Sebastián Ciganda
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Sebastián Ciganda Herrero | ||
| Date of birth | 30 August 1993 | ||
| Place of birth | José Enrique Rodó, Uruguay[1] | ||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in)[2] | ||
| Position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Auckland City | ||
| Number | 24 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Talleres | |||
| Fraternidad FC | |||
| Santa Catalina | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| Nacional | |||
| Fénix | |||
| 2017–2023 | Waiheke United | ||
| 2023–2024 | Auckland City | ||
| 2024–2025 | Waiheke United | ||
| 2025– | Auckland City | ||
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 12 July 2026 | |||
Sebastián Ciganda Herrero (born 30 August 1993) is a Uruguayan footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for New Zealand National League club Auckland City.
Early life
Ciganda began playing football as a striker in his hometown of José Enrique Rodó with Talleres, before joining Fraternidad FC. In his second game there, he played as a goalkeeper as the team didn't have one.[3]
Career
Shortly before his 18th birthday, he went to Montevideo to train with Uruguayan club Nacional, but was rejected after a month. Afterwards, an acquaintance managed to get him to join Fénix, but Ciganda stopped going as he couldn't keep up with the training schedule while also studying journalism.[3]
In 2016, at the age of 22, he moved to New Zealand after obtaining a working holiday visa, working in the kiwi harvest in a small town. While there, he got in contact with an Argentinian, who got him connected to football in the country, mostly playing at a local level with other Uruguayans. Shortly after, he moved to Waiheke Island, and began to play for Waiheke United, spending six seasons at the club.[3]
In 2021, he helped Waiheke United win the NRFL Championship, earning promotion to the New Zealand National League. He remained with the club in 2022, after the introductions of a foreign-player limit. His performances that season caught the attention of Auckland City, who signed him in July 2023,[4] although remained on Waiheke Island due to his job.[3]
At Auckland City, Ciganda was the club's third-choice goalkeeper, making only one appearance for the club in a friendly prior to the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup.[3] He was included in their squad for the tournament,[2] but didn't make an appearance as they lost 3–0 in their only match to Al-Ittihad.[3]
In 2024, he returned to Waiheke United.[3] In June 2025, he returned to Auckland City,[5] and was included in their squad for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.[6]
References
- ↑ "Sebastián Ciganda » Profile". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
- 1 2 "FIFA Club World Cup Saudi Arabia 2023™: Squad List" (PDF). FIFA. 19 December 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 de León, Gonzalo (31 December 2024). "De no quedar en Nacional a estar en un Mundial de Clubes: la historia de Sebastián Ciganda" [From not making the cut at Nacional to playing in a Club World Cup: the story of Sebastián Ciganda]. futbol.com.uy (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 July 2026.
- ↑ "Goalkeeper's move to Auckland City increases pressure on struggling Waiheke". Friends of Football. 7 July 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
- ↑ "El uruguayo que fichó por Auckland City y disputará su segundo Mundial de Clubes" [The Uruguayan who signed for Auckland City and will play in his second Club World Cup]. futbol.com.uy (in Spanish). 12 June 2025. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
- ↑ "FIFA Club World Cup 2025™: Squad List" (PDF). FIFA. 4 July 2025. p. 5. Retrieved 12 July 2026.
External links
- Sebastián Ciganda at WorldFootball.net
- Auckland City FC profile