| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Thiago Emanuel Helguera Merello [1] | ||
| Date of birth | 26 March 2006 | ||
| Place of birth | Paysandú, Uruguay [1] | ||
| Height | 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) [1] | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Braga | ||
| Number | 22 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Sportivo Independencia | |||
| 2020–2023 | Nacional | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2023–2024 | Nacional | 16 | (0) |
| 2024– | Braga | 1 | (0) |
| 2024– | Braga B | 5 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2021 | Uruguay U15 | 1 | (0) |
| 2022–2023 | Uruguay U17 | 18 | (0) |
| 2024– | Uruguay U20 | 13 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 December 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 14 February 2025 | |||
Thiago Emanuel Helguera Merello (born 26 March 2006) is a Uruguayan professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Primeira Liga club Braga. [2]
Born in Paysandú, Helguera began his career with local side Sportivo Independencia, representing the club at the under-13 national finals in 2019. [3] He joined the academy of Nacional the following year, [4] and was promoted to the first team, signing his first contract, in January 2023. [5] He played his first game for the club in the 2023 edition of the Copa Río de la Plata, as Nacional lost to Argentinian opposition Colón de Santa Fe 5–4 on penalties after a 1–1 draw. [6]
Helguera made his professional debut in the Uruguayan Primera División on 30 April 2023, coming on as a second-half substitute for Diego Zabala in a 3–0 win against La Luz. [7] Following the game, Nacional manager Álvaro Gutiérrez said of Helguera "he has the tools, but you have to go carefully and slowly so that he can develop them". [7]
On 14 June 2024, Helguera joined Primeira Liga club Braga on a five-year deal until June 2029. [2]
Helguera has represented Uruguay at under-17 level. [1]
| Club | Season | League | National Cup | League Cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Nacional | 2023 | Uruguayan Primera División | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 [a] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | |
| 2024 | Uruguayan Primera División | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 3 [a] | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | ||
| Total | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | |||
| Braga | 2024–25 | Primeira Liga | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 [b] | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | |
| Career total | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 | ||