Mikel Villanueva

Following his move to Al-Fayha, Villanueva's current-season form is up 20% on last season (Season 25→30), while his Rating eased 28→22. His peak season for form remains 2022/23 (Season 51).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2025/26	Al-Fayha · 10th	30	1	0	6.76	22	30
2024/25	Guimaraes · 6th	19	0	0	6.84	28	25
2023/24	Guimaraes · 5th	6	0	0	7.02	27	5
2022/23	Guimaraes · 6th	29	1	1	6.88	44	51
2021/22	Santa Clara · 7th	21	0	0	6.85	44	24

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 8 earlier seasons in the full career.

Venezuela · international

Side	Apps	G
Venezuela	31	2

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Scout report

Experienced headCentral defender

M. Villanueva is a 33-year-old central defender at Al-Fayha, enjoying a standout season — 1 goals and 0 assists in 30 appearances, a Season grade of 30. On long-term scout potential he's rated 22.9. A seasoned veteran, he has been an ever-present (93.2% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 3.04 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Villanueva.

On the season, Villanueva graded 30 for current form (age-blind), on 6 clean sheets and 3.039 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's a clear step up on last season (Season 25 → 30). Over the 6 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2022/23.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 23. At 33 Villanueva is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 3.9 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Past his 2022/23 peak — the recent trend is downward, so buyers are paying for what's left, not what was.

Peak: 2022/23Trending downBreakout: 2022/23

22.9

Ratingi

below regular-starter level

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

93.2%

Minutes

near ever-present

3.04

Def. actions / 90

moderate defensive volume

Output in context · Al-Fayha finished 15th of 18 · a lower-table side

Apps

3.04

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

3.04 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — moderate defensive volume, with 6 clean sheets across 30 appearances. Doing that for a lower-table side (15th of 18) is harder than the bare numbers suggest: a back line under more pressure has to defend more often and protects fewer leads, so the volume — and any clean sheets — carry real weight. Going forward he chipped in 1 goal and 0 assists — a useful bonus from the back.

Strengths

Availability. On the pitch for 93.2% of available minutes — a dependable presence in the XI.

Watch points

Age curve. At 33, both level and resale value are on the downslope.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

Rated 22.9 overall — below regular-starter level. Defensively he reads as moderate defensive volume (3.04 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Veteran phase — a short-term, lower-fee proposition as both level and value decline (0.7× and falling).

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

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %93.2%

Available fixtures30 of 10

Goals / 900.036

Assists / 900

Goal contribution / 900.036

Defensive actions / 903.039

Player flow

Goal involvements1

Shot conversion %50

Shot accuracy %28.6

Pass accuracy %90

Dribble success %83.3

Cards / 900.107

Foul involvement / 901.216

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 (~11), then tapers with age. At 33, Villanueva sits on 3.9, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Villanueva's projected Rating — 22.9 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 centre-backs in the Pro League with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals1

Shots on target2

Shots7

Passing

Assists0

Chances created5

Passes1,485

Pass accuracy90%

Possession

Successful dribbles10

Dribble success83.3%

Duels won100

Duels won %56.5%

Fouls won6

Defending

Tackles42

Interceptions29

Blocks14

Fouls committed28

Penalties conceded2

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards3

Red cards0

Transfer history

Free agentJun 2026 – nowFree

Al-FayhaSept 2025 – Jun 2026Free

Vitoriauntil Sept 2025

GGuimaraesJul 2022 – Sept 2025Free

Santa ClaraAug 2020 – Jul 2022Free

Malaga(back from loan)Jul 2019 – Aug 2020

GGimnastic(on loan)until Jul 2019

RReus(on loan)Jul 2018 – Jul 2019

Cadiz(on loan)Aug 2017 – Jul 2018

MalagaJul 2016 – Aug 2017

DDeportivo Larauntil Jul 2016

About M. Villanueva

Mikel Villanueva Álvarez is a 33-year-old centre-back who plays for Al-Fayha, born on April 14, 1993 in San Cristóbal, standing 192 cm tall. He is from Venezuela. Al-Fayha currently sit 15th of 18 in the Pro League.

This season

In the current season, M. Villanueva has made 30 appearances with 1 goal and 0 assists across 2,517 minutes, with 3 yellow cards.

M. Villanueva's next match is on October 31, 2026, when Al-Fayha face Al-Faisaly FC at home in the Pro League.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates M. Villanueva at 22.9 with a Season form score of 30. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

Career

Across 13 recorded seasons, M. Villanueva has totalled 232 club appearances with 8 goals and 5 assists for 9 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2025/26, with 30 appearances for Al-Fayha.

M. Villanueva's career has also included time at Vitoria, GGuimaraes, Santa Clara, Malaga, GGimnastic, RReus, Cadiz and DDeportivo Lara.

On the international stage, M. Villanueva has represented Venezuela — 31 caps and 2 goals in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Career

Scout report

Output in context · Al-Fayha finished 15th of 18 · a lower-table side

Strengths

Watch points