In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Araújo and the second or maternal family name is Vilches.
Maximiliano Araújo
Personal information
Full name Maximiliano Javier Araújo Vilches[1]
Date of birth (2000-02-15) 15 February 2000 (age 26)
Place of birth Montevideo, Uruguay
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)[2]
Positions
  • Left winger
  • left-back[3]
Team information
Current team
Sporting CP
Number 20
Youth career
Montevideo Wanderers
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2019 Montevideo Wanderers 33 (1)
2020–2022 Puebla 83 (8)
2023–2024 Toluca 55 (10)
2024– Sporting CP 57 (8)
International career‡
2018–2019 Uruguay U20 28 (0)
2019 Uruguay U22 4 (0)
2020 Uruguay U23 6 (0)
2023– Uruguay 29 (4)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Uruguay
Copa América
Third place 2024 United States
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 25 May 2026
‡ National team caps and goals as of 16 June 2026

Maximiliano Javier "Maxi" Araújo Vilches (born 15 February 2000) is a Uruguayan professional footballer who plays as a left-winger or left-back for Primeira Liga club Sporting CP and the Uruguay national team.[4][5]

Club career

Araújo is a youth academy graduate of Montevideo Wanderers. He made his professional debut for the club on 11 March 2018 in a 2–1 league win against Montevideo City Torque.[6]

At the end of December 2019 it was confirmed, Araújo had signed a deal until the end of 2023 with Liga MX club Puebla.[7]

On 27 August 2024, Araújo joined Primeira Liga club Sporting CP on a five-year contract.[8] On 5 November 2024, Araújo scored his debut goal in the UEFA Champions League against Manchester City in a 4–1 victory.[9]

International career

As a youth international, Araújo has represented Uruguay at the 2019 South American U-20 Championship, 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup, 2019 Pan American Games and the 2020 CONMEBOL Pre-Olympic Tournament.[10]

On 21 October 2022, Araújo was named in Uruguay's 55-man preliminary squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.[11] In June 2023, he received his first call-up to the senior team for friendly matches against Nicaragua and Cuba.[12] He made his debut on 14 June in a 4–1 win against Nicaragua.[13]

On 31 May 2026, Araújo was named in Uruguay's 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.[14] On 15 June, in Uruguay's opener against Saudi Arabia, Araújo scored his first World Cup goal with equalizer to ensure a 1–1 draw.[15]

Personal life

Araújo is of Goan descent. His grandfather, Redualdo Araújo, originated from Loutolim, Portuguese Goa.[16][17] He is the elder brother of fellow professional footballer César Araújo.[18]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 24 May 2026[19]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Montevideo Wanderers 2018 Uruguayan Primera División 14 0 0 0 — 0 0 — 14 0
2019 Uruguayan Primera División 19 1 0 0 — 0 0 — 19 1
Total 33 1 0 0 — 0 0 — 33 1
Puebla 2019–20 Liga MX 1 0 0 0 — — — 1 0
2020–21 Liga MX 25 2 — — — — 25 2
2021–22 Liga MX 38 4 — — — — 38 4
2022–23 Liga MX 19 2 — — — — 19 2
Total 83 8 0 0 — — — 83 8
Toluca 2022–23 Liga MX 19 6 — — — — 19 6
2023–24 Liga MX 34 3 — — 2[c] 0 4[d] 0 40 3
2024–25 Liga MX 2 1 — — — 3[d] 1 5 2
Total 55 10 — — 2 0 7 1 64 11
Sporting CP 2024–25 Primeira Liga 28 3 5 0 3 0 10[e] 1 — 46 4
2025–26 Primeira Liga 29 5 5 0 5 0 11[e] 2 1[f] 0 47 7
Total 57 8 10 0 4 0 21 3 1 0 93 11
Career total 228 27 10 0 4 0 23 3 8 0 273 30
  1. ^ Includes Taça de Portugal
  2. ^ Includes Taça da Liga
  3. ^ Appearances in CONCACAF Champions Cup
  4. ^ a b Appearances in Leagues Cup
  5. ^ a b Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  6. ^ Appearance in Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira

International

As of match played 15 June 2026[4]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
Uruguay 2023 7 1
2024 13 2
2025 6 0
2026 3 1
Total 29 4
Scores and results list Uruguay's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Araújo goal.
List of international goals scored by Maximiliano Araújo
No. Date Venue Cap Opponent Score Result Competition
1 20 June 2023 Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay 2  Cuba 2–0 2–0 Friendly
2 23 June 2024 Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, United States 9  Panama 1–0 3–1 2024 Copa América
3 27 June 2024 MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, United States 10  Bolivia 3–0 5–0 2024 Copa América
4 15 June 2026 Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, United States 29  Saudi Arabia 1–1 1–1 2026 FIFA World Cup

Honours

Sporting CP

  • Primeira Liga: 2024–25[20]
  • Taça de Portugal: 2024–25[21]

Uruguay

  • Copa América third place: 2024[22]

Individual

  • Primeira Liga Team of the Season: 2025–26[23]

References

  1. ^ "FIFA U-20 World Cup Poland 2019: List of Players: Uruguay" (PDF). FIFA. 13 June 2019. p. 23. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 February 2020.
  2. ^ "Maximiliano Araújo". Sporting CP. Retrieved 14 January 2025.
  3. ^ Maximiliano Araújo at WorldFootball.net
  4. ^ a b Maximiliano Araújo at Soccerway
  5. ^ "6 - Maximiliano Araújo". Retrieved 30 July 2019.
  6. ^ "Debutante de la 6a fecha". 16 March 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  7. ^ El uruguayo Maximiliano Araujo reforzará la defensa de Puebla, mediotiempo.com, 27 December 2019
  8. ^ "Maxi Araújo, nuevo jugador del Sporting de Lisboa" (in Spanish). 27 August 2024. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  9. ^ UEFA.com. "Sporting CP vs Man City: UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League phase". UEFA. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
  10. ^ "6 - Maximiliano Araújo". 16 January 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  11. ^ "Selección: Diego Alonso entregó la lista de 55 reservados para el Mundial de Catar" (in Spanish). 21 October 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  12. ^ "Siguen sumándose futbolistas convocados a los entrenamientos". 5 June 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  13. ^ "Selección: Bielsa eligió a Matías Viña como capitán en un equipo con muchos debutantes". 14 June 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  14. ^ "Mundial 2026: Uruguay dio a conocer la lista de 26 convocados por Marcelo Bielsa" (in Spanish). 31 May 2026. Retrieved 31 May 2026.
  15. ^ AP (15 June 2026). "Uruguay's Maxi Araujo scores equaliser in 1-1 World Cup draw with Saudi Arabia". gulfnews.com. Retrieved 15 June 2026.
  16. ^ "Uruguay World Cup Star Maximiliano Araujo Reportedly Has Goan Roots". O Heraldo via Hindustan Times syndicatation. 9 June 2026. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  17. ^ "Maximum impact rescues Uruguay". The Navhind Times. 17 June 2026. Retrieved 18 June 2026.
  18. ^ "Maxi Araújo, y el sueño de compartir con su hermano César en la Celeste" (in Spanish). 5 March 2024. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  19. ^ Maximiliano Araújo at Soccerway
  20. ^ "Sporting beat Vitoria to clinch Portuguese title". Reuters. Retrieved 18 May 2025.
  21. ^ "Sporting CP Wins 2025 Taça de Portugal After Extra-Time Thriller vs Benfica". beIN Sports. Retrieved 26 May 2025.
  22. ^ "Uruguay beats Canada on penalties to finish CONMEBOL Copa América™ in 3rd Place". 14 July 2024. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
  23. ^ "Maxi Araújo in the Liga Portugal Betclic Team of the Season". Liga Portugal. 21 May 2026. Retrieved 21 May 2026.