Angel Correa was born in on March 9, 1995 in Rosario, Argentina (the same hometown as Lionel Messi). Growing up in a neighborhood riddled with poverty and violence, Correa began his soccer development at age six at local youth clubs Club 6 de Mayo, Alianza Sport, and Tiro. Six years later, Correa was noticed by first-division professional club San Lorenzo in the city of Almagro, where he moved and resided full-time.
Club Career
Correa was promoted to San Lorenzo’s first team for the last half of the 2012-2013 Primera Division season, debuting on March 31 as a substitute against Newell’s Old Boys.
After coming in from the bench in a few more matches, Correa made his first appearance in the starting XI against Quilmes, and on March 11 scored his first professional goal in San Lorenzo’s 3-0 victory over Boca Juniors.
On June 15, Correa scored the only goal for San Lorenzo in their win over Independiente. It was a goal with historic repercussions, as it turned out to be the goal that would send Independiente to Argentina’s second division, Primera B Nacional, for the first time in its history. The 2012-2013 ended for Correa with 13 appearances, including eight starts, and four goals.
The next season, Correa earned a permanent spot in San Lorenzo’s starting lineup, and helped lead the team to its 12th league title after winning the first of the two tournaments during the season. After finishing the second half of the league season and the 2014 Copa Libertadores, Correa made the leap to Europe after transferring to his current club, Atletico Madrid.
ATLETI | IMAGEN. Angel Correa de los mejores de Europa. http://t.co/P1JYnEM4Tl pic.twitter.com/Aq56itlJ70
— Atleti y Rayo (@atletyrayo) October 1, 2015Atletico paid San Lorenzo a reported €7.5 million for his transfer, followed by Correa signing a five-year contract. However, during medical exams, doctors found a tumor in Correa’s heart, forcing him to have surgery in New York City.
Atletico putt the deal on hold until Correa made full recovery. Six months later, on December 11, 2014, Atletico officialized the deal with Correa. He did not officially debut until this season in the September 19 win against Eibar, where he scored his first goal and recorded his first assist as a Colchonero.
International Career
#Eliminatorias Ángel Correa analizó su rendimiento en la Selección: http://t.co/78EPGX4q7n pic.twitter.com/q3b9aXCvPz
— LMCom (@LMComparta) October 15, 2015At only 20 years old, Correa has fast-tracked up the national team ranks all the way to the senior team
Argentina coach Gerardo Martino already brought Argentina’s next great hope, Angel Correa, to the senior national team
Angel Correa Argentina
Correa did not join the national ranks until being called up for Argentina’s U-20 squad that won the 2015 South American Youth Championship in Uruguay, helping the team win the tournament and qualify for the FIFA Youth World Championship in New Zealand with four goals and three assists. Argentina, however, disappointed during the U-20 tournament after failing to move past the first round despite Correa’s two goals.
After the U-20 World Cup, Correa was called up to the senior team for the first time, at 20 years of age, for the August friendlies versus Bolivia and Mexico, in replacement of an injured Javier Pastore. He would score his first goal in a 7 to 0 rout of Bolivia. Most recently, Correa started his first Argentina game against Ecuador on the first matchday of the 2018 World Cup qualifying match.
Scouting Report
The easy comparison to a current star for Correa is his fellow Argentine Sergio Aguero. Besides their similar career paths that have gone through Atletico Madrid, both players have similar traits and skills. Outsideoftheboot.com describes Correa as being “blessed with the low centre of gravity, excellent technique, and burst of pace,,,Aside from a good first touch, impressive close control and deceptive strength, what stands out is Correa’s intelligence.”
Just like Aguero, Correa is capable of playing in any forward position, whether as a winger breaking into the center with quickness, or mostly behind the striker, where his creativity and excellence, along with good striking, prevail.
