| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Damian Esau Rivera [1] | ||
| Date of birth | 8 December 2002 | ||
| Place of birth | Cranston, Rhode Island, United States | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) [2] | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Phoenix Rising FC | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2016–2019 | New England Revolution | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2019–2024 | New England Revolution | 17 | (1) |
| 2020–2023 | New England Revolution II | 52 | (16) |
| 2024 | → Tampa Bay Rowdies (loan) | 34 | (6) |
| 2025– | Phoenix Rising | 0 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2019 | United States U17 | 2 | (0) |
| 2023– | Costa Rica U23 | 3 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:13, 8 November 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 00:27, 8 June 2023 (UTC) | |||
Damian Esau Rivera (born 8 December 2002) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for USL Championship club Phoenix Rising FC. [3] Born in the United States, he represented Costa Rica at youth level and opted to play for the Guatemala national team.
In November 2019, Rivera signed a homegrown contract with the Revolution. [4] He made his professional debut with New England's USL League One affiliate on 7 August 2020 against Orlando City B. [5] In October of that season, Rivera scored his first professional goal, netting in the 83rd minute of a 4–0 victory over the Richmond Kickers. [6] He would finish his inaugural season with the club with two goals and an assist in 14 league appearances. [7]
On 30 April 2022, Rivera made his first MLS start, and subsequently scored his first MLS goal, in the Revolution's 2–0 win over Inter Miami CF. In the process he became only the third player in league history to score in the first minute of his first MLS start, and the first to do so since Real Salt Lake's Matias Mantilla on 29 August 2007. [8]
Rivera signed a multi-year contract with Phoenix Rising FC on December 11, 2024. [9]
Born in the United States, Rivera is of Costa Rican and Guatemalan descent. He is a youth international for the United States, having represented the United States under-17s. He was called up to play for the Costa Rica under-23s at the 2023 Maurice Revello Tournament. [10]
On 2 April 2025, his request to switch international allegiance to Guatemala was approved by FIFA. [11]
New England Revolution