{{short description|Salvadoran footballer (born 1990)}} {{family name hatnote|Bonilla|Sánchez|lang=Spanish}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2025}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Nelson Bonilla | image = | full_name = Nelson Wilfredo Bonilla Sánchez | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|09|11|df=yes}} | birth_place = San Salvador, El Salvador | height = 1.79 m | position = Forward | currentclub = FAS | clubnumber = 9 | youthyears1 = –2009 | youthclubs1 = Nejapa | years1 = 2009–2014 | clubs1 = Alianza | caps1 = 77 | goals1 = 20 | years2 = 2014–2015 | clubs2 = Viitorul Constanța | caps2 = 25 | goals2 = 7 | years3 = 2015–2016 | clubs3 = Zira | caps3 = 29 | goals3 = 14 | years4 = 2016–2017 | clubs4 = Nacional | caps4 = 14 | goals4 = 2 | years5 = 2017 | clubs5 = → Gaziantep BB (Loan) | caps5 = 3 | goals5 = 0 | years6 = 2017 | clubs6 = Oliveirense | caps6 = 6 | goals6 = 2 | years7 = 2018 | clubs7 = Sukhothai | caps7 = 33 | goals7 = 25 | years8 = 2019–2021 | clubs8 = Bangkok United | caps8 = 20 | goals8 = 16 | years9 = 2020–2021 | clubs9 = → Port (loan) | caps9 = 20 | goals9 = 6 | years10 = 2021–2022 | clubs10 = Port | caps10 = 21 | goals10 = 6 | years11 = 2022–2023 | clubs11 = Alianza | caps11 = 12 | goals11 = 2 | years12 = 2023 | clubs12 = Chiangrai United | caps12 = 12 | goals12 = 4 | years13 = 2023–2024 | clubs13 = Sukhothai | caps13 = 25 | goals13 = 8 | years14 = 2024–2025 | clubs14 = Terengganu | caps14 = 19 | goals14 = 4 | years15 = 2025– | clubs15 = FAS | caps15 = 11 | goals15 = 1 | nationalteam1 = El Salvador | nationalyears1 = 2012– | nationalcaps1 = 65 | nationalgoals1 = 20 | club-update = 10 February 2025 (UTC) | nationalteam-update = 22:00, 9 June 2024 (UTC) }}
'''Nelson Wilfredo Bonilla Sánchez''' (born 11 September 1990)<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20190218081859/http://static.fifa.com/fifa-tournaments/players-coaches/people=356994/index.html FIFA.com]</ref> is a Salvadoran professional footballer who plays as a forward for Salvadoran Primera Division club FAS and captains the El Salvador national team.
==Club career==
===Alianza=== Bonilla scored his first goal for Alianza against Atlético Marte on 13 August 2011. He scored both goals against Águila on 11 September 2011, the match ended 2–1 to Alianza.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/nelson-bonilla/201189/ |title=N. Bonilla |access-date=7 February 2020|website=Soccerway}}</ref> He scored the only goal against Juventud Independiente on 2 November 2011. On 27 November 2011, he scored a 54th-minute equaliser against Firpo in a match that ended 1–1.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2011/11/27/el-salvador/primera-division/alianza-fc/club-deportivo-luis-angel-firpo/1145394/ |title=Primera Division – Alianza vs Firpo |website=Soccerway|access-date=7 February 2020}}</ref> On 22 January, he scored the winning goal against Juventud Independiente in the 60th minute, the match ended 2–1.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2012/01/22/el-salvador/primera-division/alianza-fc/cd-juventud-independiente/1244324/ |title=Primera Division – Alianza vs Juventud Independiente|website=Soccerway|access-date=7 February 2020}}</ref> On 5 February 2012, he scored the first goal in a 3–1 defeat against Águila.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2012/02/05/el-salvador/primera-division/alianza-fc/cd-aguila/1244338/ |title=Primera Division – Alianza vs Águila |website=Soccerway|access-date=7 February 2020}}</ref>
===Viitorul=== In July 2014, Bonilla signed with Romanian club Viitorul Constanța.<ref>{{cite web |title=Nelson Bonilla es presentado en el FC Viitorul Constanta |url=http://www.culebritamacheteada.com.sv/nelson-bonilla-es-presentado-en-el-fc-viitorul-constanta |access-date=24 March 2019 |archive-date=24 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190324121721/http://www.culebritamacheteada.com.sv/nelson-bonilla-es-presentado-en-el-fc-viitorul-constanta/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
===Zira=== On 31 August 2015, Bonilla signed a two-year contract with Zira FK of the Azerbaijan Premier League.<ref>{{cite web|title=Nelson Bonilla Zirə də|url=http://fczire.az/index.php?options=news&news_id=48&id=38|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150901235143/http://fczire.az/index.php?options=news&news_id=48&id=38|url-status=dead|archive-date=1 September 2015|website=fczire.az|language=az|date=31 August 2015}}</ref> On 23 May 2016, Zira announced that Bonilla had extended his contract with the club for an additional season.<ref>{{cite web|title=Zirə 5 futbolçi ilə yeni müqavilə imzaladı|url=http://fczire.az/index.php?options=news&news_id=126&id=38|website=fczire.az|language=az|date=23 May 2016}}</ref>
===Nacional=== On 16 June 2016, it was announced that Bonilla would leave Zira to join Portuguese club Nacional.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bonilla jugará en el Nacional de Portugal|url=http://www.edhdeportes.com/articulo/legionarios/bonilla-jugara-nacional-portugal-116069|website=edhdeportes.com|language=es|date=16 June 2016}}</ref>
===Terengganu FC=== In August 2024, it was announced the Bonilla had agreed to sign contract with Terengganu FC.<ref>{{Cite web |last=sorawit |date=21 August 2024 |title=Nelson Bonilla joined Terengganu FC |url=https://snesports.co/nelson-bonilla-joined-terengganu-fc/ |access-date=12 September 2024 |website=SNE Sports.Co |language=en-US}}</ref>
== International career == Bonilla made his debut for El Salvador on 23 May 2012 in a 2–2 away draw against New Zealand.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/sport/archives/2012/05/25/2003533681 |title=New Zealand draw 2–2 in friendly with El Salvador |work=Taipei Times|date=23 May 2012}}</ref> Bonilla scored his first goal for El Salvador on 27 May 2012 against Moldova, with his team going on to win 2–0.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2012/05/27/world/friendlies/el-salvador/moldova/1282033/ |title=El Salvador vs. Moldova – 27 May 2012 – Soccerway |date=11 January 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.elgrafico.com/2017/06/16/nelson-bonilla-regresa-a-una-convocatoria-de-seleccion|title=Nelson Bonilla pidió no ser convocado a la selección}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.elgrafico.com/2017/06/18/nelson-bonilla-si-acudira-al-llamado-de-la-seleccion-salvadorena|title=Bonilla anuncia que no volverá a la selección si hay reelección en FESFUT}}</ref>
==Career statistics==
===Club=== {{updated|match played 12 May 2023|<ref>{{cite web|title=N.Bonilla|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/nelson-bonilla/201189/|website=Soccerway}}</ref><ref name="NFT Stats"/>}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competition |- !rowspan="2"|Club !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|National cup !colspan="2"|League cup !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Total |- !Division!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="4"|Alianza |2011–12 |rowspan="3"|Salvadoran Primera División |29||7||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||29||7 |- |2012–13 |25||9||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||25||9 |- |2013–14 |23||4||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||23||4 |- !colspan="2"|Total !77!!20!!colspan="2"|—!!colspan="2"|—!!colspan="2"|—!!77!!20 |- |Viitorul Constanța |2014–15 |Liga I |25||7||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||25||7 |- |Zira |2015–16 |Azerbaijan Premier League |29||14||2||3||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||31||17 |- |Nacional |2016–17 |Primeira Liga |14||2||1||0||1||0||colspan="2"|—||16||2 |- |Gaziantep B.B. |2016–17 |TFF First League |3||0||0||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||3||0 |- |Sukhothai |2018 |Thai League 1 |32||25||0||0||1|||2||colspan="2"|—||33||27 |- |Bangkok United |2019 |Thai League 1 |20||16||1||1||1|||0||1|||0||23||17 |- |Port (loan) |2020–21 |Thai League 1 |20||6||3||3||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||23||9 |- |Port |2021–22 |Thai League 1 |21||6||1||1||1||0||1||0||24||7 |- |Alianza |2022–23 |Salvadoran Primera División |7||2||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||0||0||7||2 |- |Chiangrai United |2022–23 |Thai League 1 |12||4||2||0||colspan="2"|—||colspan="2"|—||14||4 |- |Terengganu |2024-25 |Malaysia Super League |12||3||6||1||0||colspan="2"|–||0||18||4 |- !colspan="3"|Career total !260!!102!!10!!7!!4!!2!!2!!0!!276!!111 |}
===International=== {{updated|match played 9 June 2024|<ref name="NFT Stats">{{cite web|url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/player/47660.html|title=Nelson Bonilla|website=National Football Teams}}</ref>}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+ Appearances and goals by national team and year |- !National team!!Year!!Apps!!Goals |- |rowspan="11"|El Salvador |2012||7||2 |- |2013||4||1 |- |2014||2||1 |- |2015||10||3 |- |2016||6||3 |- |2017||9||2 |- |2018||1||1 |- |2019||6||3 |- |2021||4||0 |- |2022||8||3 |- |2024||5||1 |- !colspan="2"|Total!!62!!20 |}
:''Scores and results list El Salvador's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Bonilla goal.''
{| class="wikitable sortable" |+ List of international goals scored by Nelson Bonilla<ref name="NFT Stats"/> |- !scope="col"|No. !scope="col"|Date !scope="col"|Venue !scope="col"|Opponent !scope="col"|Score !scope="col"|Result !scope="col"|Competition |- |style="text-align:center"|1 |26 May 2012||Cotton Bowl, Dallas, United States||{{fb|MDA}}||style="text-align:center"|1–0||align=center|2–0||Friendly |- |style="text-align:center"|2 |11 August 2012||StubHub Center, Carson, United States||{{fb|GUA}}||style="text-align:center"|1–0||align=center|1–0||Friendly |- |style="text-align:center"|3 |27 January 2013||Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica||{{fb|BLZ|1981}}||style="text-align:center"|1–0||align=center|1–0||2013 Copa Centroamericana |- |style="text-align:center"|4 |18 November 2014||Dennis Martínez National Stadium, Managua, Nicaragua||{{fb|NIC}}||style="text-align:center"|2–0||align=center|2–0||Friendly |- |style="text-align:center"|5 |11 June 2015||Warner Park Sporting Complex, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis||{{fb|SKN}}||style="text-align:center"|2–2||align=center|2–2||2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |- |style="text-align:center"|6 |rowspan="2"|16 June 2015||rowspan="2"|Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador||rowspan="2"|{{fb|SKN}}||style="text-align:center"|2–0||rowspan="2" align=center|4–1||rowspan="2"|2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |- |style="text-align:center"|7 |style="text-align:center"|4–1 |- |style="text-align:center"|8 |25 March 2016||Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador||{{fb|HON|1949}}||style="text-align:center"|2–2||align=center|2–2||2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |- |style="text-align:center"|9 |28 May 2016||RFK Stadium, Washington, D.C., United States||{{fb|PER}}||style="text-align:center"|1–2||align=center|1–3||Friendly |- |style="text-align:center"|10 |6 September 2016||BC Place, Vancouver, Canada||{{fb|CAN}}||style="text-align:center"|1–2||align=center|1–3||2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |- |style="text-align:center"|11 |9 July 2017||Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, United States|||{{fb|MEX}}||style="text-align:center"|1–1||align=center|1–3||2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup |- |style="text-align:center"|12 |16 July 2017||Alamodome, San Antonio, United States|||{{fb|JAM}}||style="text-align:center"|1–0||align=center|1–1||2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup |- |style="text-align:center"|13 |13 October 2018||Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador||{{fb|BRB}}||style="text-align:center"|1–0||align=center|3–0||2019–20 CONCACAF Nations League qualifying |- |style="text-align:center"|14 |23 March 2019||Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador||{{fb|JAM}}||style="text-align:center"|1–0||align=center|2–0||2019–20 CONCACAF Nations League qualifying |- |style="text-align:center"|15 |17 June 2019||Independence Park, Kingston, Jamaica||{{fb|CUW}}||style="text-align:center"|1–0||align=center|1–0||2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup |- |style="text-align:center"|16 |7 September 2019||Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador||{{fb|LCA}}||style="text-align:center"|3–0||align=center|3–0||2019–20 CONCACAF Nations League B |- |style="text-align:center"|17 |30 January 2022||Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano, San Pedro Sula, Honduras||{{fb|HON}}||style="text-align:center"|1–0||align=center|2–0||2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |- |style="text-align:center"|18 |rowspan="2"|4 June 2022||rowspan="2"|Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El Salvador||rowspan="2"|{{fb|GRN}}||style="text-align:center"|1–0||rowspan="2" align=center|3–1||rowspan="2"|2022–23 CONCACAF Nations League A |- |style="text-align:center"|19 |style="text-align:center"|2–1 |- |style="text-align:center"|20 |9 June 2024||Dr. Ir. Franklin Essed Stadion, Paramaribo, Suriname||{{fb|VIN}}||style="text-align:center"|3–1||align=center|3–1||2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{instagram|bonilla_11}} * {{Soccerway|201189}} * {{NFT|47660}} * {{RomanianSoccer|3016/nelson-wilfredo-bonilla-sanchez}}
{{Terengganu FC squad}} {{Navboxes |title=El Salvador squads | bg = #0000DD | fg = white |list1= {{El Salvador squad 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup}} {{El Salvador squad 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup}} {{El Salvador squad 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup}} }}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bonilla, Nelson}} Category:1990 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from San Salvador Category:Men's association football forwards Category:Salvadoran men's footballers Category:21st-century Salvadoran sportsmen Category:Salvadoran expatriate men's footballers Category:Alianza FC (El Salvador) players Category:FC Viitorul Constanța players Category:Zira FK players Category:C.D. Nacional players Category:Gaziantep F.K. footballers Category:U.D. Oliveirense players Nelson Bonilla Nelson Bonilla Nelson Bonilla Nelson Bonilla Nelson Bonilla Category:Salvadoran Primera División players Category:Liga I players Category:Azerbaijan Premier League players Category:Primeira Liga players Category:TFF 1. Lig players Category:Liga Portugal 2 players Nelson Bonilla Nelson Bonilla Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Romania Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Azerbaijan Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Portugal Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Turkey Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Thailand Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Malaysia Category:Salvadoran expatriate sportspeople in Portugal Category:Salvadoran expatriate sportspeople in Thailand Category:Salvadoran expatriate sportspeople in Malaysia Category:El Salvador men's international footballers Category:2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup players Category:2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup players Category:2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup players