# Marco Libra
**Marco Libra Alvarado** (born 2008 in Caracas, Venezuela) is a Venezuelan professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Bologna in [Serie A](https://www.edgepedia.org/serie-a) and for the Venezuela national team. He holds Italian-Venezuelan citizenship, wears the number 18 shirt for Bologna, and in September 2026 became the first player from his age group to represent the club's first team.[1](https://www.bolognafc.it/en/marco-libra-alvarado-makes-serie-a-debut/) • [2](https://sport.sky.it/calcio/atleti/marco-libra/650842)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name / birth | Marco Libra Alvarado, born 2008 in Caracas, Venezuela; Italian-Venezuelan citizen[1](https://www.bolognafc.it/en/marco-libra-alvarado-makes-serie-a-debut/) |
| Position | Versatile midfielder; listed as central midfielder with attacking midfield as a secondary position[3](https://www.transfermarkt.es/marco-libra/profil/spieler/1311378) |
| Club | Bologna (Serie A), shirt number 18[2](https://sport.sky.it/calcio/atleti/marco-libra/650842) |
| Serie A debut | 6 September 2026, Bologna 2-2 Sassuolo, coming on for Jens Odgaard at the start of the second half[1](https://www.bolognafc.it/en/marco-libra-alvarado-makes-serie-a-debut/) |
| Venezuela caps | 2 FIFA appearances, 0 goals, both as a substitute in June 2026 friendlies against Türkiye and Iraq[4](https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/105267/Marco_Libra.html) |
| Youth record 2025/26 | 31 Primavera appearances and 1 goal after starting the season with the Under-18s[1](https://www.bolognafc.it/en/marco-libra-alvarado-makes-serie-a-debut/) |
| Height / weight | 179.5 cm and 71.1 kg per Bologna's club profile; 182 cm per Sky Sport and other databases[1](https://www.bolognafc.it/en/marco-libra-alvarado-makes-serie-a-debut/) • [2](https://sport.sky.it/calcio/atleti/marco-libra/650842) |
## Youth career at Bologna
Libra joined Bologna as an Under-13 player. The club's account of his debut dates the move to 2021, when the new arrival immediately won a regional title with his age group,[1](https://www.bolognafc.it/en/marco-libra-alvarado-makes-serie-a-debut/) while Libra himself said in an October 2026 interview that he arrived in 2020.[5](https://www.calciobologna.it/2026/10/15/marco-libra-ho-sempre-creduto-in-me-stesso-devo-tanto-a-tedesco-il-venezuela/) He has described playing several midfield roles during his development, from defensive midfielder to playmaker, mezzala, and attacking midfielder.[5](https://www.calciobologna.it/2026/10/15/marco-libra-ho-sempre-creduto-in-me-stesso-devo-tanto-a-tedesco-il-venezuela/)
**Breakthrough season.** In 2025/26 he began the campaign with Luigi Della Rocca's Under-18 side and was promoted to Stefano Morrone's Primavera team, making 31 appearances and scoring once.[1](https://www.bolognafc.it/en/marco-libra-alvarado-makes-serie-a-debut/) During that season he also featured for Venezuela at the 2025 U17 FIFA World Cup, playing in the group-stage matches against England (a 3-0 win), Egypt (a 1-1 draw), Haiti (a 4-2 win), and Korea DPR (a 2-1 loss).[6](https://www.football.com/livescore/web/en/Football/player/Libra_Marco/3091464) After returning from international duty he came on in the Under-18 Scudetto semi-final against Roma in Cesena and scored the second goal in a 2-0 win that sent Bologna to the final, which the club lost to Inter.[1](https://www.bolognafc.it/en/marco-libra-alvarado-makes-serie-a-debut/)
## International career with Venezuela
Venezuela head coach Oswaldo Vizcarrondo called Libra into the senior squad for friendlies against Türkiye and Iraq in June 2026, and he featured in both matches.[1](https://www.bolognafc.it/en/marco-libra-alvarado-makes-serie-a-debut/) His two FIFA-recognized appearances, both as a substitute, came against Turkey on 6 June 2026 (a 2-1 loss) and Iraq on 9 June 2026 (a 2-0 win), for a total of 15 minutes on the pitch.[4](https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/105267/Marco_Libra.html) • [7](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/marco-libra-el-nuevo-cerebro-que-anima-a-venezuela-f202609-n/) The Spanish newspaper AS described him as one of the surprises of Vizcarrondo's first international window of the 2026/27 season and quoted the coach saying the staff wanted to give him visibility so that his club would see the role he has in the national project.[7](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/marco-libra-el-nuevo-cerebro-que-anima-a-venezuela-f202609-n/) His call-up came shortly after Tomás Rincón, Venezuela's most-capped player with 143 appearances, announced his retirement, a transition in which AS identified Libra among the young midfielders expected to take on larger roles.[7](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/marco-libra-el-nuevo-cerebro-que-anima-a-venezuela-f202609-n/)
## Serie A debut and first-team role
In the summer of 2026, head coach [Domenico Tedesco](https://www.edgepedia.org/domenico-tedesco) selected Libra among the Primavera players joining the first team's pre-season camp, and he stayed with the senior group into the season.[1](https://www.bolognafc.it/en/marco-libra-alvarado-makes-serie-a-debut/) His Serie A debut came on 6 September 2026 in a 2-2 home draw with Sassuolo, when Tedesco sent him on for Jens Odgaard at the start of the second half to add attacking threat; Bologna's report credits him with contributing to the equalizing move and records 19 completed passes, two tackles, and three recoveries in his 45 minutes.[1](https://www.bolognafc.it/en/marco-libra-alvarado-makes-serie-a-debut/)
In the 2026/27 Serie A season he made 2 appearances, both as a substitute, for a total of 77 minutes (78 by football.com's count), with no goals, no assists, and no cards, and one shot on target.[2](https://sport.sky.it/calcio/atleti/marco-libra/650842) • [6](https://www.football.com/livescore/web/en/Football/player/Libra_Marco/3091464) Tedesco was dismissed on 16 September 2026 after Bologna took one point from the first four matchdays, with Raffaele Palladino appointed in his place.[2](https://sport.sky.it/calcio/atleti/marco-libra/650842) In his October 2026 interview, Libra credited Tedesco with his development and said he had always believed in himself.[5](https://www.calciobologna.it/2026/10/15/marco-libra-ho-sempre-creduto-in-me-stesso-devo-tanto-a-tedesco-il-venezuela/)
## Playing style and assessment
Bologna's technical staff describe him as a modern, highly technical, and versatile midfielder who still has room to develop; Youth Sector Technical Director Luigi Piangerelli called him an example for the academy's other players while cautioning that he remains at an early stage.[1](https://www.bolognafc.it/en/marco-libra-alvarado-makes-serie-a-debut/) Transfermarkt lists his main position as central midfielder with attacking midfield as a secondary position,[3](https://www.transfermarkt.es/marco-libra/profil/spieler/1311378) and AS characterizes him as a dynamic profile with notable ability on the ball that still has margin for improvement.[7](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/marco-libra-el-nuevo-cerebro-que-anima-a-venezuela-f202609-n/)
## References
1. [Marco Libra Alvarado makes Serie A debut, BolognaFC](https://www.bolognafc.it/en/marco-libra-alvarado-makes-serie-a-debut/)
2. [Marco Libra: profilo e statistiche del giocatore, Sky Sport](https://sport.sky.it/calcio/atleti/marco-libra/650842)
3. [Marco Libra - Perfil del jugador, Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.es/marco-libra/profil/spieler/1311378)
4. [Marco Libra (Player), National Football Teams](https://www.national-football-teams.com/player/105267/Marco_Libra.html)
5. [Marco Libra: "Ho sempre creduto in me stesso, devo tanto a Tedesco. Il Venezuela…", Calcio Bologna](https://www.calciobologna.it/2026/10/15/marco-libra-ho-sempre-creduto-in-me-stesso-devo-tanto-a-tedesco-il-venezuela/)
6. [Marco Libra profile & stats, football.com](https://www.football.com/livescore/web/en/Football/player/Libra_Marco/3091464)
7. [Marco Libra, el nuevo 'cerebro' que anima a Venezuela, AS](https://as.com/futbol/internacional/marco-libra-el-nuevo-cerebro-que-anima-a-venezuela-f202609-n/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of South America*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license