1157 Oscar Zambrano

Biography

Oscar Steven Zambrano Preciado was born in the Ecuadorian city of Santo Domingo and was involved in the Colorados Jaipadida academy as a youngster after moving to the capital city Quito. He played junior football for America de Quito and Liga Deportiva Universitaria Quito (aka LDU Quito), settling with the latter club at the age of 14. He made rapid progress through the junior ranks and was an unused substitute three times during the closing weeks of the 2021 league season. He made his senior debut for LDU in an April 2022 Ligapro Serie A match against Cumbaya FC, and my lord did he soon impress with his defenive midfield work rate. He scored his first senior goal in October 2022 against CD Macara.

Oscar was a first team regular during the 2023 season as LDU Quito won an impressive double, lifting the Ecuadorian Serie A title and also claiming the Copa Sudamericana trophy, defetaing Brazilian side Fortaleza in the October 2023 final – although Zambrano was an unused substitute in the final, having played seven times in earlier rounds. His progress continued into the 2024 season and he scored his second senior goal in his final appearance for the club in August 2024 against CD Macara, taking his taly to two goals in 67 senior appearances. In March 2024 Oscar was the centre of a doping allegation that did not yield an immediate suspension, but did end previous transfer interest from several European clubs including Manchester United and Ajax Amsterdam. Hull City signed Oscar on loan in August 2024 having taken account of any potential sanction for the player.

Zambrano joined Hull City on a season long loan in August 2024 with an option to sign him permanently built into the deal. Oscar debuted a week later in a dull goalless draw against Millwall and scored his first goal for the club in September 2024 against Cardiff City. He impressed with his energetic midfield play but in October 2024 the threat of a drugs ban came to pass when a seventeen month suspension was applied by the Colombian FA, which banned him from playing football across the world. It was announced in April 2025 that the ban had been shortened to twelve months and he could return to action in November 2025. However the Tigers were still prevented from enjoying Oscar’s generous skill-set because in July 2025, when his loan ended, Hull City were handed a transfer ban that prevented Zambrano’s transfer.

In September 2025 Zambrano joined Slovenian Prva Liga side NK Maribor, two months ahead of the end of his suspension, making his November 2025 debut in against NK Radomlje. He scored his first goal for Maribor in December 2025 against NK Aluminij. In February 2026 he made a goalscoring return from the winter break against NK Celje, a match that ended with Oscar sustaining a hamstring injury that sidelined him for several weeks. By the end of the 2025/26 season he had scored two goals in 7 appearances for Maribor.

In July 2026, a year after his transfer to the Tigers was scuppered by a transfer ban, Zambrano joined Hull City on a permanent deal.

Identified as one of Ecuador’s most promising talents, Zambrano won international recognition as a teenager – his first and only appearance for Ecuador’s Under-16 side came against Serbia in April 2019 on the day he turned 15 years of age. He made his debut for the Ecuador Under-20 side in June 2022 against Uruguay and by June 2023 he had made 14 appearances at the Under-20 level. Between November 2023 and October 2024 Oscar was chosen for Ecuadorian senior squad four times but remained an unused substitute on each occasion – the latter two fixtures came when Zambrano was two months into his Hull City tenure.

Details

Nationality: Ecuador
Date/Place of Birth: 20 April 2004, Santo Domingo (Ecuador)
Hull City First Game: 24 August 2024, Millwall H (Championship), 20 years, 126 days old
Hull City Final Game: [current player]

Clubs

LDU Quito (2020-2025), Hull City (2024-2025, loan), NK Maribor (2025-2026), Hull City (2026-current)

Hull City Record

Career: 8 apps, 1 goals