Jonathan Alberto Bilbao Vásquez

Jonathan Bilbao's path to professional football ran through a setback rather than a straight line. Born in Barquisimeto, he came up through Deportivo Lara's youth system in Venezuela and spent two preseasons training with the first team, but a serious injury kept him out for six months and cost him the professional contract he was working towards. That setback pushed him to Peru in early 2017, where his father's nationality gave him a route in: he obtained Peruvian citizenship in March 2018 and has since represented Peru at youth level, debuting for the under-20 side in November 2018 and going on to earn three caps, including a spot at the 2019 South American U-20 Championship.

In Peru, Bilbao rebuilt his career from the reserves up. He joined Universidad de San Martín, worked his way into the first team, and made his professional debut on 31 March 2019, going on to make nine league appearances there through 2021. A free transfer took him to Alianza Atlético in November 2021, where he started regularly, making 18 league appearances the following season. His move to Cusco FC in December 2022 proved a significant period, with 55 league matches across the 2023 and 2024 campaigns and a goal to his name.

The 2025 season at Ayacucho FC saw him make 26 league appearances, scoring two goals and providing two assists as a centre-back. Ayacucho's relegation that year prompted another move, and in December 2025 Bilbao signed for Carabobo FC.