Biography
Who is Erik Lamela?
Early life and career beginnings
Erik Lamela Manuel Lamela Cordero was born on March 4, 1992, in a northern suburb of Buenos Aires, Argentina. His family gave him the nickname Coco during his childhood. He joined River Plate as a young player and made rapid progress through the youth ranks. In 2004, a television film crew interviewed him after he scored 120 goals for the River Plate youth side in a single season. During the interview, Erik expressed his ambition to follow in the footsteps of Diego Maradona and win a World Cup for Argentina.
Erik made his first team debut for River Plate on June 14, 2009, in a match against Tigre during the Clausura tournament. He entered the field as an 80th minute substitute for Robert Flores. He scored his first official goal for the club on December 5, 2010, against Colon. During the 2010 to 2011 Argentine Primera Division season, he became a regular starter, playing 34 games and scoring four goals before the club faced relegation.
Playing in Italy and England
On August 6, 2011, Erik transferred to Italian club Roma for an initial fee of 12 million euros. He scored his first Serie A goal against Palermo on October 23, 2011. During his second season with Roma in 2012 to 2013, he scored 15 times in 33 games, establishing himself as one of the team's key attacking players. His performances caught the attention of English clubs, leading to his next major transfer.
On August 30, 2013, Tottenham Hotspur completed the transfer of Erik from Roma for a fee of 25.8 million pounds, making him the most expensive player in the club's history at that time. He spent eight seasons with Tottenham, making over 250 appearances and reaching the 2019 UEFA Champions League final. During his time in London, he scored well-known goals, including a rabona strike against Asteras Tripolis in the UEFA Europa League that won the tournament's goal of the season award.
Later career and retirement
After leaving Tottenham Hotspur, Erik joined Spanish club Sevilla. During his time with Sevilla, he won the UEFA Europa League in 2023. He later had a stint with AEK Athens before officially retiring from professional football in 2025. Following his retirement from playing, he transitioned into coaching and became a coach for the Liga MX club Monterrey.
At the international level, Erik represented the Argentina national football team from 2011 to 2018. He was a member of the squads that finished as runners up at the 2015 and 2016 editions of the Copa America. Throughout his career, he earned recognition as a versatile midfielder and winger across multiple leagues.
Birthday and age
Erik Lamela was born on March 4, 1992, which makes Erik 34 years old today. That birthday falls under the Pisces sign. Erik shares the date with 28 other famous people.
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