Lautaro Germán Acosta (born 14 March 1988) is an Argentine former professional footballer who played as a winger.
He started and finished his career at Lanús, making his debut with the first team at 18. He also spent four years in the Spanish La Liga, signing with Sevilla in 2008.
Acosta played twice for Argentina, in 2017.
Club career Lanús Born in Glew, Buenos Aires, Almirante Brown Partido, Acosta came through the youth system at Club Atlético Lanús, making his senior debut at the age of 18. As the club was often forced to sell its best players, he quickly became an important part of the first team.
Acosta was part of the Lanús squad that won the 2007 Apertura tournament, their first ever Primera División title. In May 2007, he suffered a serious cheekbone injury, and had to wear a specially-fitted face mask for two months.
Sevilla On 29 May 2008, aged 20, Acosta signed for La Liga team Sevilla FC on a five-year contract, for a reported fee of €7 million subject to a medical. Shortly after his arrival in Andalusia, he suffered a serious injury and never fully recovered, his best output consisting of ten league games in 2010–11 (267 minutes, only two starts).
On 4 February 2009, Acosta scored his first – and only – goal for Sevilla, in the first leg of the Copa del Rey semi-finals, a 2–1 home win against Athletic Bilbao but an eventual 4–2 aggregate loss. In July 2011 he was loaned to fellow top-division side Racing de Santander, joining compatriots Ariel Nahuelpan and Héctor Cúper (manager); he started and netted on his official debut for the Cantabrians, but in a 4–3 away defeat to Valencia CF.
Return home Acosta returned to his country in 2012, going on to represent Boca Juniors and his former club Lanús. He was a key attacking element in five of the six titles won after his return, including the 2016 national championship. In October 2014, whilst at the service of the latter, he was kidnapped, threatened at gunpoint, assaulted and robbed after being led to his home.
International career In 2007, Acosta was picked to join the Argentina under-20 squad to compete in the 2007 South American U-20 Championship in Paraguay. He headed the only goal in the last game against Uruguay, to secure the national team's qualification for both the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup and the 2008 Summer Olympics.
After appearing in six out of seven games in the under-20s triumph in Canada, Acosta scored against Ivory Coast in a 2–1 group stage win in the Beijing Olympic tournament, en route to another international conquest. He was selected by the full side for a Copa América Centenario provisional squad, but did not make the final cut.
Acosta received his first senior call-up by coach Jorge Sampaoli on 27 August 2017, for 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Venezuela. He earned his first cap against the former four days later, coming on as a substitute for Marcos Acuña at the hour-mark of an eventual 0–0 away draw.
Career statistics +Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueNational CupLeague CupContinentalOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsLanús2005–06Argentine Primera División80––00–802006–07233––3Appearances in Copa Sudamericana0–2632007–08242––10Seven appearances and three goals in Copa Libertadores, three appearances in Copa Sudamericana3–345Total555––133–688Sevilla2008–09La Liga7000–20–902009–106000–10–702010–1110031–00–131Total23031–30–291Racing Santander (loan)2011–12La Liga21220–––232Boca Juniors (loan)2012–13Argentine Primera División22010–5Three appearances in Copa Libertadores, two appearances in Copa Sudamericana01Appearance in Supercopa Argentina0290Lanús2013–14Argentine Primera División154100015Eight appearances and one goal in Copa Libertadores, seven appearances and one goal in Copa Sudamericana20031620141852000002Appearances in Recopa Sudamericana1226201527620000000296201614330002Appearances in Copa Sudamericana01Appearance in Copa del Bicentenario de la Independencia02032016–172453000621Appearance in Supercopa Argentina03452017–18213100011Eight appearances and one goal in Copa Libertadores, three appearances and one goal in Copa Sudamericana2003352018–19233100000002432019–201721000000018220205010008Appearances in Copa Sudamericana200142202128200903Appearances in Copa Sudamericana100403202221400818Appearances in Copa Sudamericana000375202319000910000281202418000005Appearances in Copa Sudamericana10023120259110003Appearances in Copa Sudamericana000131Total2803916026261104138752Career total4014622126282135153663
Honours Lanús Argentine Primera División: 2007 Apertura, 2016 Copa Sudamericana: 2013, 2025
Supercopa Argentina: 2016 Copa Bicentenario: 2016
Argentina FIFA U-20 World Cup: 2007 Summer Olympic Games: 2008
References
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