Nicolás "Nico" Melamed Ribaudo (born 11 April 2001) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Segunda Division club UD Almería.
 Melamed with Espanyol in 2022 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Nicolás Melamed Ribaudo | ||
| Date of birth | 11 April 2001 | ||
| Place of birth | Castelldefels, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Almería | ||
| Number | 10 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Atlètic Vilafranca | |||
| Cornellà | |||
| 2013–2019 | Espanyol | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2019–2020 | Espanyol B | 39 | (9) |
| 2019–2024 | Espanyol | 124 | (13) |
| 2024– | Almería | 13 | (3) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2020 | Spain U19 | 2 | (0) |
| 2021 | Spain U21 | 1 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 November 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 8 October 2021 | |||
Club career
editEspanyol
editBorn in Castelldefels, Barcelona, Catalonia, Melamed joined RCD Espanyol's youth setup in 2013, after representing UE Cornellà and FP Atlètic Vilafranca.[1][2] He made his senior debut with the reserves on 17 February 2019, starting in a 1–1 Segunda División B away draw against SD Ejea.[3]
Melamed renewed his contract with the Pericos on 29 April 2019, signing until 2023.[4] He scored his first senior goal on 5 May 2019, netting his team's second in a 2–0 away defeat of former side Cornellà; by doing so, he became the first player from the 21st century to score for Espanyol in any senior category.
Melamed made his professional debut on 15 August 2019, coming on as a second-half substitute for Matías Vargas in a 3–0 home defeat of FC Luzern, for the season's UEFA Europa League; he was also the first player from the 21st century to feature with the first team.[5] He made his La Liga debut on 25 June of the following year, replacing Adri Embarba in a 1–0 away loss against Real Betis.
Definitely promoted to the main squad for the 2020–21 campaign, now in Segunda División, Melamed scored his first professional goal on 4 October 2020, in a 1–0 away win against CE Sabadell FC. He scored a further five times in 33 appearances during the season, as his side returned to the top tier.
On 31 August 2021, Melamed changed kit number to the 21 jersey, worn by former Espanyol youth graduate Daniel Jarque.[6] He scored his first goal in the main category on 8 May 2022, netting the equalizer in a 1–1 home draw against CA Osasuna.
Almería
editOn 3 July 2024, after helping the Pericos in their promotion back to the top tier, free agent Melamed signed a six-year contract with UD Almería, now in the second division.[7]
Personal life
editMelamed was born in Spain and is of Argentine descent through his mother. His maternal grandfather Felipe Ribaudo (1940–1998) was an Argentine footballer who played for Estudiantes.[8]
References
edit- ^ "Nicolás Melamed Ribaudo, NICO" (in Spanish). Fútbol Base Català. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
- ^ "La cantera del RCD Espanyol se refuerza más que nunca" [The youth setup of RCD Espanyol bolster themselves more than ever] (in Spanish). Fútbol Base Català. 18 August 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
- ^ "Sis debuts a Segona Divisió B" [Six debuts in Segunda División B] (in Catalan). RCD Espanyol. 26 February 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
- ^ "Melamed, renovado" [Melamed, renewed] (in Spanish). RCD Espanyol. 29 April 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
- ^ "Wu Lei, el debutante Campuzano y la cantera arrasan a la morriña" [Wu Lei, the debutant Campuzano and the cantera wash away the homesickness] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 15 August 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
- ^ "Nico Melamed, dorsal 21" [Nico Melamed, number 21 jersey] (in Spanish). RCD Espanyol. 31 August 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
- ^ "UD Almería sings sought-after midfielder Nico Melamed". UD Almería. 3 July 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
- ^ "Nico Melamed, el primer perico codiciado de la Generación Z". AS.com. 30 March 2020.
External links
edit- Profile at the RCD Espanyol website
- Nico Melamed at BDFutbol
- Nico Melamed at Soccerway