Sergio Arribas: UD Almería’s Goal Machine
17 goals make the 24-year-old attacking midfielder the LaLiga Hypermotion top scorer
Sergio Arribas grew up with Spanish singer Joan Manuel Serrat’s song playing in the background, especially the line that fits him perfectly: ‘Kid, stop messing around with the ball.’ Despite not having the profile of a classic centre-forward, the attacker has scored 17 goals and continues to lead the scoring charts in Spain’s Segunda.
Finishing and quality are part of his essence, but they are far from his only weapons on the pitch. Clever movement, opportunism and football intelligence are also in his DNA, making him a different kind of player. A Swiss Army knife in the service of UD Almería.
Every star has a favourite profile; some prefer their good side from the left, others from the right. The 24-year-old, however, is not picky when it comes to scoring and the camera loves him from any angle. Wearing the UD Almería jersey, he has scored 34 goals in regular league competition, with a perfectly balanced record: 18 at home and 16 away. Like energy, Arribas is neither created nor destroyed, he simply transforms.
Despite standing at just 174cm tall, 18% of his goals (6) have been netted with his head. And although he is a naturally gifted left-footer, he has scored 8 goals (23%) with his weaker foot. The numbers reveal a wide range of resources that make him a complete and unpredictable player. However, there is one predictable even frustrating trait for opponents: his goals.
In his first season with UD Almería in the top flight, he managed to score 9 goals, finishing as the team’s most decisive player in front of goal despite often playing far from the opposition’s penalty area. During the 2023/24 season, the Madrid-born attacker mainly operated on the right wing, occasionally switching to the left, often playing more as an advanced midfielder than as a classic No.10.
The following season, 2024/25, Arribas again approached double figures with 8 goals in a similar role, although slightly more central on the pitch and playing behind the man who eventually became Segunda's top scorer, Luis Suárez.
Now, the attacker has taken over the mantle from his former team-mate and against all expectations he has emerged as the team’s main attacking and creative force. On the pitch he is a crucial link in the chain, generating play, creating chances and so far this season, finding the back of the net 17 times.
A player on the rise. A difference-maker. A memorable footballer.