While many know Darwin Nunez as a wasteful forward for Liverpool, that’s not all there is to him. The Uruguayan has been developing well since joining the Reds from Benfica in the summer of 2022, the same period Erling Haaland joined Manchester City.
Nunez even got the best of the Norwegian in their first encounter in the FA Community Shield between City and Liverpool. Almost two years down the line, and Darwin Nunez is beginning to show why Liverpool went all out to sign him that summer. This is a biographical piece about the former Benfica striker.
This article delves into the key aspects of the Uruguayan talent’s life, exploring his early years, family background, net worth, career, and more.
| Full Name | Darwin Gabriel Nunez Ribeiro |
| Place of Birth | Artigas, Uruguay |
| Date of Birth | 24 June 1999 |
| Position | Forwarded |
| Current Team | Liverpool |
| Year Joined | 2022 |
| Shirt Number | 9 |
| Height | 6ft2 |
Darwin Nunez | Early Life
Just like every normal child growing up in Artigas, Uruguay, Nunez only had one thing on his mind; football. Young Nunez grew up in the slums of the Uruguayan city with a father who relied on bricklaying to provide for his family and a mother who hawked bottles of milk on the streets to provide support for his family as well.
At age 14, Nunez was scouted for Penarol, which caused him to leave home at a very young age to move to the country’s capital city of Montevideo to pursue his dream of becoming a professional footballer. Sadly, he suffered an ACL injury three years later, which ruled him out for almost two years and required him to have two operations. The now Liverpool forward has told the story of how he relied on his parents’ support during this hard time and is also grateful for his brother Junior, who gave up football to be a provider for his family.
Darwin Nunez | Family
Darwin Nunez grew up in a family of four; his father, Bibiano Nunez; his mother, Silvia Ribeiro; and his brother Junior. Nunez grew up in an impoverished family and had to rely on his parents doing menial jobs to provide the basics for the family.
His brother even made a touching sacrifice when Nunez was injured with an ACL injury. As a player in Penarol at the time as well, his brother quit football altogether to become his family’s provider, which gave Darwin a lot of support during his recovery.
Darwin Nunez, now 24 years old, is blessed with his own family, including his girlfriend and two healthy children.
Darwin Nunez | Club Career
Youth Career
Nunez spent three years on the youth team of Penarol before making his senior debut in 2017. As a youth player, Nunez suffered a setback in his career when he suffered an ACL injury, which kept him out for almost two years. The injury required him to have two operations, and he made his return to football in 2018 when he started scoring crucial goals for the senior team at Penarol.
Almeria
The goalscoring prowess he displayed at Penarol didn’t go unnoticed, as Spanish side Almeria came knocking in 2019 with a bid of around $6 million plus add-ons. He was snapped up by the second-division side in August and made his debut two months later in a game against Sporting Gijon. By the end of October, Nunez had become a mainstay on the first team and had scored 16 league goals for the club by the end of the season, making him the club’s fourth top scorer that season.
Benfica
In September of 2020, Almeria agreed to a deal of more than $29 million for a player they had signed just one year ago. He was the club’s biggest sale, and Almeria also included a 20% sell-on clause on the profit made on his future transfer to another club.
Nunez started his career with the Portuguese club in an electrifying manner, contributing five assists in his first four league games for the club. He got his debut goal in the Europa League clash against Lech Poznan when he bagged a hat-trick to help Benfica secure a 4-2 win.
The Uruguayan finished the season with six league goals and ten assists, taking his goals for the season to 14 in all competitions for Benfica.
His second season was more successful, as Darwin Nunez couldn’t keep his name off the goalscoring sheet for the club. After missing the first few months due to an injury to his right knee, Darwin Nunez went on a goalscoring streak that saw him score 34 goals in all competitions, including 26 in the league and six in the UEFA Champions League.
He successfully passed his Liverpool audition when he bagged a brace over two legs in the UCL quarter-finals against the Reds, as his team lost 6-4 on aggregate to Jurgen Klopp’s side.
Liverpool
Darwin Nunez’s second season at Benfica was largely a success, which convinced Jurgen Klopp the Uruguayan was worth Liverpool’s record transfer, as they paid a total of £85 million to bring him in from Portugal. Although he has been inconsistent for Liverpool, as he’s known for being that player who misses big chances, he’s still regarded as one of the best in the Liverpool team.
He’s been an important player for Liverpool this season as the Reds are pushing for the title in Jurgen Klopp’s final season at the club.
Darwin Nunez | International Career
Darwin Nunez has been a goal-scoring threat for his national team. In his 22 appearances, he’s netted 8 goals, which is a solid number for a striker. On top of that, he’s shown some playmaking ability by chipping in with 3 assists for his teammates.
Darwin Nunez | Records and Statistics
Nunez hasn’t had much luck with titles. His only league triumphs came during his time at Penarol, when he won two consecutive league titles in 2017 and 2018. His time at Almeria didn’t yield any titles, and he didn’t have much luck in Portugal as well, as he only won the runner-up medals twice for two domestic cups.
His only trophy at Liverpool has been the FA Community Shield, which he won on his debut for the club in 2022. He has the chance to add more to his trophy cabinet when Liverpool play Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final later this month.
In terms of numbers, Darwin Nunez has 100 club career goals from 223 appearances from his time at Penarol, Almeria, Benfica, and Liverpool. His most prolific season was the 21/22 season, when he scored 26 league goals at Benfica and 34 in all competitions.
| Teams | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|
| Benfica | 85 | 48 | 16 |
| Liverpool | 84 | 32 | 18 |
| UD Almería | 32 | 16 | 3 |
| Peñarol | 22 | 4 | 1 |
| Uruguay | 22 | 8 | 3 |
Darwin Nunez | Sponsors and endorsements
Up until last year, Darwin Nunez had a sponsorship deal with Nike, as he’d been wearing their boots since joining Liverpool. However, he made a major change in his sports gear last December when he started donning Puma boots in training and in games.
Although no official announcement has been made, Nunez is reportedly ditching Nike for Puma, just like Neymar and several other soccer stars.
Darwin Nunez also has a brand sponsorship deal with Gatorade, a sports nutrition company. All these deals mean extra money for the Uruguayan forward.
Darwin Nunez | Philanthropic Activities
Darwin Nunez is not publicly involved in any philanthropic activities, although as a player who grew up in the slums, he understands the importance of kindness and how far it can help one’s life, as his brother’s sacrifice also helped him reach where he is today.
Whatever kind of donations he’s giving, he’s not made them public.
Darwin Nunez | Net Worth and Health
According to Sports Dunia, Darwin Nunez’s net worth is currently estimated at £3 million, most of which has been amassed through his professional career, primarily through salaries and sponsorship deals.
He also currently has a clean bill of health, as he’s managed to stay fit for the majority of his Liverpool career.
Darwin Nunez | Cars and Tattoos
Darwin Nunez is not a big car enthusiast, at least from what he posts on social media. All you’ll find on his Instagram profile are pictures from matches and training with his teammates. He also posts his family occasionally, especially his son.
Just like most soccer stars, Darwin Nunez is a big fan of tattoos, and he has a few on his body, including his arms and legs.
FAQs
| Why does Darwin Nunez kiss his arm? |
| He kisses his baby tattoo on his arm after scoring a goal |
| Is Darwin Nunez a poacher? |
| Yes, he has painted himself as a real poacher. |
| Who wanted Darwin Nunez? |
| Chelsea |
| What is Darwin Nunez rating? |
| Darwin Núñez’ rating is 83 |
