Miguel Merentiel

Miguel Merentiel began at Peñarol without making a first-team appearance, moving on to Godoy Cruz in Argentina. The breakthrough came at Defensa y Justicia, first on loan and then permanently once the club exercised its purchase option. There he scored 24 goals in 42 appearances and became part of a side that reached continental finals: he came on as a substitute in the 2020 Copa Sudamericana final, a 3–0 win over Lanús. Merentiel later signed for the Brazilian club itself, winning the Campeonato Brasileiro and the Supercopa do Brasil during his time there. In January 2023 he moved to Boca Juniors on loan. With Boca he has added the Copa de la Liga Profesional and the Supercopa Argentina, the latter secured with a 3–0 win over Patronato. Merentiel has continued to produce at the top level: as of November 2025 he was tied for top scorer in the Torneo Apertura, and he was named Player of the Match after scoring a solo goal against Benfica at the FIFA Club World Cup. On the international stage, he made his senior debut for Uruguay in September 2024, coming on as a substitute for Maximiliano Araújo in a goalless World Cup qualifier against Venezuela.