to Memphis 901 FC, 2-1, at AutoZone Park. newyorkredbulls.com. 10 October 2022.
  16. Web site: Stiven Plaza signs for his fifth club in the last 4 years: Guayaquil City. Pucelafichajes.com. 23 September 2023. 18 July 2023.
  17. Web site: Los convocados de Ecuador para medir a Qatar y Omán. The called up players of Ecuador to face Qatar and Oman. Estadio. es. 4 October 2018. 14 January 2019.
  18. Web site: Qatar derrota 4–3 a una floja selección de Ecuador. Qatar defeat by 4–3 a floppy Ecuador. El Universo. es. 12 October 2018. 14 January 2019.
  19. Web site: Plaza Castillo Stiven Ricardo. Ecuadorian Football Federation. es. 14 January 2019.
  20. Appearance(s) in Campeonato Provincial de Segunda Categoría de Cotopaxi
  21. Web site: Mina sparks historic finish for Ecuador. https://web.archive.org/web/20190615095302/https://www.fifa.com/u20worldcup/news/mina-sparks-historic-finish-for-ecuador . dead . June 15, 2019 . FIFA.com . Fédération Internationale de Football Association . 14 June 2019.