Following his move to Sarmiento Junin, Zabala's current-season form is up 150% on last season (Season 16→40), while his Rating eased 49→41. That makes this his strongest season for form to date.

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2026/27	Sarmiento Junin · 8th	21	1	1	6.98	41	41
2024/25	Independiente del Valle	32	4	0	7.14	—	—
2023/24	Tigre	40	1	1	6.75	—	—
2022/23	Tigre · 7th	38	0	2	6.76	49	16
2021/22	Tigre	27	2	0	—	—	—

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 3 earlier seasons in the full career.

Scout report

Project playerBall-winning Defensive midfielder

C. Zabala is a 28-year-old defensive midfielder at Sarmiento Junin, rated 40.6 overall by Field Insider's model, ranking 221st of 493 on scout potential in the Liga Profesional Argentina. An experienced operator, he has been an ever-present this season (89.8% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 4.07 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Zabala.

Judged on this season alone, Zabala graded 40 — an excellent campaign that ranks top 8% of the 64 defensive midfielders in the Liga Profesional Argentina, on 1 goal, 1 assist and 4.069 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's a clear step up on last season (Season 16 → 40).

On long-term talent our Rating reads 41, 29th of 64 of the 64 defensive midfielders in the Liga Profesional Argentina. At 28 Zabala is in his prime years, and a market index of 10.7 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

A career still climbing — Zabala is at his peak right now, and the curve hasn't flattened.

Peak: 2026/27Trending upBreakout: 2026/27

Current potential29th of 64 defensive midfielders · Liga Profesional Argentina Current seasonTop 8% defensive midfielders · Liga Profesional Argentina 5th-best defensive midfielder in the Liga Profesional Argentina 221st in the Liga Profesional Argentina · potential 29th-highest potential defensive midfielder in the Liga Profesional Argentina

40.6

Ratingi

29th of 64 defensive midfielders

40.2

Seasoni

developing / rotation level

89.8%

Minutes

near ever-present

4.07

Def. actions / 90

solid defensive volume

Output in context · Sarmiento Junin finished 8th of 15 · a mid-table side

Apps

4.07

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

4.07 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — solid defensive volume, with 6 clean sheets across 21 appearances. Going forward he chipped in 1 goal and 1 assist — a useful bonus from the back.

Strengths

Availability. On the pitch for 89.8% of available minutes — a dependable presence in the XI.
Defensive volume. 4.07 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — does the unseen work.

Watch points

Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

With a Rating of 40.6, Zabala carries the 29th-highest potential of the defensive midfielders in the Liga Profesional Argentina of 64. Defensively he reads as solid defensive volume (4.07 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Experienced and reliable, but the value curve is easing (1.2× now → 0.9× projected in three years).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %89.8%

Available fixtures23 of 23

Goals / 900.048

Assists / 900.048

Goal contribution / 900.097

Defensive actions / 904.069

Player flow

Goal involvements2

Shot conversion %50

Shot accuracy %25

Pass accuracy %80

Dribble success %45

Cards / 900.242

Foul involvement / 901.841

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~18), then tapers with age. At 28, Zabala sits on 10.7, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Zabala's projected Rating — 40.6 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among defensive midfielders in the Liga Profesional Argentina with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals1

Shots on target2

Shots8

Passing

Assists1

Chances created20

Passes958

Pass accuracy80%

Possession

Successful dribbles18

Dribble success45%

Duels won126

Duels won %54.8%

Fouls won17

Defending

Tackles52

Interceptions28

Blocks4

Fouls committed21

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards5

Red cards0

Transfer history

Sarmiento JuninJan 2026 – nowFree

IndependienteJan 2024 – Jan 2026

TigreOct 2020 – Jan 2024Free

Quilmesuntil Oct 2020

About C. Zabala

Cristian Exequiel Zabala is a 28-year-old defensive midfielder who plays for Sarmiento Junin, born on March 4, 1998 in Buenos Aires, standing 187 cm tall. He is from Argentina. Sarmiento Junin currently sit 8th of 15 in the Liga Profesional Argentina.

This season

In the current season, C. Zabala has made 21 appearances with 1 goal and 1 assist across 1,858 minutes, averaging a 6.86 match rating over his last 10 rated games, with 5 yellow cards.

When C. Zabala plays, Sarmiento Junin's record this season is 9W-1D-12L — and his match ratings average 7.09 at home against 6.8 on the road.

Recent matches

August 28, 2026: 1-4 loss away at Union Santa Fe (94 minutes, 6.3 rating)
August 23, 2026: 2-0 win at home vs Estudiantes L.P. (90 minutes, 7.5 rating)
August 8, 2026: 2-1 win away at Atletico Tucuman (96 minutes, 7.2 rating)
August 3, 2026: 2-1 win at home vs Independ. Rivadavia (96 minutes, 7 rating)
July 28, 2026: 2-3 loss away at Banfield (90 minutes, 6.6 rating)
July 23, 2026: 2-3 loss at home vs Argentinos JRS (90 minutes, 1 assist, 7.9 rating)
May 3, 2026: 0-4 loss away at Belgrano Cordoba (90 minutes, 6 rating)
April 25, 2026: 1-0 win at home vs Tigre (77 minutes, 7 rating)
April 19, 2026: 1-2 loss away at Rosario Central (104 minutes, 6.9 rating)
April 13, 2026: 1-2 loss at home vs Gimnasia L.P. (86 minutes, 6.2 rating)

C. Zabala's next match is on September 6, 2026, when Sarmiento Junin face Estudiantes de Rio Cuarto away in the Liga Profesional Argentina.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates C. Zabala at 40.6 with a Season form score of 40.2, ranking 221st of 493 defensive midfielders in the Liga Profesional Argentina. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

Career

Across 8 recorded seasons, C. Zabala has totalled 190 club appearances with 9 goals and 4 assists for 4 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2023/24, with 40 appearances for Tigre.

C. Zabala's career has also included time at Independiente, Tigre and Quilmes.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Performance data · by competition

Career

Scout report

Output in context · Sarmiento Junin finished 8th of 15 · a mid-table side

Strengths

Watch points