Irvin Cardona

Irvin Charly Jose Cardona (born 8 August 1997) is a French professional footballer who plays as a forward or winger for Ligue 2 club Saint-Étienne.^[1]

Irvin Cardona

Cardona with Saint-Étienne in 2025
Personal information
Full name	Irvin Charly Jose Cardona
Date of birth	(1997-08-08) 8 August 1997 (age 27)
Place of birth	Nîmes, France
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Forward, winger
Team information
Current team	Saint-Étienne
Number	7
Youth career
2003–2012	Le Pontet
2012–2017	Monaco
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2016–2017	Monaco B	21	(15)
2017–2019	Monaco	3	(0)
2017–2019	→ Cercle Brugge (loan)	35	(12)
2019–2023	Brest	99	(18)
2022	Brest B	2	(1)
2023–2025	FC Augsburg	13	(1)
2023–2025	FC Augsburg II	2	(1)
2024	→ Saint-Étienne (loan)	19	(8)
2024–2025	→ Espanyol (loan)	16	(1)
2025	→ Saint-Étienne (loan)	15	(5)
2025–	Saint-Étienne	0	(0)
International career‡
2015	France U18	3	(0)
2016–2017	France U20	7	(2)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 25 May 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 28 March 2017

Club career

Monaco

Cardona made his professional debut on 2 February 2017 in the Coupe de France round of 32 against Chambly. He replaced Pierre-Daniel N'Guinda after 78 minutes in a 5–4 away win.^[2] He made his Ligue 1 debut ten days later coming on for Radamel Falcao to play the last 9 minutes of a 5–0 home thrashing of Metz.^[3]

Cercle Brugge (loan)

On 18 July 2017, Cardona extended his Monaco contract until 2021 and was immediately loaned to the club's Belgian satellite club Cercle Brugge for the following season.^[4] Although he missed a couple of weeks by an injury, he still was a major key player in the team that became champion of the 2017–18 Belgian First Division B. He scored an important penalty in the last minute in the champion's game against Beerschot-Wilrijk.^[5] He was voted second best player in the league, after teammate Xavier Mercier.^[6]

Brest

On 12 August 2019, Cardona signed with Ligue 1 promotees Brest.^[7] On 13 September 2020, he scored an acrobatic volley goal in a 2–0 away win over Dijon which was described as a "Puskás Award contender."^[8][9]

FC Augsburg

On 18 January 2023, Cardona signed a contract with German club FC Augsburg until 30 June 2027.^[10]

Loan to Saint-Étienne

On 3 January 2024, Cardona returned to France, joining Ligue 2 club Saint-Étienne on loan with an option-to-buy.^[11]

Loan to Espanyol

On 10 August 2024, Cardona moved on a new loan to Espanyol in La Liga.^[12]

Return to Saint-Étienne

On 28 January 2025, Cardona returned to Saint-Étienne on a new loan, with an option to buy.^[13] On 2 June 2025, Saint-Étienne exercised the option to buy and signed a three-year contract with Cardona.^[14]

Personal life

Born in France, Cardona is of Maltese descent.^[15]

Career statistics

As of match played 2 June 2024^[1][16]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup		League cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Monaco B	2015–16	CFA	4	1	—		—		—		4	1
	2016–17	CFA	17	14	—		—		—		17	14
	Total		21	15	—		—		—		21	15
Monaco	2016–17	Ligue 1	3	0	3	0	1[a]	0	0	0	7	0
Cercle Brugge (loan)	2017–18	Belgian First Division B	15	6	1	1	—		2[b]	1	18	8
	2018–19	Belgian First Division A	20	6	0	0	—		—		20	6
	Total		35	12	1	1	—		2	1	38	14
Brest	2019–20	Ligue 1	21	6	1	0	1[a]	1	—		23	7
	2020–21	Ligue 1	36	8	2	0	—		—		38	8
	2021–22	Ligue 1	32	4	3	0	—		—		35	4
	2022–23	Ligue 1	10	0	0	0	—		—		10	0
	Total		99	18	6	0	1	1	—		106	19
Brest B	2021–22	Championnat National 3	2	1	—		—		—		2	1
FC Augsburg	2022–23	Bundesliga	10	1	0	0	—		—		10	1
	2023–24	Bundesliga	3	0	0	0	—		—		3	0
	Total		13	1	0	0	—		—		13	1
FC Augsburg II	2023–24	Regionalliga	2	1	—		—		—		2	1
Saint-Étienne	2023–24	Ligue 2	19	8	0	0	—		3[c]	2	22	10
Career total			194	56	10	1	2	1	5	3	211	61

1. Appearance(s) in the Coupe de la Ligue
2. Appearances in Belgian First Division B promotion play-offs
3. One appearance and one goal in the Ligue 2 promotion play-offs, two appearances and one goal in the Ligue 1 relegation/promotion play-offs

Honours

Monaco

• Ligue 1: 2016–17^{[citation needed]}

Cercle Brugge

• Belgian First Division B: 2017–18^{[citation needed]}