Biography
Who is Cristian Tello?
Early career and Barcelona years
Born in Sabadell, Spain, Cristian Tello started his football path at age eight with CFU Can Rull. He moved to the FC Barcelona youth system before joining RCD Espanyol in 2008. While at Espanyol, he appeared for their B team during the 2009 to 2010 season. He returned to his former club in 2010 to join Barcelona Atlètic in the Segunda División.
His promotion to the main Barcelona squad occurred in November 2011. He made his debut in a Copa del Rey match against L'Hospitalet, scoring two goals. Later, in January 2012, he made his first appearance in La Liga as a substitute against Villarreal. Cristian Tello made a significant impact in the UEFA Champions League in March 2012. Replacing Andrés Iniesta against Bayer 04 Leverkusen, he scored two goals in a 7 to 1 victory. He remained a part of the Barcelona roster through the 2012 to 2013 season, even signing a contract extension that lasted until 2016. During his time at the Camp Nou, he helped the club secure the La Liga title in 2013 and the Copa del Rey in 2012.
International career and loan spells
Before establishing himself in top European leagues, Cristian Tello represented Spain at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. He was also a key member of the Spain under-21 squad that won the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in 2013. That same year, he earned his first and only cap for the senior national team, participating in a friendly match against Ecuador. Also, he played for the unofficial Catalonia representative team, debuting against Nigeria in 2013.
In July 2014, the forward began a two-year loan period with FC Porto in the Primeira Liga. He made his Champions League debut for the Portuguese side later that year, scoring against BATE Borisov. He also recorded a hat-trick against Sporting CP in March 2015. Following his time in Portugal, he moved to Italy in January 2016 on loan to ACF Fiorentina. He played in Serie A, making his debut against Carpi and scoring his first goal for the Italian club against Atalanta.
Real Betis and international ventures
In 2017, Cristian Tello moved to Real Betis on a five-year contract. Over five seasons, he made 172 appearances and scored 24 goals for the Andalusian team. A major highlight of his time there was winning the Copa del Rey in 2022, where he participated in the final against Valencia. After leaving Spain, he joined Major League Soccer side Los Angeles FC in August 2022. He contributed to the team winning both the Supporters' Shield and the MLS Cup that year.
His career continued with moves to Al Fateh SC in Saudi Arabia in 2023, followed by a deal with Al-Orobah FC in 2024. In October 2025, he transitioned to the UAE Second Division League to play for Palm City FC. After finishing his stint there, he announced his retirement from professional football in September 2026. Throughout his career, he played for several clubs across Europe, North America, and the Middle East.
Birthday and age
Cristian Tello was born on August 11, 1991, which makes Cristian 35 years old today. That birthday falls under the Leo sign. Cristian shares the date with 57 other famous people.
Explore more
