Yael Padilla
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Jonathan Yael Padilla Sandoval (born 19 December 2005) is a Mexican professional footballer who plays as a winger for Liga MX club Guadalajara and the Mexico national under-20 team.
Club career
Born in Guadalajara, Jalisco in the Mexican state of Guadalajara, Padilla joined the academy of Mexican side Guadalajara at under-13 level, in 2018. Having progressed through the academy, he was named on the bench by manager Veljko Paunović for four games in the Clausura 2023, but did not feature. Ahead of the following season, he was brought into the first team for their pre-season tour of the United States, where the team would play against Deportivo Toluca and Pachuca.
On 3 July 2023, Padilla made his professional debut in a match against León, coming as a substitute for Isaác Brizuela. Just seven minutes after entering the field of play, he received the ball from Víctor Guzmán on the right hand side of the penalty area, before striking the ball past León goalkeeper Rodolfo Cota at a tight angle. With this winning goal in a 2–1 victory, he became Guadalajara's youngest Liga MX goal-scorer.
In Guadalajara's following game against San Luis, Padilla was named among the starters. In the 38th minute, a looped cross from Fernando Beltrán was headed back across the penalty area by Cristian Calderón, with Padilla drilling a half-volley past San Luis goalkeeper Andrés Sánchez for his second goal in two games. Following the game, manager Veljko Paunović said of Padilla: "We have a diamond in the rough that we have to polish", also stating that the midfielder showed "tremendous potential".
International career
Padilla featured in two friendly matches against the Republic of Ireland national under-17 football team in September 2021.
In 2025, Padilla was called up by coach Eduardo Arce to represent Mexico at the FIFA U-20 World Cup held in Chile.
Career statistics
Club
As of 18 January 2026
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Club World Cup | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Guadalajara | 2023–24 | Liga MX | 25 | 3 | – | 2 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 29 | 3 |
| 2024–25 | 26 | 4 | – | 3 | 0 | – | — | 29 | 4 | |||
| 2025–26 | 5 | 1 | – | – | – | 2 | 0 | 7 | 1 | |||
| Total | 56 | 8 | — | 5 | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | 65 | 8 | ||
| Tapatío (loan) | 2024–25 | Liga de Expansión MX | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 57 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 66 | 8 |
Honours
Mexico
Individual