Alex Rangel

Alex Daniel Rangel Corozo (born 18 March 2002) is an Ecuadorian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Barcelona SC.

Club career Born in Guayaquil, Rangel grew up playing football with his brothers and father before a neighbourhood friend encouraged him to attend his first semi-professional training session at the age of 16. He joined Técnico Universitario's first-team squad in 2020, and went on to establish himself as a regular starter, helping the club avoid relegation from the Serie A in 2022.

On 4 January 2024, Rangel signed a five-year contract with Barcelona SC as a free agent. The move became the subject of a lengthy dispute: Técnico Universitario contended that Rangel remained under a valid professional contract with the club until 2025, rather than the amateur agreement cited to justify his free transfer, and filed a claim with the Ecuadorian Football Federation's Chamber of Mediation and Dispute Resolution. In June 2025, the Chamber ruled that Rangel's contract had indeed been amateur, dismissing Técnico Universitario's US$500,000 transfer-fee claim, but ordered Barcelona SC to pay the club US$27,616.44 in training compensation for developing the player.

Rangel missed several months of the 2025 season because of a knee injury sustained in late April 2025.

International career In August 2023, Rangel was called up to the Ecuador national team by manager Félix Sánchez Bas for 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Argentina and Uruguay.

He was later named in Ecuador's under-23 squad for the 2024 CONMEBOL Pre-Olympic Tournament in Venezuela, which served as qualification for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

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