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Nicholas Benavides

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In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Benavides and the second or maternal family name is Medeiros.
Nicholas Benavides
Personal information
Full name Nicholas Benavides Medeiros
Date of birth (2001-11-05) 5 November 2001 (age 23)
Place of birth Tung Chung, Hong Kong
Height 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s) Left back
Left winger
Team information
Current team
 Tai Po
Number 87
Youth career
–2020 Lee Man
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–2024 Sham Shui Po 50 (14)
2024– Tai Po 8 (0)
International career‡
2024– Hong Kong 4 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23 November 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17 December 2024

Nicholas Benavides Medeiros (Chinese: 尼高拉斯; born 5 November 2001) is a Hong Kong professional footballer of Chilean and Bolivian descent who currently plays as a left back or a left winger for Hong Kong Premier League club Tai Po and the Hong Kong national football team.

Club career

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Benavides started playing football at the age of six.[1] As a youth player, Benavides joined the youth academy of Lee Man, before getting released due to his "foreign player" status.[2] He started his senior career with First Division club Sham Shui Po, where he gained promotion to the Hong Kong Premier League in 2022.[2]

On 3 March 2024, Benavides scored his first career hat-trick against Rangers in a 3–1 win, which is Sham Shui Po's first win of the season.[3] He became a free agent following Sham Shui Po's voluntary relegation back to the First Division.[4]

In the summer of 2024, Benavides signed for Tai Po.[5] On 1 September 2024, he debuted for the club during a 5–1 home win over Kowloon City in the 2024–25 Hong Kong Premier League.[6]

International career

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Previously, Benavides was eligible to represent Bolivia and Chile internationally through his parents, but he relinquished his citizenship of both countries on 19 August 2023 in order to play for Hong Kong.[7]

In October 2024, Benavides was called up to the Hong Kong national football team for the first time.[8][9][10]

On 15 October 2024, Benavides made his international debut for Hong Kong in a 3–0 home friendly win against Cambodia.[11]

On 8 December 2024, Benavides scored his first international goal in a 3–0 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship qualifier victory against Mongolia.[12] His name was widely chanted by fans across the stadium after his goal.

Personal life

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Benavides was born in Hong Kong to a Bolivian mother and a Chilean father.[13] He can speak Cantonese and Spanish and is the younger brother of Hong Kong footballer Oscar Benavides.[14]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of 23 November 2024
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Sham Shui Po 2020–21 Hong Kong First Division 6 4 — — — 6 4
2021–22 9 4 — 6 3 — 15 7
2022–23 Hong Kong Premier League 16 1 1 0 7[a] 1 — 24 2
2023–24 19 5 4 2 8[a] 0 2[b] 1 33 8
Total 50 14 5 2 21 4 2 1 78 21
Tai Po 2024–25 Hong Kong Premier League 8 0 0 0 0 0 1[b] 0 9 0
Career total 58 14 5 2 21 4 3 1 87 21
  1. ^ a b Appearances in the Sapling Cup
  2. ^ a b Appearances in the Hong Kong Senior Challenge Shield

International

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As of 14 December 2024[15]
National team Year Apps Goals
Hong Kong 2024 4 2
Total 4 2

International goals

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No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 8 December 2024 Mong Kok Stadium, Mong Kok, Hong Kong  Mongolia 3–0 3–0 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship qualifying
2. 17 December 2024 Hong Kong Stadium, So Kon Po, Hong Kong  Guam 2–0 5–0 2025 EAFF E-1 Football Championship qualifying
Scores and results list Hong Kong's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Benavides goal.


References

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  1. ^ "新進港腳續求進步 尼高拉斯：一切只係開始". on.cc東網 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 2024-11-20. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
  2. ^ a b "深水埗開操 望代表地區踢出正能量 | 足球周刊 Football Weekly HK" (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 2022-08-08. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
  3. ^ "港超聯 尼高拉斯「戴帽」深水埗贏流浪開齋". on.cc東網 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 2024-03-03. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
  4. ^ "大埔8位數挑戰港超 伊高沙托尼驚喜回巢". Now 新聞 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 2024-07-18. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
  5. ^ 袁志浩 (2024-07-18). "港超聯︱大埔覓地建基地 八位數班費續挑戰前列 伊高沙托尼回歸". 香港01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 2024-12-08.
  6. ^ "港超聯 火力十足！大埔5比1挫九龍城". on.cc東網 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 2024-09-01. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
  7. ^ "Hong Kong debutant Benavides hungry for success after overcoming career stumble". South China Morning Post. 2024-10-19. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
  8. ^ "中國香港代表隊 – 決選名單". 中國香港足球總會 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 2024-10-02. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
  9. ^ "港足征列支敦士登決選名單 大埔翼衛尼高拉斯首次入選：好興奮 | 獨媒報導". 獨立媒體. 2024-10-03. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
  10. ^ 袁志浩 (2024-10-02). "港足新帥首份決選名單 新入籍兵首獲召 土生土長終放棄智利護照". 香港01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 2024-12-08.
  11. ^ 袁志浩 (2024-10-15). "港足無防中陣出擊 艾華頓踢足全場獻入波 主場三球挫柬埔寨". 香港01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 2024-12-08.
  12. ^ "Hong Kong cruise past Mongolia in EAFF qualifiers - RTHK". news.rthk.hk. Retrieved 2024-12-08.
  13. ^ "新进港脚续求进步　尼高拉斯：一切只系开始".
  14. ^ "尼高拉斯：放棄智利護照入籍香港，實現職業足球夢". onetwohk.net.
  15. ^ "Nicholas Benavides". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 2024-12-17.
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