{{short description|Bolivian footballer (born 1994}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2023}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Carlos Melgar | fullname = Carlos Antonio Melgar Vargas | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1994|11|4|df=yes}} | birth_place = Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia | image = | height = 1.70 m | position = Midfielder | currentclub = Bolívar | clubnumber = 80 | youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2016 | youthclubs1 = Oriente Petrolero | years1 = 2016–2018 | clubs1 = Oriente Petrolero | caps1 = 16 | goals1 = 1 | years2 = 2017 | clubs2 = → Petrolero (loan) | caps2 = 19 | goals2 = 1 | years3 = 2018 | clubs3 = → Wilstermann (loan) | caps3 = 36 | goals3 = 7 | years4 = 2019–2020 | clubs4 = Wilstermann | caps4 = 55 | goals4 = 12 | years5 = 2021 | clubs5 = Royal Pari | caps5 = 26 | goals5 = 9 | years6 = 2022–2023 | clubs6 = Bolívar | caps6 = 41 | goals6 = 5 | years7 = 2023 | clubs7 = → Royal Pari (loan) | caps7 = 6 | goals7 = 0 | years8 = 2024 | clubs8 = Guabirá | caps8 = 12 | goals8 = 7 | years9 = 2024– | clubs9 = Bolívar | caps9 = 60 | goals9 = 21 | nationalyears1 = 2018– | nationalteam1 = Bolivia | nationalcaps1 = 5 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | pcupdate = 27 May 2026 | ntupdate = 14 October 2025 }} '''Carlos Antonio Melgar Vargas''' (born 4 November 1994) is a Bolivian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Bolívar. He is a Bolivia international.<ref>{{Soccerway|antonio-vargas/455277}}</ref>
==Club career== He is from Santa Cruz de la Sierra and played for Oriente Petrolero prior to joining Jorge Wilstermann on loan in 2018, with the deal becoming permanent later that year.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.opinion.com.bo/articulo/deportes/wilster-anunci-oacute-compra-total-volante-carlos-quot-tonino-quot-melgar/20180928065000627594.html|website=Opinion.com|accessdate=10 September 2025|title= Wilster announced the total purchase of midfielder Carlos "Tonino" Melgar|date=28 September 2018}}</ref> He left the club to the start of the 2021 season, with the club's budget impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.opinion.com.bo/articulo/deportes/wilster-descarta-melgar-orfano-torneo-2021/20210118192016804330.html|website=Opinion.com|accessdate=10 September 2025|title= Wilster rules out Melgar and Orfano for the 2021 tournament|date=18 January 2021}}</ref>
He joined Royal Pari in 2021, making his debut in an 8-0 victory over Club Aurora, and made a strong start, scoring five goals in his first three matches for his new club.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://eldeber.com.bo/real-santa-cruz/royal-pari-un-mediocampista-es-el-goleador-del-equipo_227325/?amp|website=Eldeber.com|accessdate=10 September 2025|title= Royal Pari: a midfielder is the team's top scorer|date=4 August 2021}}</ref> After joining Club Bolivar, he had short spells on-loan with Club Blooming and once again with Royal Pari in 2023.<ref>{{cite web|date=20 June 2023|url= https://eldeber.com.bo/blooming/tonino-melgar-llega-para-reforzar-el-mediocampo-de-blooming_329540/?amp|website=Eldeber.com|accessdate=10 September 2025|title= 'Tonino' Melgar arrives to reinforce Blooming's midfield}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://futbol.unitel.bo/division-profesional/royal-pari-todo-acordado-para-sumar-a-tonino-melgar-y-marc-enoumba-LY8441841|website=Futbol.unitel|accessdate=10 September 2025|title= Royal Pari: Everything agreed to add 'Tonino' Melgar and Marc Enoumba|date=4 July 2023}}</ref>
He scored seven goals for Club Deportivo Guabirá in 2024, prior to a move back to Club Bolivar mid-season. Playing as a left-sided attacking player, he continued his good form, scoring a further eleven goals for Bolivar in the latter half of the year.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.vision360.bo/noticias/2024/12/19/17076-carlos-melgar-mostro-su-nueva-faceta-goleadora-en-el-campeon |website=Vision360|accessdate=10 September 2025|title= Carlos Melgar mostro su nueva faceta goleadora en el campeón|date=19 December 2024}}</ref> He featured for Bolivar in the Copa Sudamericana during the 2025 season.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.footboom1.com/en/news/football/2730088-carlos-melgar-eyes-bolivian-team-starting-spot|website=Footboom1.com|accessdate=10 September 2025|title= Carlos Melgar Eyes Bolivian Team Starting Spot|date=2 September 2025}}</ref> He again demonstrated good form for the club that year, by August 2025 he had made 29 appearances and contributed eight goals with six assists for Bolivar, leading to international recognition.<ref name="lewis"/>
==International career== Melgar made his senior international debut for the Bolivia national team on 13 October 2018 against Myanmar a 3–0 victory at the Thuwanna YTC Stadium.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2018/10/13/world/friendlies/myanmar/bolivia/2925443/|title = Myanmar vs. Bolivia - 13 October 2018 |website = Soccerway}}</ref> He also featured in matches against Haiti and Venezuela in 2019. He returned to the Bolivian national team under head coach Oscar Villegas in 2025.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.footboom1.com/en/news/football/2730089-villegas-leads-bolivia-s-inspiring-world-cup-charge|website=Footboom1.com|accessdate=10 September 2025|title= Villegas Leads Bolivia's Inspiring World Cup Charge |date=2 September 2025}}</ref><ref name="lewis">{{cite web|url= https://www.footboom1.com/en/news/football/2719133-bolivia-reclaims-henry-vaca-and-welcomes-tonino-melgar-to-the-fold |website=Footboom1.com|accessdate=10 September 2025|title= Bolivia Reclaims Henry Vaca and Welcomes Tonino Melgar to the Fold|date=26 August 2025}}</ref>
==Personal life== He has that nickname "Tonino".<ref>{{cite web|url= https://eldeber.com.bo/bolivar/melgar-asegura-que-el-presupuesto-no-afecta-y-que-en-la-cancha-se-juega-once-contra-once_511554/?amp|website=Eldeber|accessdate=10 September 2025|title= Melgar assures that the budget "doesn't affect" and that on the field it's "eleven against eleven."|date=22 April 2025}}</ref>
==Career statistics== ===International=== {{updated|matches played 14 October 2025}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by national team and year |- !National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="4"|Bolivia |2018||1||0 |- |2019||1||0 |- |2021||1||0 |- |2025||2||0 |- !colspan="2"|Total!!5!!0 |}
==Honours== '''Jorge Wilstermann''' * Primera División: 2018-A, 2019-C{{fact|date=May 2025}}
'''Bolívar''' * Primera División: 2022-A, 2024{{fact|date=May 2025}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Worldfootball.net|carlos-melgar|new_id=pe466236}}
{{Club Bolívar squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Melgar, Carlos}} Category:1994 births Category:Footballers from Santa Cruz de la Sierra Category:Living people Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Bolivian men's footballers Category:21st-century Bolivian sportsmen Category:Bolivia men's international footballers Category:Oriente Petrolero players Category:Club Petrolero players Category:C.D. Jorge Wilstermann players Category:Royal Pari F.C. players Category:Club Bolívar players Category:Club Deportivo Guabirá players Category:Bolivian Primera División players