# Alan Franco (footballer, born 1998)

Alan Steven Franco Palma (born 21 August 1998) is an Ecuadorian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Atlético Mineiro and the Ecuador national team.

## Club career
### Independiente del Valle

Franco came through the youth setup at Independiente del Valle and made his professional debut as an 18-year-old in 2016. He was a first team regular by 2018 and was one of the standout performers of Independiente del Valle’s winning campaign in the 2019 Copa Sudamericana, in which he and defender Luis Segovia were the only players to start every game.

### Atlético Mineiro

On 4 June 2020, Franco moved to Brazilian club Atlético Mineiro.

#### Loans to Charlotte FC and Talleres

On 21 December 2021, Atlético Mineiro agreed to send Franco to Major League Soccer expansion club Charlotte FC on a one-year loan deal with an option to buy. On 27 June 2022, Franco's loan with Charlotte transferred to Argentinian side Talleres de Córdoba.

## International career

In August 2018, Franco was called up to the Ecuador national team for the first time by manager Hernán Darío Gómez. He made his debut on 12 September 2018, in a friendly against Guatemala.
Franco was selected in the 28 player Ecuador squad for the 2021 Copa América.
Franco was named in the Ecuadorian squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Franco was called up to the final 26-man Ecuador squad for the 2024 Copa América.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of 16 March 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Cup | Cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Independiente del Valle | 2016 | Serie A | 2 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| Independiente del Valle | 2017 | Serie A | 1 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Independiente del Valle | 2018 | Serie A | 33 | 3 | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 3 |
| Independiente del Valle | 2019 | Serie A | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 | — | — | 37 | 2 |
| Independiente del Valle | 2020 | Serie A | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Independiente del Valle | Total | Total | 62 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 75 | 5 |
| Atlético Mineiro | 2020 | Série A | 28 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 5 | 0 | 33 | 3 |
| Atlético Mineiro | 2021 | Série A | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| Atlético Mineiro | 2023 | Série A | 18 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 18 | 0 |
| Atlético Mineiro | 2024 | Série A | 22 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 51 | 0 |
| Atlético Mineiro | 2025 | Série A | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| Atlético Mineiro | Total | Total | 73 | 3 | 13 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 26 | 0 | 128 | 3 |
| Charlotte FC (loan) | 2022 | MLS | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 11 | 0 |
| Talleres (loan) | 2022 | Argentine Primera División | 15 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | — | — | 22 | 1 |
| Talleres (loan) | 2023 | Argentine Primera División | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 20 | 0 |
| Talleres (loan) | Total | Total | 34 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 1 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 179 | 6 | 18 | 0 | 31 | 3 | 28 | 0 | 256 | 9 |
* ↑ Appearance(s) in Copa Sudamericana
* ↑ Appearance(s) in Recopa Sudamericana
* 1 2 3 4 Appearance(s) in Campeonato Mineiro
* 1 2 3 Appearance(s) in Copa Libertadores

### International

    As of match played 19 November 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Ecuador |
| Ecuador | 2018 | 3 | 0 |
| Ecuador | 2019 | 2 | 1 |
| Ecuador | 2020 | 3 | 0 |
| Ecuador | 2021 | 10 | 0 |
| Ecuador | 2022 | 9 | 0 |
| Ecuador | 2023 | 5 | 0 |
| Ecuador | 2024 | 14 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 46 | 1 |
List of international goals scored by Alan Franco :
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 14 November 2019 | Estadio Reales Tamarindos, Portoviejo, Ecuador | Trinidad and Tobago | 1–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |

## Honours

Independiente del Valle
* Copa Sudamericana: 2019
Atlético Mineiro
* Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 2021
* Copa do Brasil: 2021
* Campeonato Mineiro: 2020, 2021, 2024, 2025
Individual
* Campeonato Mineiro Team of the Year: 2025