.jpg) Quintero playing forMinnesota United FC in 2018 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Carlos Darwin Quintero Villalba[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1987-09-19)19 September 1987 (age 38) | ||
| Place of birth | Tumaco, Colombia | ||
| Height | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)[2] | ||
| Position | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Deportivo Pereira | ||
| Number | 7 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2004–2005 | Deportes Tolima | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2006–2007 | Deportes Tolima | 55 | (24) |
| 2007–2008 | Krylia Sovetov | 11 | (1) |
| 2008 | →Deportivo Pereira (loan) | 12 | (4) |
| 2008 | Deportivo Pereira | 22 | (13) |
| 2009–2014 | Santos Laguna | 225 | (66) |
| 2014–2018 | América | 107 | (17) |
| 2018–2019 | Minnesota United | 57 | (21) |
| 2020–2022 | Houston Dynamo | 73 | (18) |
| 2023 | América de Cali | 42 | (5) |
| 2024– | Deportivo Pereira | 58 | (18) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2008–2012 | Colombia | 14 | (1) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 14 August 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 15 October 2013 | |||
Carlos Darwin Quintero Villalba (born 19 September 1987) is a Colombian professionalfootballer who plays as anattacking midfielder forCategoría Primera A clubDeportivo Pereira. Quintero is also known by his nickname ofEl Científico del Gol (The Goal Scientist).[3][4] He has played various roles throughout his career, spending time leading the line as astriker, playing out wide as awinger, and playing underneath another striker as asecond striker andcentral attacking midfielder throughout his career.[3][5] His main attributes throughout his career have been his pace, creativity, anddribbling ability.[3][6][7]
Quintero began his career with Panadería Kuty training school and Barsa Fútbol Club.[8][9] His mentor Élkin Congote tried to find a better situation for Quintero to develop and set up trials with more prestigious youth teams inCali, Carlos Sarmiento Lora School and Selección Valle, as well asBoca Juniors, but they all rejected him. Quintero did catch the attention of Humberto Ortiz, a former top flight coach and now a scout forCategoría Primera A clubDeportes Tolima. Tolima and Ortiz negotiated with Barsa and Quintero joined the youth ranks of Tolima in 2004.[8] Quintero was part ofJorge Luis Bernal's Tolima youth side that won gold for men's football at the 2004National Games of Colombia.[10][11]
Quintero made his first team debut at the age of 18 on 18 September 2005 in a 1–0 defeat toAtlético Junior.[12] That would be his only first team appearance of the year.[13] In 2006, after being placed on a special vitamin supplement and workout routine to help Quintero bulk up, he was called up to the Tolima first team, which was now managed by Quintero's former youth coach Jorge Luis Bernal.[14][11] He scored his first goal on 19 February 2006 in a 3–1 win overBoyacá Chicó. Quintero scored his first career hat-trick on 26 February in a 7–3 victory againstEnvigado.[15][16] He went on to score 19 times in 42 appearances in his first full season.[13] Quintero and Tolima finished theCampeonato Finalización top of the table, but they lost in the final 2–1 on aggregate toCúcuta Deportivo.[17] Quintero also made his debut in continental football in 2006, first appearing and scoring in theCopa Sudamericana on 22 August in a 3–1 win overIndependiente Medellín in the first leg of the first stage, with Tolima eventually qualifying to the next stage 4–2 on aggregate. He would score again on 21 September to give Tolima a 2–2 draw withMineros de Guayana, with Tolima advancing on away goals. Tolima would advance to the Round of 16 before falling to eventual championsPachuca.[18]
2007 saw Quintero make hisCopa Libertadores debut on 7 March, with Quintero scoring once to give Tolima an important 1–0 win overCerro Porteño.[19] In the final match of the group againstCúcuta Deportivo, Quintero scored once, but it was not enough as Tolima lost 4–3 inIbagué, and with this result Tolima were eliminated by finishing third in the group.[20] Quintero and Tolima did not enjoy a successful2007 Campeonato Apertura, finishing 12th and failing to qualify for the playoffs.
In July 2007, Quintero joinedRussian Premier League sideFC Krylia Sovetov Samara along with fellow Colombian and Tolima teammateJuan Carlos Escobar.[21] He made his debut for Krylia Sovetov on 11 August, coming on as a substitute in a 2–0 defeat toSpartak Moscow.[22] He scored his first goal for the club on 28 October in a 3–0 win overRubin Kazan.[23] It was a rough season for Quintero, who only scored one goal and only played 434 minutes.[24] The season was rough for Krylia Sovetov as well, finishing in 13th place and tied on points with relegated sideKuban Krasnodar.[25]
In 2008,Leonid Slutsky took over as the head coach for Krylia Sovetov and sent Quintero to Colombia on loan with an option to buy toPrimera A clubDeportivo Pereira for the first half of the Russian Premier League season.[26][27] Quintero scored his first goal for Pereira on 6 April in a 4–1 defeat toAmérica de Cali.[28] A week later, he scored twice in a 5–2 win overDeportivo Pasto.[29] Quintero ended the Torneo Apertura with 4 goals from 12 appearances and was voted as the best player in the team by a fan poll on the club website.
Quintero returned to Samara at the end of May.[26] He trained with Krylia Sovetov for two weeks, but Slutsky did not see a place for him in the team, and he officially left the club on 23 June.[26]Atlético Nacional came close to signing him, with an agreement in place between Krylia Sovetov, Nacional, and Quintero. However Quintero would end up returning to Deportivo Pereira after they decided to exercise their option to buy that was part of the loan agreement.[30][27]
After Pereira had finished bottom of the Apertura table,Luis Fernando Suárez came in as the new manager.[31] On 24 August, Quintero scored his first goal of theTorneo Finalización to give Pereira a 3–2 win overMillonarios. He would find the back of the net twice on 14 September to give Pereira a 2–0 win overCúcuta Deportivo. 10 days later, Quintero would score in the 90th minute to give Deportive Pereira a 2–1 win overJunior.[32] Suárez and Quintero helped Deportivo Pereira finish the Torneo Finalización in the top eight of the table and finish one spot above the relegation playoffs in therelegation table, which takes into account performance over the past three seasons. Now in the Torneo Finalización playoffs, Quintero scored a brace against Junior to give Pereira a 3–2 win over Junior. In the 4th match, he scored a hat trick to help Pereira defeatDeportivo Cali 3–1.[32] However, Pereira finished second in the group, failing to advance to the finals. Quintero ended the season with 13 goals in 22 games and was rated as the best player of the season.[33] Quintero's 13 goals gave him the second highest goal tally for the finalización, trailing onlyFredy Montero's 16.[34]
In December 2008, Quintero joinedSantos Laguna of the MexicanPrimera División for a transfer fee over $4 million.[35][36]
He made his debut for Santos on 18 January 2009 in the first match of the Clausura, playing all 90 minutes in a 2–1 defeat againstClub América.[37] Quintero started the first two matches of the season due to an injury to starEcuadorian strikerChristian Benítez.[38] After he failed to score in his first 4 matches, there was some media criticism of his lack of goals, but he was praised for his work rate.[39] On 15 February Quintero scored his first goal forLos Guerreros in a 2–1 victory overChivas.[22] He made his first appearance in theCONCACAF Champions League on 25 February, coming on as a substitute in a 2–0 defeat to theMontreal Impact in the first leg of the quarterfinals. In the return leg of the CCL quarterfinals, Santos found themselves trailing the Impact 4–3 on aggregate as they entered stoppage time. In the 90+1st minute, Quintero scored a goal to level the aggregate score at 4, however Santos still trailed onaway goals; but Quintero scored again in the 90+3rd minute to putLos Guerreros up 5–4 on aggregate and into the semifinals.[40] Two weeks later, he scored twice to give Santos a 2–1 victory overAtlante in the first leg of the CCL semifinals.[41] In the second leg with Atlante on 8 April, Quintero assistedVicente Matías Vuoso's goal to put Santos up 3–2 on aggregate in the 70th minute, however two late goals saw Atlante come back and advance to the final.[42] Santos and Quintero failed to qualify forLiguilla, but he enjoyed a solid debut season, scoring 8 and assisting 2 in 20 appearances across all competitions.[43]
Quintero made his first appearance of the 2009–10 season in aNorth American SuperLiga match on 28 June 2009. Quintero came on as a substitute in the second half and helped Santos secure a 3–1 win over theKansas City Wizards in the final match of the group stage.[22] He would play the full 90 minutes and score once in the semifinal withTigres, howeverLos Guerreros would fall by the score of 3–2.[22] He made his first Primera División appearance of the season in the first match of theApertura on 26 July, a 1–1 draw withMonarcas Morelia. He picked up his first goal of the Apertura campaign on 16 August in a 3–2 win overCruz Azul.[44] Quintero ended the Apertura with 3 goals and 5 assists and helped Santos qualify for theLiguilla. Santos were defeated by Morelia in the first round, losing 4–2 over the two legs.[22]
In the opening match of the2010 Clausura, Quintero came off the bench and scored to help Santos record a 3–2 victory over Morelia. He scored in three consecutive games from matchweek 9 to 11, with Santos winning all three games. On 19 April, he scored and assisted another asLos Verdiblancos defeatedSan Luis 2–1. Quintero scored 6 times and assisted for 4 goals as Santos qualified forLiguilla. He picked up an assist in the first leg of the quarterfinals as Santos went on to defeatPumas 2–1 over two legs. Quintero had another assist in the first leg of the semifinals and scored for himself in leg two asLos Guerreros defeated Morelia 10–4 on aggregate. He scored again in the first leg of the final, but Santos would lose on penalties after the second leg, withToluca winning their 10th league title in club history.[45]
Quintero opened the 2010–11 season in strong form, scoring once and assisting three times in the first three games of theApertura. He then entered a patch of bad form, failing to score and only picking up one assist the rest of the season. Despite Quintero's struggles, Santos still managed to qualify forLiguilla, where Quintero came alive. After a quiet quarterfinals againstChiapas, Quintero scored 3 times over two legs to help Santos advance pastClub América by an aggregate score of 5–4. He would score again againstMonterrey to give Santos a 3–2 win in the first leg of the final, but Rayados would win the return leg 3–0 to take the championship.[46][47]
Quintero started theClausura strong, scoring and assisting in the opening match, a 2–1 win over Atlante on 8 January.[48] On 2 April, Quintero scored once and recorded an assist in a 3–0 win againstCruz Azul.[49] Quintero was sent off in the 71st minute after headbuttingChristian Giménez. Quintero alleged that Giménez pushed him after another Cruz Azul player,Rogelio Chávez, had called Quintero an "ape", sparking his reaction. While Chávez admitted to a verbal altercation with Quintero, he denied using any racist insults.[50] Quintero received a 6 match suspension after the incident, three matches for violent conduct and then another three matches for further aggression towards an opponent after being sent off.[51] Three days later, the suspension was reduced to four matches.[52] He returned from his suspension on 29 April againstEstudiantes Tecos, picking up an assist in the 3–1 victory.[22] Quintero had 3 goals and 3 assists in the Clausura, however Santos failed to qualify for Liguilla. In the2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League Quintero scored 3 goals in 7 appearances, helping Santos advance to the quarterfinals, where they lost to Cruz Azul by an aggregate score of 5–1.[22]
Before the start of the2011 Apertura, Quintero changed his jersey number from 28 to 3 due to his son being born on 3 March.[53] He made his first appearance of the Apertura in matchweek 1, coming off the bench and picking up an assist in a 4–1 win overPachuca on 23 July.[22] In matchweek 2, he scored his first goal of the campaign and picked up another assist asLos Guerreros defeated Atlante 3–0. On 26 October, he scored in a 1–1 draw withClub América, bringing his goal involvement to 6 in his last 6 games. Quintero ended the Apertura with 5 goals from 17 games as he helped Santos qualify forLiguilla. He had one assist in the first leg and a goal in the second to help see Santos pastChiapas and into the semifinals, where they advanced pastMorelia. In the first leg of the final withTigres,Los Guerreros were unable to have much success and lost 1–0, with Quintero being substituted at half time.[54] In the second leg, Quintero was replaced after 15 minutes due to goalkeeperOswaldo Sánchez receiving a red card. Santos would go on to lose the game 3–1, falling short in the final once again.[55]
Quintero scored his first goal of the2012 Clausura in matchweek 4, a 3–1 win overClub Tijuana.[22] Quintero ended the season in good form, scoring 5 and adding 2 assists in his last 6 games of the regular season, bringing his Clausura total up to 6 goals and 4 assists in 14 appearances. His strong performances throughout the tournament helped Santos qualify forLiguilla as the first seed. In their quarterfinal matchup with Chiapas, Quintero scored a goal in each leg, including a 96th-minute winner in the first leg atEstadio Víctor Manuel Reyna, asLos Guerreros advanced with an aggregate score of 6–4.[56] The club matched up with Tigres in the semifinal, a rematch of the 2011 Apertura final. In the first leg of the semifinals, Quintero had one assist as Santos could only manage a draw. In the second leg, Tigres jumped out to an early 2 goal lead, putting them up 3–1 on aggregate. However, in the 87th minute Quintero assistedOribe Peralta to put the game at 2–1, and two minutes later he assisted Peralta again to level the score on aggregate and dramatically send Santos to the final. Although the scores were level on aggregate, Santos advanced because they were the higher seed.[57] In the first leg of the final, Santos and Monterrey played to a 1 all draw.[58] In the second leg, Quintero assistedDaniel Ludueña for the opening goals of the game; Santos was able to hold on and win the match 2–1 to win their fourth league title in club history.[59]
Santos also enjoyed a deep run in the2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League, reaching the final where they lost 3–2 to Monterrey on aggregate, with Quintero picking up assists on 2 of the goals for Santos.[22] He scored 4 goals and had 4 assists in 8 appearances during the tournament.[22] One of those assists came on 8 March 2012, with Quintero helping Santos to a 1–1 draw at Toronto FC.[60] The night was best remembered for what occurred after the match, when Quintero got a red card by getting in an altercation with Toronto defenderAshtone Morgan, prompting both benches to run onto the pitch.[61]
Quintero made his first appearance of the2012 Apertura on 21 July, scoring once in a 2–1 win overSan Luis.[22] On 29 July, Quintero scored in the 89th minute to giveLos Guerreros a 1–0 victory overGuadalajara. On 1 September Quintero scored twice to help Santos defeat Tigres 3–1.[22] He ended the Apertura with 7 goals, the most on the team, however Santos failed to qualify for Liguilla, finishing level on points with Guadalajara, but missing out due to a worse goal differential. On 16 March 2013, now in the Torneo Clausura, Quintero recorded a late assist and scored in the 89th minute to give Santos a dramatic victory overAtlas.[62] He finished the tournament with 4 goals and helped Santos return toLiguilla. In the quarterfinals, after a scoreless first leg, Quintero scored twice in the second leg with Atlas to give Santos a 3–1 victory. However they were eliminated by Cruz Azul in the semifinals, with Quintero being sent off in the second leg.[63]
Quintero made his first appearance of the2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League on 21 August 2012, scoring a hat-trick in a 5–0 victory overClub Águila in the first match of the group stage.[64] In their next match, he would find the back of the net again to help Santos to a 3–1 victory overToronto. After losing the first leg of the quarterfinals away to theHouston Dynamo 1–0, Santos responded with a 3–0 win in leg two to advance to the semifinals, where they were drawn withSeattle Sounders FC. Santos won the first leg 1–0 atCenturyLink Field, with Quintero assistingHerculez Gomez's goal and being named man of the match.[65] In the return leg Santos managed a 1–1 draw with Quintero scoring to help sendLos Guerreros to their second consecutive CCL final, facingMonterrey once again.[66] After a scoreless first leg, Quintero opened the scoring in leg two with a goal in the 38th minute. With Santos up 2–1, Quintero was subbed off in the 82nd minute. Soon after Monterrey would level the score at 2 in the 83rd minute, before taking the lead in the 86th. Rayados would add on another goal in stoppage time to defeat Santos 4–2, defeating Santos in consecutive CCL finals and taking their third consecutive Champions league title.[67][68] Quintero's 6 goals in the tournament saw him tie for the golden boot withNicolas Muñoz.[69]
Ahead of the 2013–14 season, Quintero signed a new contract with Santos Laguna that lasted until 2016.[70] He made his first appearance of the season on 23 July in aCopa MX match againstClub Atlético Zacatepec, scoring once in a 3–0 win. TheApertura 2013 Copa MX was Quintero's first time competing in the Copa MX as the tournament had not been played from 1996 to 2012 and teams who were competing in a continental competition did not participate. In Santos's next Copa MX match, Quintero scored twice to helpLos Guerreros record a 3–3 draw with Zacatepec. He scored a brace in the final match of the group stage, a 3–2 win overTigres, but it was not enough as Santos failed to advance out of the group.[37] Quintero's 5 goals saw him finish as the second highest scorer of the tournament.[71]
He made his first appearance of the2013 Apertura on 31 July in a 1–1 draw withPuebla.[22] Quintero had a slow start to the campaign, not scoring in his first 9 appearances and not recording an assist in his first 6, but he had a strong finish to the season, ending the Apertura with 3 goals and 9 assists in 16 appearances to help Santos qualify forLiguilla.[72] His 9 assists were the most for the Apertura.[73] In the first leg of the quarterfinals withQuerétaro, Quintero scored two and assisted for a third as Santos defeatedLos Gallos Blancos 3–2.[74] In the second leg he scored two more to give Santos a 3–1 victory and an aggregate score of 6–3.[75] In the semifinals, Quintero was unable to keep up his prolific scoring as Santos lost toClub León, the eventual champions.[76] Quintero scored his first goal of the2014 Clausura and picked up an assist on 14 February to give Santos a 3–2 win againstClub Tijuana.[22] On 13 April Quintero scored a hat trick to help Santos defeatAtlante 4–3. He ended the Clausura with 6 goals and 8 assists, playing in all 17 games.[77][72] He once again topped the Liga MX assist charts.[78] During theLiguilla quarterfinals, Quintero scored once in the first leg as Santos lost to América 5–3 . However, they would win the return leg 3–1, advancing on away goals.[79] Santos would lose to Pachuca in the first leg of the semifinals 2–0.[80] Quintero had one assist in the return leg to help Santos respond with a 4–2 win, but it was not enough asPachuca advanced on away goals.[81]
Santos Laguna and Quintero also qualified for the2014 Copa Libertadores as the best team from the2013 Apertura that failed to qualify for theCONCACAF Champions League. Quintero made his first appearance in the tournament on 11 February 2014, the first match of the group stage, where he assisted Peralta's goal as Santos defeatedArsenal de Sarandí 1–0.[82] On 25 March Quintero scored twice, assisted for two more, and scored asLos Guerreros defeated Peñarol 4–1, securing Santos's place in the round of 16.[83][84] Santos were upset byLanús in the round of 16 by an aggregate score of 4–1, with the 1 goal being scored by Quintero.[84]
On 17 August Quintero scored his first goal of the2014 Apertura, finding the back of the net in the 88th minute to give Santos a 1–0 away win againstGuadalajara.[85] He scored again in their next league match, a 3–0 win overToluca. Quintero ended the Apertura with 2 goals and 9 assists in 17 appearances. However that wasn't enough as Santos finished in 9th place, finishing one point behind Tigres in the lastLiguilla spot.[86]
Quintero and Santos also competed in theApertura 2014 Copa MX, with Quintero's first appearance coming on 30 July in a 3 1 defeat toAtlético San Luis in the first match of the group stage. On 23 September, Quintero got the game winning assist, setting upDjaniny in the 92nd minute to give Santos a 2–1 win overMonterrey in the final match of the group stage to guarantee a spot in the quarterfinals. Santos and Quintero defeatedGuadalajara in the quarterfinals 5–0 andTigres UANL 4–2 in the semifinals.[37] During the final, Quintero assistedNéstor Calderón to put Santos up 2–1.[87] Quintero was subbed off in the 87th minute, but soon afterPuebla responded to level the score at two.[88] Santos managed to prevail in penalties, winning their first Copa MX in club history.[89]
On 26 November 2014, it was reported that Quintero had requested to leave Santos, citing the need for new challenges and experiences.[90] On 28 November Santos Laguna vice-president Alberto Canedo Macouzet confirmed that Quintero had requested to leave. While they were hoping he would stay, they were also exploring possible destinations for a transfer.[91][92] At the time of his transfer, Quintero's 277 appearances across all competitions for Santos was theseventh most all time, his 92 goals in all competitions were thefourth most in club history, his 21 goals scored in continental competitions were the most in club history, and his 82 assists in all competitions were the second most in club history.
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On 16 December 2014 Quintero signed withClub América.[93] The transfer fee was reportedly $10.3 million, breaking the Liga MX transfer record.[94][95][96] He was unveiled to the press on 19 December along with fellow new signingsCristian Pellerano,Miguel Samudio, andDarío Benedetto.[97]
On 10 January, Quintero made his debut forLas Águilas in the opening match of the2015 Clausura, scoring once in a 3–2 win againstLeón.[98] He recorded his first assist for América on 31 January, setting up Benedetto for the only score of the game in a win overTigres UANL. Quintero finished with only 1 goal and 2 assists in the Clausura, but helped América finish second and qualify forLiguilla.[37] However, América and Quintero had a disappointing playoffs, losing in the first round toPachuca.[99]
América had a successful run during the2014–15 CONCACAF Champions League. He made his first appearance of the tournament on 25 February 2015, in the first leg of the quarterfinals withDeportivo Saprissa, picking up an assist in a 3–0 win. América would win the return leg comfortably 2–0. They would run into trouble in the semifinals, losing 3–0 in the first leg withC.S. Herediano.[37] In the second leg, Quintero got things started early, tapping in a spilled ball by the Herediano goalkeeper in the 4th minute. Four minutes later, Quintero set up Darío Benedetto, who turned and fired the ball off the post and in. In the 19th minute, Quintero assisted Benedetto again to level the aggregate score at 3. América would go on to win 6–0 and advance.[100] In the first leg of the final América and theMontreal Impact played to a one all draw. After falling behind early in the second leg, Quintero picked up 2 assists asLas Águilas scored four goals. The Impact would score once late, but it was too little too late as América won their sixth CONCACAF championship.[101]
His final appearance of his debut season with América came on 20 July 2015, a 1–0 loss toSantos Laguna in theCampeón de Campeones.[102]
Quintero made his first appearance of the 2015–16 season on 26 July, scoring once in a 4–2 defeat toPuebla in the opening game of the2015 Apertura.[103] Quintero ended the Apertura with 4 goals and 3 assists. In the quarterfinals ofLiguilla, América advanced pastClub León 5–3 on aggregate. After losing the first leg of the semifinals 3–0 toPumas UNAM, Quintero scored two early goals in the second leg to bring América back into the fixture. Although they would win the second leg 3–1, Pumas advanced on aggregate 4–3.[103]
On 13 December 2015, Quintero made his first career appearance in theFIFA Club World Cup, getting the start in a 2–1 defeat toGuangzhou Evergrande.[104] He did not feature in the fifth place game, a 2–1 win overTP Mazembe.[105]
Quintero got off to a slow start in the2016 Clausura, only having one assist and zero goals in his first 7 appearances. After he served his suspension for a red card he received in matchweek 7, Quintero scored twice and added an assist as América defeatedMorelia 4–1. Quintero ended the Apertura with 6 goals and 2 assists, with all 6 of the goals and 1 of the assists coming in the 5 games immediately following his suspension.[103] In the quarterfinals ofLiguilla, Quintero had the go ahead assist in the second leg to help América advance pastGuadalajara. After getting a 1–0 win in the first leg of the semifinal, Monterrey won the return leg 4–2, eliminating América.[37]
Quintero made his first appearance in the2015–16 CONCACAF Champions League on 5 August 2015 in a 4–0 victory overC.D. Motagua in the opening match of the group stage. He picked up his first and second goal of the tournament on September 16, scoring twice in a 3–1 win againstC.D. Walter Ferretti. In the first leg of the quarterfinal matchup withSeattle Sounders FC, Quintero scored once to help América secure a 2 all draw. In the second leg Quintero found the back of the net in the 42nd minute to level the aggregate score at 3. América would score two more goals to advance past the Sounders. América would advance past Santos Laguna 1–0 in extra time to set up a final againstTigres UANL. Although he did not feature in the first leg, Quintero returned to the starting lineup for leg two, asLas Águilas won their second consecutive CCL title.[37]
Quintero made his first appearance of the season on 16 July, scoring once in a 2–0 win against Chiapas in the opening game of the2016 Apertura.[106] On 6 August, he scored once and recorded two assists to help América to a 4–1 win overVeracruz.[106] On 3 September, it was announced that Quintero was suffering fromthrombophlebitis in his right leg. The initial estimate was that he would be out for three to six months and miss the rest of the season.[107] Quintero managed to return in time for the final match of the Apertura, recording two assists in a 3–3 draw withPachuca on 19 November.[106] During theLiguilla quarterfinals, Quintero had an assist in leg two to give América a 2–1 aggregate win overGuadalajara. After defeatingNecaxa in the semifinals, América faced off withTigres UANL in the final. Quintero came off the bench in the first leg, but did not feature in the second as Tigres won on penalties. At the2016 FIFA Club World Cup, Quintero played in all 3 of América's games. They lost toAtlético Nacional on penalties in the third place game.[22]
He made his first appearance of the2017 Clausura in matchweek one, coming on as a substitute in a 2–1 defeat to Toluca on 15 January. On 18 March, Quintero was playing in a match with the under–20 team when he suffered a leg injury.[108] He returned to the first team lineup for matchweek 15. He made three substitute appearances for the final three matches. The Clausura season was a disappointment for Quintero and América. Quintero scored zero goals and had two assists in his league 13 appearances, with only three of those being starts, as América failed to qualify forLiguilla.[106]
Quintero made his first appearance of the 2017–18 season on 16 July, coming on as a substitute in a 2–0 loss toQuerétaro in theSupercopa MX. On 22 July, he made his first appearance of the2017 Apertura in a 1–0 loss toQuerétaro. He recorded his first assist of the season on 5 August in a 2–1 victory overPumas. His first goal of the Apertura came on 19 August, scoring once and assisting for another asLas Águilas defeatedLobos BUAP 3–2. The Apertura season saw improvement from the 2017 Clausura for Quintero and América. Quintero finished with 2 goals and 4 assists to help América qualify forLiguilla, where they reached the semifinals.
Quintero made his first appearance of the2018 Clausura on 7 January, recording an assist in a 1–0 over Querétaro.[37] During a training session on 23 January, Quintero tried to shoot a ball at a reporter who was on live TV. Although Quintero denied that his intention was to hit the reporter, América announced they would sanction him internally.[109] After missing three matches, Quintero came off the bench in a 4–1 win againstMorelia on 13 February.[22] On 14 March, Quintero had an assist in a 3–1 win overTauro in the second leg of the CCL quarterfinals, with América advancing 7–1 aggregate score. The match would end up being his final appearance for the club.[22] His time with América was mixed with success and disappointment. He helped the club win trophies, but was also seen as not living up to his price tag, as fans were critical of his inconsistency.[6][4] He was even booed off the pitch at times by América fans.[110]
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On March 31, 2018, Quintero joinedMajor League Soccer sideMinnesota United FC as aDesignated Player, the first in the club's history.[111] The transfer fee paid was reported to be $200,000.[112][6] Quintero explained his decision to join Minnesota United by saying he and his family needed a change and new experiences, as well as being intrigued by the club's plans for the future.[9] Quintero made his Minnesota debut on 14 April, scoring once in a 3–2 loss to thePortland Timbers.[113] He recorded his first assist for Minnesota on 22 April in a 3–1 loss toSeattle Sounders FC.[113] On 28 April, Quintero made his home debut for the Loons, marking the occasion by scoring once to help Minnesota get a 2–1 victory over theHouston Dynamo.[113] On 4 July Quintero scored three chipped goals to give the Loons a 4–3 win overToronto FC, recording the first hat-trick in Minnesota United's history.[114] In his next 7 games, Quintero continued to stay hot, scoring 4 goals and assisting on 7 more.[115] During that stretch he was named to the2018 MLS All-Star game.[116] He missed the next two games due to a calf injury.[117] Quintero managed to record 6 assists in the final 8 games after returning from injury, but only scored once during that stretch.[6][115] He had a successful debut season with the Loons, leading the team with 11 goals and 15 assists.[118] Quintero was named to the MLS Team of the Week five times, being named MLS Player of the Week for Week 19.[119] His 15 assists were also tied for the fourth most in the league.[120] Despite Quintero's performances, Minnesota finished 10th place in theWestern Conference, missing out on the playoffs by 13 points.[121]
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Quintero started the 2019 season off well, scoring once and assisting two more to give Minnesota a 3–1 win overVancouver Whitecaps FC in the opening game of the season.[122] In their next game, Quintero scored once and picked up another assist to help the Loons to a 3–0 win against theSan Jose Earthquakes.[122] On 3 April, Quintero suffered a groin injury, but it only forced him to miss one game.[123] On 19 April, Quintero found the back of the net twice in a 4–3 loss toToronto FC.[122] He had 2 assists on 29 June as the Loons defeatedFC Cincinnati 7–1.[122] Quintero scored two goals on 15 September to help Minnesota defeatReal Salt Lake 3–1.[122] Although he didn't have as good as a season as 2018, Quintero still managed to score 10 league goals, which led the team. His 5 league assists were the third most on the team.[124] He featured in the MLS team of the Weak four times throughout the season.[119] Quintero also helped the Loons qualify for theMLS Cup Playoffs for the first time in club history.[6] He came off the bench and provided an assist in their first round matchup, a 2–1 defeat to theLA Galaxy.[122]
Quintero and the Loons also enjoyed a successful run in the2019 U.S. Open Cup. Quintero made his first appearance of the tournament on 12 June, scoring twice and adding an assist as Minnesota defeated Sporting Kansas City 4–1. In the Round of 16, Quintero scored twice to help the Loons recover from a two-goal deficit and defeat theHouston Dynamo 3–2. He scored again in the quarterfinals, helping Minnesota advance pastNew Mexico United by a score of 6–1. Quintero would score his sixth goal in his fourth Open Cup game of the season to help the Loons defeat thePortland Timbers 2–1 and advance to the first US Open Cup final in club history. He would begin thefinal on the bench, coming on in the second half. However Quintero was unable to rescue the Loons as they fell toAtlanta United FC 2–1.[125] Quintero's six goals saw him win the Open Cup Golden boot.[126] He was also named as the Player of the Tournament, the first time the award had gone to a player who failed to win the cup in over a decade.[127]
On 11 November, Quintero took to social media to announce that Minnesota United had declined his contract option. Club spokespeople announced that his option had not been declined. Minnesota was looking to trade Quintero to another MLS team.[128][129] As of the end of the 2019 season, Quintero had scored the most goals and also had the most assists in the club's brief 3-year history.[130]
On 13 November 2019, Quintero was traded to theHouston Dynamo forMarlon Hairston and $600,000 inallocation money.[131] He suffered a thigh injury in preseason that caused him to miss the season opener.[132] Quintero made his Dynamo debut in Houston's second game, coming off the bench on 7 March in a 4–0 loss toSporting Kansas City.[133] Soon after, the MLS season was paused due to theCOVID-19 pandemic. MLS returned to play in July with theMLS is Back Tournament. On 13 July Quintero recorded 2 assists to help Houston to a 3–3 draw withLAFC in their opening match of the tournament.[133] He scored his first goal for the Dynamo on 23 July in a 1–1 draw with theLA Galaxy.[133] On 25 August Quintero scored 2 goals and added 2 assists to help Houston to a 5–2 win over Sporting Kansas City.[134] He was rewarded for his dominant performance by making the MLS Team of the Week.[135] Quintero scored against his former club Minnesota United in a comprehensive 3–0 victory on 2 September.[136] He was named to his second consecutive Team of the Week for the performance.[137] Quintero scored against his former club again on 19 September on a chip from the top of the box, helping Houston to a 2–2 draw against Minnesota.[133] Quintero enjoyed a strong debut season for the Dynamo, scoring 7 goals and recording 10 assists while appearing in 22 of a possible 23 games in a shortened season due to COVID-19.[118] His 10 assists tied for the most in the league.[138] Despite Quintero's great form, it was a poor season for Houston as a team, finishing last in the Western Conference and missing out on the playoffs.[139]
For the first part of the 2021 season, Quintero found himself on the bench. A combination of fitness issues and head coachTab Ramos wanting to play with a high-press led to Quintero playing sparingly over the first 4 months of the season.[140][141][142] He also missed games in August after catching COVID-19.[141] Quintero started his first game of the season on 11 September, Houston's 24th game of the season. He helped the Dynamo end a 16-match winless streak by beatingAustin FC 3–0.[141][143] On 15 September he picked up his first assist of the season as Houston drew 1–1 against the Galaxy.[143] Quintero scored his first goal of the season on 18 September in a 3–2 win overTexas Derby rivalsFC Dallas.[143] On 16 October, Quintero had a goal and an assist to give the Dynamo a 2–1 win againstSeattle Sounders FC.[143] The goal was named MLS Goal of the Week and he was named to the MLS Team of the Week.[144][145] Quintero ended the season with 3 goals and 2 assists in 20 appearances, 9 of them starts, as the Dynamo once again finished last in the West.[143][146] Following the 2021 season, Quintero's contract option was declined by Houston.[147] On 21 December he re-signed with the Dynamo, agreeing to a non-Designated Player contract to remain in Houston for 2022, with a team option for 2023.[148]
After coming off the bench in the first 2 games of the season, Quintero got his first start of the season on 12 March and scored twice to give Houston a 2–1 win over Vancouver.[149] He ended the season with 32 regular season appearances, 22 of thems starts, and picked up 8 goals and 5 assists.[118] It was another disappointing season for the Dynamo, finishing 13th in the conference and missing the playoffs again.[150] Following the season the Dynamo declined Quintero's contract option.[151]
On 23 December 2022, Quintero returned to Colombia, signing withCategoría Primera A sideAmérica de Cali.[152] He made his debut forlos Diablos Rojos on 26 January, getting the start in a 2–1 loss to his former clubDeportes Tolima.[153] On 31 January he recorded his first 2 assists for América, helping them defeatUnión Magdalena 4–0.[153] On 4 February, Quintero scored his first goal for América and picked up an assist in a 4–2 win overDeportivo Pasto.[153]
Quintero was part of theColombia U-20 national team in 2007, making 8 appearances and scoring one goal, the winner against Argentina, at the2007 South American U-20 Championship.[154] He made his seniorColombia debut againstParaguay on 11 October 2008 in a2010 FIFA World Cup qualification match. He scored his first goal againstMexico in a 2–1friendly win on 30 September 2009.[155] Although he has not been called up since 2012, Quintero says he still hopes to rejoin the national team and represent his country again.[9]
| Club Performance | League | National cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club | Season | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Deportes Tolima | 2005 | Categoría Primera A | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| 2006 | 42 | 19 | — | 6[a] | 2 | — | 48 | 21 | ||||
| 2007 | 12 | 5 | — | 5[b] | 2 | — | 17 | 7 | ||||
| Total | 55 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 66 | 28 | ||
| Krylia Sovetov | 2007 | Russian Premier League | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 11 | 1 | ||
| Deportivo Pereira (loan) | 2008 | Categoría Primera A | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 12 | 4 | ||
| Deportivo Pereira | 22 | 13 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 22 | 13 | ||||
| Total | 34 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 17 | ||
| Santos Laguna | 2008–09 | Primera División | 16 | 4 | — | 4[c] | 4 | — | 20 | 8 | ||
| 2009–10 | 41 | 11 | 3[d] | 0 | 2[e] | 1 | — | 46 | 12 | |||
| 2010–11 | 33 | 8 | — | 7[c] | 3 | — | 40 | 11 | ||||
| 2011–12 | 43 | 14 | — | 8[c] | 4 | — | 51 | 18 | ||||
| 2012–13 | Liga MX | 34 | 13 | — | 9[c] | 6 | — | 43 | 19 | |||
| 2013–14 | 41 | 14 | 4 | 5 | 7[b] | 3 | — | 52 | 22 | |||
| 2014–15 | 17 | 2 | 8 | 0 | — | — | 25 | 2 | ||||
| Total | 225 | 66 | 15 | 5 | 37 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 277 | 92 | ||
| Club América | 2014–15 | Liga MX | 17 | 1 | — | 6[c] | 1 | 1[f] | 0 | 24 | 2 | |
| 2015–16 | 39 | 12 | — | 9[c] | 4 | 1[g] | 0 | 49 | 16 | |||
| 2016–17 | 26 | 2 | 9 | 2 | — | 3[g] | 0 | 38 | 4 | |||
| 2017–18 | 25 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 3[c] | 1 | 1[h] | 0 | 35 | 4 | ||
| Total | 107 | 17 | 15 | 3 | 18 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 146 | 26 | ||
| Minnesota United FC | 2018 | Major League Soccer | 27 | 11 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 11 | ||
| 2019 | 30 | 10 | 5 | 6 | — | 1[i] | 0 | 37 | 16 | |||
| Total | 57 | 21 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 64 | 27 | ||
| Houston Dynamo | 2020 | Major League Soccer | 22 | 7 | — | — | — | 22 | 7 | |||
| 2021 | 20 | 3 | — | — | — | 20 | 3 | |||||
| 2022 | 31 | 8 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 32 | 8 | ||||
| Total | 73 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 74 | 18 | ||
| América de Cali | 2023 | Categoría Primera A | 42 | 5 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 44 | 5 | ||
| Pereira | 2024 | Categoría Primera A | 18 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 9 |
| Career total | 622 | 178 | 39 | 14 | 66 | 31 | 7 | 0 | 734 | 223 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colombia | 2008 | 3 | 0 |
| 2009 | 6 | 1 | |
| 2010 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 14 | 1 | |
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Final | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 30 September 2009 | Cotton Bowl,Dallas, United States |  Mexico | 2–0 | 2–1 | Friendly |
Quintero was born inTumaco, Colombia, but moved toCali when he was five, living in the Puerta del Sol district with his dad and sister.[8] He is not named after scientistCharles Darwin, but rather the character in a book his father liked.[162] Quintero says he wanted to be a professional footballer for as long as he can remember, claiming to have letters from when he was seven stating his career goal.[9] Quintero and his wife Valentina Sierra have two kids together.[163]
Quintero became a naturalized citizen of Mexico in 2013.[164] In March 2019, Quintero earned aU.S. green card, which qualifies him as a domestic player for MLS roster purposes.[165]
Santos Laguna
América
Individual