Atlanta United signed Peruvian defender Luis Abram from Granada CF through the 2026 season on Jan. 30, 2023. In his first season in MLS, Abram made 28 appearances across all competitions, starting 16 of his 22 league appearances during the regular season and all three of Atlanta’s matches in Round One of the Audi 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Before joining Atlanta, the 27-year-old center back made 257 career club appearances across stints in Peru, Argentina, Spain and Mexico, registering a total of 11 goals and seven assists.
After starting his youth career at Regatas Lima, Abram joined Sporting Cristal in 2013 and was promoted to the first team the following year. He made his debut in Peru’s first division on Aug. 14, 2014 and made 22 appearances that season as Sporting Cristal won the league. Abram made 17 appearances in 2015, including his Copa Libertadores debut. The following season, he played in 35 matches as Sporting Cristal again won the league title. The Lima native appeared in 44 matches in his final season with Sporting Cristal in 2017, totaling 118 appearances, including seven in Copa Libertadores, with five goals and five assists over four seasons with the club.
Abram joined Vélez Sarsfield in January of 2018 and went on to make 91 appearances in all competitions, recording four goals and two assists over four seasons at the Argentine club where he was a teammate of Thiago Almada. He made 25 appearances during the 2018-19 season as Vélez Sarsfield finished sixth in the league to qualify for continental competition. He made 29 appearances during the 2019-20 season, including nine in the Copa Sudamericana as Vélez Sarsfield advanced to the semifinals, while the club finished third in league play to qualify for the Copa Libertadores the following season.
Abram joined Spanish side Granada CF in August of 2021 and made eight appearances in La Liga and two in the Copa del Rey before being loaned to Cruz Azul in January of 2022. Abram made 38 total appearances during a one-year loan stint in Mexico, including six appearances in the Concacaf Champions League where Cruz Azul advanced to the semifinals. The club qualified for the playoffs in both the 2022 Clausura and Apertura seasons and won Mexico’s Super Cup, defeating Atlas in penalties.
International: Abram has represented Peru 39 times at the international level, including 15 matches in World Cup qualification, making his senior national team debut in a friendly against Trinidad and Tobago on May 24, 2016. The defender scored his first international goal in a friendly against Brazil on Sept. 11, 2019 in a 1-0 win for Peru.
2024 (Atlanta United): MLS: Started 11 of 19 appearances. Played over 1000 minutes during the regular season. Recorded six shots with one on target. Had 19 clearances and won 50% of his aerial duels while playing in multiple positions on the backline. MLS Cup Playoffs: Started three of five playoff games in total. Played 340 total minutes as Abram helped Atlanta to advance past CF Montreal and Inter Miami CF. U.S. Open Cup: Started and played the full 120 minutes against Charleston Battery to help Atlanta advance. Then started and played all 90 minutes in U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal against Indy Eleven. Leagues Cup: Started and played 90 minutes against Santos Laguna in the group stage
2023 (Atlanta United): MLS: Started 16 of 22 appearances. Made MLS debut against San Jose on Feb. 25. MLS Cup Playoffs: Started all three games of Atlanta’s Round One series against Columbus. U.S. Open Cup: Started and played the full 120 minutes against Memphis on April 26. Leagues Cup: Started and played 90 minutes in both of Atlanta’s group stage matches against Inter Miami CF and Cruz Azul
