Biography
Who is Saúl Ñíguez?
Early life and beginnings
Saúl Ñíguez Esclapez was born in Elche, Spain. He began his youth training at Real Madrid at age 11 before transitioning to their local rivals, Atlético Madrid, in 2008.
His first professional appearances occurred during the 2010 to 2011 campaign with the reserve team in the Segunda División B. He scored his maiden goal for the reserves on April 10, 2011, during a victory against Extremadura.
Career at Atlético Madrid
Over many seasons, Saúl became a vital midfielder for Diego Simeone's squad. He especially scored a bicycle kick goal during a 4 to 0 victory over Real Madrid in February 2015.
In the 2016 Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich, he scored the deciding goal in the first leg. He played the full duration of the 2016 final against Real Madrid, contributing a penalty in the shootout. During his tenure, the team won the 2020 to 2021 La Liga title and two Europa League trophies.
Loan spells and recent moves
Saúl gained experience through several loan spells away from his parent club. In 2013, he joined Rayo Vallecano for one season to gain first team experience. Later, in 2021, he moved to the Premier League to play for Chelsea. While in England, he participated in the Club World Cup, appearing as a substitute in the final against Palmeiras.
He also spent time on loan at Sevilla during the 2024 to 2025 season. In July 2025, he permanently left Atlético Madrid to sign with the Brazilian side Flamengo. His time in Brazil saw immediate success, as he helped the squad secure both the Série A title and the Copa Libertadores.
International career
Representing his nation, Saúl played across various youth categories for Spain. He was a member of the squad that won the 2012 UEFA European Under-19 Championship.
Later, he earned individual recognition as the top scorer at the 2017 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, where he especially scored a hat-trick against Italy in the semi-finals. He debuted for the senior national team in 2016 during a friendly match against Belgium. He was selected for the 2018 FIFA World Cup squad, though he did not appear on the field during the tournament. His first senior international goal arrived in September 2018 against England at Wembley Stadium.
Personal life and family
Football is central to his family background, as his father, Boria, played professionally for Elche. His brothers, Aarón and Jony, are also involved in the sport. Together, the siblings established a youth football organization called Costa City Club in Elche, aiming to develop young athletes through sports and education.
Saúl also participated in the Amazon Prime documentary series titled Six Dreams, which provided a behind the scenes look at his life during the 2017 to 2018 season. In 2020, he expanded his business ventures by collaborating with Nike on a new youth project.
Birthday and age
Saúl Ñíguez was born on November 21, 1994, which makes Saúl 31 years old today. That birthday falls under the Scorpio sign. Saúl shares the date with 30 other famous people.
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