Maximiliano David Ayala

Maximiliano David Ayala is an Argentine midfielder born in Berazategui on July 26, 2002. He developed in the Estudiantes de La Plata academy and made his Primera División debut for the club in December 2019 at age 17. Ayala went on to make 33 appearances for Estudiantes, while also representing Argentina at under-17 and under-20 level. He was part of Argentina’s 2019 South American Under-17 Championship-winning squad and played at that year’s FIFA Under-17 World Cup. In 2022, Ayala moved to the Portland Timbers, where he adapted to Major League Soccer and developed from a holding midfielder into a more versatile central presence. His game combines defensive positioning and ball recovery with composed distribution, including long switches that help launch attacks. Ayala is now listed with Inter Miami, continuing a career built around protecting the defence, progressing possession and contributing across midfield.