Lucas Chávez (Bolivian footballer)

Lucas Leonidas Chávez Cruz (born 17 April 2003) is a Bolivian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Club Bolívar and the Bolivia national team.

Club career
Born in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Chávez began his career at Club Bolívar. He made his debut on 2 May 2021 in a 2–0 home win over C.D. Real Tomayapo in the Bolivian Primera División, coming on as a 67th-minute substitute under manager Natxo González. He totalled six appearances that season, all from the bench.

In 2022, Chávez played 13 games as Bolívar won the Apertura, though the season was abandoned in the Clausura stage. He made his Copa Libertadores debut in a 2–0 loss away to C.D. Universidad Católica del Ecuador on 2 March, and scored his first goal on 19 April, concluding a 4–1 win at F.C. Universitario de Vinto; both were as a substitute.

On 7 June 2023, Chávez scored his first goal in the Libertadores, concluding a 2–0 win over Cerro Porteño of Paraguay at the Estadio Hernando Siles to make it to the last 16. In the league, he scored four goals in 22 games as his team came runners-up to La Paz rivals The Strongest; on 23 July he scored in a 3–0 home win in his first edition of the local derby. On 5 August, he extended his contract until 2026. Days later, he was ruled out with a fracture to his left clavicle. In December, Bolívar also won the 2023 Copa de la División Profesional; Chávez received one of six red cards in an added-time brawl against C.D. Jorge Wilstermann, despite never leaving the substitutes' bench during the final.

International career
In June 2023, Chávez was called up to the Bolivia national team for friendlies against Ecuador and Chile. He made his debut against the latter in his hometown, starting in the goalless draw; manager Gustavo Costas praised his performance.

Chávez was called up by former Bolívar manager Antonio Carlos Zago in the squad for the 2024 Copa América in the United States. In a group-stage elimination, he played as a second-half substitute in the latter two games.

Honours
Bolívar
 * Bolivian Primera División: 2022 (Apertura)
 * 2023 Copa de la División Profesional