Adalberto Peñaranda

Early career

Peñaranda was born in El Vigía, Alberto Adriani Municipality, Mérida. He is an academy graduate of Deportivo La Guaira and made his professional and Primera División debuts on 11 August 2013, starting in a 1–3 home loss against Deportivo Táchira. Peñaranda scored his first goal as a senior on 23 February 2014, netting his team's only goal in a 1–4 loss at Caracas FC. He finished the 2013–14 Venezuelan Primera División season with 18 appearances to his name, and one goal.

The Pozzo Triangle

Udinese, Granada & Watford

On 16 June 2015, Peñaranda signed for Serie A side Udinese, owned by Italian businessman Giampaolo Pozzo. He was then immediately loaned to Granada who at the time were also under the ownership of Pozzo. He made his debut for the La Liga side on 22 November, starting in a 2–0 home win against Athletic Bilbao. Upon making his debut he became the youngest ever player to ever represent the club. On 12 December 2015, Peñaranda scored his first goals in the top flight of Spanish football, netting a brace in a 2–1 away win against Levante UD. In doing so he became the youngest ever non-Spanish player to score a brace in La Liga, breaking the record previously held by Barcelona's Argentine forward, Lionel Messi. On 1 February of the following year, he signed a four-and-a-half-year deal with Premier League side Watford, owned by Pozzo's son Gino, but remained on loan at Granada for the remainder of the season. At the end of the…

In March 2016, he was first called up to the senior Venezuela national team, and he made his debut for the senior team in a World Cup qualifying 2–2 draw against Peru on 24 March 2016.

Club

As of match played 30 March 2026

International

As of match played 9 June 2022

On 18 April 2015, Peñaranda and Deportivo La Guaira teammate Charlis Ortiz were both shot in an attempted robbery after attending a party. Peñaranda was struck in the left thigh with the bullet passing clean through. Ortiz, however, was struck in the rib area and had to undergo surgery the following day.