{{short description|Peruvian footballer (born 2000)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Infobox football biography | name = Nelson Cabanillas | full_name = Nelson Jhonny Luis Cabanillas Jesús | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2000|02|08|df=y}} | birth_place = Comas, Lima, Perú | height = 1.70m | position = Left-back, Left wing-back | currentclub = FBC Melgar | clubnumber = 27 | youthyears1 = 2017–2018 | youthclubs1 = Universitario de Deportes | youthyears2 = 2018 | youthclubs2 = San Luis de Quillota | years1 = 2018–2019 | clubs1 = San Luis de Quillota | caps1 = 0 | goals1 = 0 | years2 = 2019 | clubs2 = → Universitario de Deportes <small>(loan)</small> | caps2 = 11 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2020–2024 | clubs3 = Universitario de Deportes | caps3 = 105 | goals3 = 1 | nationalyears1 = 2017 | nationalteam1 = Perú U17 | nationalcaps1 = 2 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | club-update = 30 December 2025 | nationalteam-update = 8 November 2023 | image = CabanillasNelson20180117.jpg | caption = Cabanillas at the 2018 Noche Crema | years4 = 2025– | clubs4 = FBC Melgar | caps4 = 19 | goals4 = 0 }}
'''Nelson Jhonny Luis Cabanillas Jesús''' (born 8 February 2000) is a Peruvian footballer who plays as a left-back or left wing-back for Peruvian Liga 1 club FBC Melgar.
== Club career == Cabanillas played in the youth ranks of Universitario de Deportes since August 2017. In early 2018, he was one of the players that manager Pedro Troglio wanted to promote to the first team of Universitario; however, this was not allowed by the Peruvian Football Federation due to a sanction that forbade Universitario from signing or renovating football contracts.<ref>{{Cite news |date=8 February 2018 |title=El caso de Nelson Cabanillas, el juvenil de la 'U' que tiene prohibido jugar en el primer equipo |language=Spanish |trans-title=The case of Nelson Cabanillas, the youth player from "la U" who is forbidden to play in the first team |work=Depor |url=https://depor.com/futbol-peruano/descentralizado/universitario-deportes-caso-nelson-cabanillas-juvenil-podra-reforzar-equipo-2018-62936/ |access-date=13 November 2023}}</ref>
After being unable to sign a professional contract with Universitario, Cabanillas emigrated to Chile to play in the reserve team of San Luis de Quillota. After performing well in San Luis' U19 team, he signed his first professional contract for three years.<ref>{{Cite news |date=26 September 2018 |title=Universitario: la promesa que no pudo retener, firmó amplio contrato en Chile |language=Spanish |trans-title=Universitario: the promise it could not retain, signed a large contract in Chile |work=Depor |url=https://depor.com/futbol-peruano/descentralizado/universitario-deportes-nelson-cabanillas-firmo-contrato-san-luis-quillota-chile-89119/ |access-date=13 November 2018}}</ref>
=== Universitario de Deportes === In January 2019, he was officially announced as a new signing of Universitario de Deportes, arriving on loan for one season. Cabanillas made his debut in matchday 10 of the Liga 1, in a 4–0 victory against Sport Boys, where he forced an own goal to put Universitario up 1–0.<ref>{{Cite news |date=21 April 2019 |title=El autogol que forzó Nelson Cabanillas en su debut con Universitario de Deportes |language=Spanish |trans-title=The own goal that Nelson Cabanillas forced in his debut with Universitario de Deportes |work=Depor |url=https://depor.com/futbol-peruano/descentralizado/universitario-deportes-vs-sport-boys-autogol-forzo-nelson-cabanillas-debut-cremas-112243/ |access-date=14 November 2023}}</ref> At the end of the season, he was fully transferred to Universitario and signed a contract for two years. Despite this, Cabanillas did not play regularly in the 2020 season and only appeared in 3 matches. He began the 2021 season in the trust of manager Ángel Comizzo; however, a bad run of form saw him losing space in the starting XI. At the start of the year, Cabanillas played as a left-winger, but after a serious injury to Iván Santillán he began to be played as an emergency left-back. In matchday 7 of the Fase 2, he scored his first professional goal in a 1–2 defeat in the Peruvian Clásico.<ref>{{Cite news |date=18 August 2021 |title=Bombazo inatajable: Nelson Cabanillas marcó un golazo para el 1-1 de la 'U' vs. Alianza Lima [VIDEO] |language=Spanish |trans-title=Unstoppable blast: Nelson Cabanillas scored a great goal to tie the game 1-1 for "la U" vs. Alianza Lima |work=Depor |url=https://depor.com/futbol-peruano/descentralizado/universitario-vs-alianza-lima-en-vivo-nelson-cabanillas-marco-un-golazo-para-el-1-1-del-clasico-video-nczd-noticia/ |access-date=14 November 2023}}</ref> Cabanillas ended up having a good season, earning a place in the starting XI that was reaffirmed with the arrival of manager Gregorio Pérez. At the end of the year, he renewed his contract with ''la U'' for three more seasons.<ref>{{Cite news |date=9 November 2021 |title=Se queda en casa: Nelson Cabanillas renovará con Universitario por tres temporadas más |language=Spanish |trans-title=He stays at home: Nelson Cabanillas will renew with Universitario for three more seasons |work=Depor |url=https://depor.com/futbol-peruano/descentralizado/universitario-de-deportes-nelson-cabanillas-renovo-con-el-equipo-crema-por-tres-temporadas-mas-liga-1-noticia/ |access-date=14 November 2023}}</ref>
Cabanillas played in the second qualifying stage of the 2022 Copa Libertadores with Universitario against Barcelona de Guayaquil, but the team ended up losing both home and away matches and was eliminated from the tournament. The following season, after the arrival of manager Jorge Fossati, Cabanillas began playing as a left wing-back.<ref>{{Cite news |date=8 June 2023 |title=Roja para Cabanillas: la patada del carrilero que deja a Universitario con uno menos ante Santa Fe |trans-title=Red card for Cabanillas: the wing-back's kick that leaves Universitario with one man down against Santa Fe |url=https://elcomercio.pe/deporte-total/futbol-peruano/roja-para-cabanillas-la-brutal-patada-del-carrilero-que-deja-a-universitario-con-uno-menos-ante-santa-fe-por-la-copa-sudamericana-video-noticia/ |access-date=29 April 2024 |work=El Comercio |language=Spanish}}</ref> He also played in the 2023 Copa Sudamericana, standing out in Universitario's group stage match against Gimnasia de la Plata,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cueva |first=Nicole |date=8 April 2023 |title=Universitario: Nelson Cabanillas estaría siendo seguido por clubes de México y EE.UU. |trans-title=Universitario: Nelson Cabanillas would be being followed by clubs from Mexico and the USA |url=https://www.infobae.com/peru/2023/04/08/universitario-nelson-cabanillas-estaria-siendo-seguido-por-clubes-de-mexico-y-eeuu/ |access-date=29 April 2024 |website=Infobae |language=Spanish}}</ref> but being expelled in a match of the same stage against Santa Fe.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Solis Ruiz |first=Miguel |date=8 June 2023 |title=Expulsión de Nelson Cabanillas tras brutal patada en Universitario vs Santa Fe por Copa Sudamericana |trans-title=Nelson Cabanillas' expulsion after brutal kick in Universitario vs Santa Fe for Copa Sudamericana |url=https://www.infobae.com/peru/2023/06/09/expulsion-de-nelson-cabanillas-tras-brutal-patada-en-universitario-vs-santa-fe-por-copa-sudamericana/ |access-date=13 November 2024 |work=Infobae |language=Spanish}}</ref> During the second half of the season, injuries and weight gain meant that Cabanillas' spot in the starting XI was taken by José Bolivar for several matches.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Robles Tadokoro |first=Wilmer |date=20 September 2023 |title=¿Qué pasó con Cabanillas y por qué cedió su lugar a Bolívar en la 'U' de Fossati? |trans-title=What happened with Cabanillas and why did he cede his spot to Bolivar in Fossati's "U"? |url=https://depor.com/futbol-peruano/descentralizado/universitario-por-que-nelson-cabanillas-perdio-su-lugar-con-fossati-y-como-cambio-el-puesto-con-jose-bolivar-rmmd-emcc-noticia/?ref=depr |access-date=11 November 2024 |language=Spanish}}</ref> A the end of the year, he won the national title with his club after defeating Alianza Lima 3–1 on aggregate in the finals. The next year, Cabanillas would alternate the left flank with Ecuadorian Segundo Portocarrero and, in November, he won a second consecutive national championship. On 25 November, Universitario announced that he would not continue playing with the team after the end of his contract at the end of the year.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Chavez |first=Erick |date=25 November 2024 |title=Es oficial: Universitario confirmó que Nelson Cabanillas no continuará en el club |trans-title=It's official: Universitario confirmed that Nelson Cabanillas will not continue in the club |url=https://rpp.pe/futbol/descentralizado/universitario-anuncio-la-salida-de-nelson-cabanillas-liga-1-fichajes-noticia-1600576 |access-date=31 December 2024 |work=RPP |language=Spanish}}</ref> In December, FBC Melgar announced the signing of Cabanillas for the 2025 season.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1 December 2024 |title=Melgar oficializó el fichaje de Nelson Cabanillas |trans-title=Melgar officially announced the signing of Nelson Cabanillas |url=https://www.americatv.com.pe/deportes/futbol-peruano/melgar-oficializo-fichaje-nelson-cabanillas-n447391 |access-date=31 December 2024 |work=América Televisión |language=Spanish}}</ref>
== International career == Cabanillas was part of the Peruvian U17 national team which played the 2017 South American U-17 Championship in Chile.<ref>{{Cite web |date=18 November 2023 |title=Perú [Sub 17] Selección » Plantilla Sub 17 |trans-title=Peru [U17] Team » U17 Squad |url=https://www.livefutbol.com/equipos/peru-u17-h-team/u17-h-campeonato-sudamericano-2017-chile/2/ |access-date=18 November 2023 |website=livefutbol.com |language=Spanish}}</ref>
== Career statistics == ''As of 11 November 2024''<ref>{{Cite web |date=19 November 2023 |title=N. Cabanillas - Profile |url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/nelson-cabanillas-jesus/475086/ |access-date=19 November 2023 |website=Soccerway}}</ref> {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+Club Statistics ! rowspan="2" |Club ! rowspan="2" |Season ! colspan="3" |League ! colspan="2" |Cup ! colspan="2" |Continental ! colspan="2" |Total |- !Division !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals !Apps !Goals |- |San Luis de Quillota |2018 |Campeonato Nacional de Chile |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |- | rowspan="7" |Universitario de Deportes |2019 |Peruvian Liga 1 |11 |0 |2 |0 |0 |0 |13 |0 |- |2020 |Peruvian Liga 1 |3 |0 |0 |0 |0 |0 |3 |0 |- |2021 |Peruvian Liga 1 |21 |1 |1 |0 |0 |0 |22 |1 |- |2022 |Peruvian Liga 1 |27 |0 |0 |0 |2 |0 |29 |0 |- |2023 |Peruvian Liga 1 |28 |0 |0 |0 |8 |0 |36 |0 |- |2024 |Peruvian Liga 1 |27 |0 |0 |0 |3 |0 |30 |0 |- ! colspan="2" |Total !117 !1 !3 !0 !13 !0 !133 !1 |- ! colspan="3" |Career total !117 !1 !3 !0 !13 !0 !133 !1 |}
==Honours== ===Club=== ;Universitario de Deportes *Peruvian Primera División: 2023, 2024
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cabanillas, Nelson}} Category:2000 births Category:Living people Category:Footballers from Lima Category:Peruvian men's footballers Category:21st-century Peruvian sportsmen Category:Club Universitario de Deportes footballers Category:Peruvian Primera División players Category:Men's association football full-backs