The Swope Park Rangers have signed defender Luis Julian Oliveira on loan from Club Atletico Atenas, the club announced today. Olivera, who has represented Argentina’s youth national teams, will officially be added to the Rangers roster pending league and federation approval.
Olivera, 20, was developed in the academy of Argentinian powerhouse River Plate, rising all the way to the first team. He made his River Plate debut as a 17-year-old in November 2015 against Newell’s Old Boys and went on to make seven total appearances for the storied club. Following his debut in 2015, he made one further appearance in 2016 before playing in five games – starting four – in the 2016-17 campaign for River Plate.
Olivera was loaned to Club Atletico San Martin in the Argentine top flight for the 2017-18 Argentine Primera División season, where he made 13 appearances – all starts – as San Martin finished 18th in the 28-team league.
After returning to River Plate at the conclusion of the 2017-18 campaign, Olivera joined Uruguayan namesake, Club Atletico River Plate – based in the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo – on loan at the start of 2019, making eight appearances.
In the summer of 2019, Olivera signed permanently with Uruguayan outfit Club Atletico Atenas, before joining the Rangers on loan.
On the international stage, Olivera has represented Argentina at the Under-17 level. He started eight of nine matches in the 2015 South American U-17 Championship, helping Argentina to a runner-up finish and sealing qualification for the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup. At the ensuing U-17 World Cup in Chile, Olivera started two of three games as Argentina were eliminated in the group stage.
The Rangers (3-16-6) are back in action tomorrow night against the Charleston Battery at Children’s Mercy Park with kickoff set for 7 p.m. CT. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+, while tickets are available via SeatGeek.com.
VITALS
Luis Julian Olivera
Position: Defender
Born: 10/24/1998 (20 years old)
Height: 5-5
Weight: 140 lbs.
Last Club: Club Atletico Atenas (Uruguay)
Hometown: Villa de Mayo, Argentina
Birthplace: Villa de Mayo, Argentina
Citizenship: Argentina
Instagram: @luisitoolivera
