Yeferson Soteldo

Yeferson Julio Soteldo Martínez (born 30 June 1997) is a Venezuelan professional footballer who plays for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Grêmio, on loan from Santos, and the Venezuela national team. Although he mainly plays as a left winger, he can also play as an attacking midfielder.

Zamora
Soteldo was born in Acarigua, in the Venezuelan state of Portuguesa, and as a teen moved to Caracas. After a difficult time in Caracas, his early coach in Caracas FC invited him to join Zamora FC at just 16 years old. On 16 September 2013, he made his first team debut (also his Primera División debut), coming on as a late substitute for Jhon Murillo in a 0–0 home draw against Atlético Venezuela.

Soteldo became a regular starter for Zamora from the 2014–15 season onwards, and scored his first professional goal on 28 January 2015, netting the opener in a 4–2 home win against Carabobo FC. On 20 May 2015, he scored a brace in a 3–2 home defeat of Mineros de Guayana. In the 2015 campaign, he played a key role by scoring twelve goals as his side lifted the Primera División trophy.

Huachipato
On 20 December 2016, Soteldo joined Chilean Primera División side Huachipato for a fee of € 1.5 million. He made his debut abroad on 17 February, replacing Leonardo Povea in a 2–1 home success over Universidad de Chile.

Soteldo scored his first goal abroad on 22 July 2017, netting his team's third in a 4–0 home routing of Deportes Valdivia, for the year's Copa Chile.

Universidad de Chile (loan)
On 11 January 2018, Soteldo joined fellow top tier side Universidad de Chile on a one-year loan deal. La U paid US$ 1.5 million fee for the loan, with a buyout clause of 50% of his rights set on US$3.5 million. A regular starter, he contributed with 26 league appearances and five goals.

Santos
On 12 January 2019, Soteldo agreed to a four-year contract with Série A side Santos FC. He made his debut for the club twelve days later, replacing Felippe Cardoso and scoring his team's third in a 4–0 away routing of São Bento, for the year's Campeonato Paulista.

Soteldo soon became an undisputed starter under Jorge Sampaoli, scoring two braces in the month of November, against Botafogo (4–1 home win) and Goiás (3–0 away win). On 11 February 2020, he renewed his contract until December 2023.

Toronto FC
On 24 April 2021, Soteldo's club Santos FC confirmed that Soteldo had been sold to MLS side Toronto FC for a fee of $6.5 million. The fee covers 75% of his playing rights and enables Santos FC to avoid a transfer ban imposed by FIFA due to them failing to pay Huachipato back in 2019. He made his debut on May 8, in a substitute appearance, against the New York Red Bulls. On July 7, Soteldo scored his first goal for Toronto against the New England Revolution.

Tigres
On 31 January 2022, Soteldo joined Liga MX club Tigres UANL in a transfer with Carlos Salcedo coming to Toronto in exchange.

Return to Santos
On 11 August 2022, Santos announced the return of Soteldo on loan until July 2023, with a buyout clause. However, he struggled with injuries during his second spell, spending three months sidelined due to a shoulder injury in the early stages of the 2023 season.

On 16 June 2023, Santos announced that the club exercised the buyout clause on Soteldo's contract, purchasing 50% of his economic rights, and with the player signing a contract until June 2027. However, he was separated from the first team squad on 1 July due to indiscipline problems, but still officially signed his permanent contract six days later.

On 6 August 2023, one day after the dismissal of head coach Paulo Turra, Soteldo was reinstated in the first team squad of Santos. He scored his first goal after returning on 1 October, netting his team's fourth in a 4–1 home routing of Vasco da Gama; in that same match, he also stepped on the ball with both feet in an attempt to make a stunt, which led to a subsequent on-field brawl.

Loan to Grêmio
On 22 December 2023, after Santos' first-ever relegation, Soteldo moved to Grêmio on loan for the 2024 season.

International career
On 19 January 2016, Soteldo was called up by Venezuela national team manager Noel Sanvicente for a friendly against Costa Rica. He made his full international debut on 2 February, playing the full 90 minutes in the 1–0 win in Barinas.

Soteldo was initially out of Rafael Dudamel's final 23-man list for the 2019 Copa América, but was called up on 8 June to replace injured Adalberto Peñaranda.

Style of play
Standing at 5 feet 2 inches tall, Soteldo is a diminutive and energetic forward, who is known for his flair and pace on the ball, as well as his playmaking ability and dribbling skills; although primarily a left winger, he is also capable of playing as an attacking midfielder. Upon signing for Toronto FC in 2021, Neil Davidson of The Globe and Mail described Soteldo as a "dangerous winger who likes to take on defenders and befuddle them with his moves, Soteldo can make goals and score them." Toronto GM Ali Curtis also described him with the following words: "He’s a really shifty player. Elusive. Good in tight spaces."

International

 * Scores and results list Venezuela's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Soteldo goal.

Honours
Zamora
 * Venezuelan Primera División: 2013–14, 2015, 2016

Santos
 * Campeonato Brasileiro Série A runner-up: 2019
 * Copa Libertadores runner-up: 2020

Grêmio
 * Campeonato Gaúcho: 2024

Venezuela U20
 * FIFA U-20 World Cup runner-up: 2017
 * South American Youth Football Championship third place: 2017

Venezuela
 * Kirin Cup: 2019

Individual
 * Venezuelan Primera División Team of the Year: Best Attacking Midfielder 2016
 * Chilean Primera División Best Foreign Player: 2017
 * Chilean Primera División Team of the Year: Best Left Winger 2017
 * Chilean Primera División Team of the Year: Best Left Winger 2018
 * Campeonato Paulista Team of the Year: 2020
 * Copa Libertadores Best XI: 2020
 * Best Left Winger in Brazil: 2020
 * South America Team of the Year: 2020