On 6 October, Lander Pinillos turns 23. For most footballers that is just a birthday. For an attacking midfielder whose career still runs largely through Alavés B, it works more like a deadline. Twenty-two is still "prospect" territory. Twenty-three is when clubs start asking what you have done in senior football, not what you might do.
That tension is why his name keeps coming up. He isn't famous. He isn't a La Liga regular. But he sits right at the point where a career either tilts upward or settles into something quieter, and fans, scouts and career mode players are all trying to work out which way it will go.
The Basics, Checked
| Detail | What we know |
|---|---|
| Full name | Lander Pinillos Wilson |
| Born | 6 October 2003, Pamplona, Spain |
| Age | 22, turning 23 on 6 October 2026 |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Position | Attacking midfielder, also used in wide roles |
| Club setup | Deportivo Alavés and Alavés B |
| Preferred foot | Right |
| Listed height | Roughly 176 cm to 178 cm |
| Listed weight | Roughly 66 kg to 70 kg |
| Estimated net worth | $300,000 to $700,000 (Icon Polls estimate) |
| Salary | Not publicly confirmed |
| Market value guide | Around EUR 200,000 |
| Religion | Not publicly confirmed |
Twenty-Two, Going on Decision Time
Pinillos comes from Pamplona and has grown up in football terms inside the Alavés structure. His public profile links him to the senior squad, but most of his development story still belongs to the reserve side. That is a normal path in Spain. It is also a path with a shelf life.
Reserve football is where clubs park talent they believe in but aren't ready to trust. The longer a player stays there, the more the question changes from "when?" to "if?". Pinillos isn't at the "if" stage yet. The next season or two will decide whether he gets there.
Between the Lines, and Sometimes Out Wide
His natural home is the number ten space: receiving in tight pockets, turning, and connecting midfield to the forwards. He isn't a striker and he isn't a holding midfielder. His job is linking.
The useful wrinkle is that coaches have also used him wide. That matters more than it sounds. Pure attacking midfielders are a hard sell in modern senior football, because plenty of systems barely use one. A player who can drift between the centre and the flank gives a manager options, and options get young players onto the bench, then onto the pitch.
What he needs to show next is less about talent and more about habits that survive senior pressure:
- Work without the ball. Senior coaches rarely forgive a creative player who doesn't press.
- Bravery in possession. Asking for the ball when the game is tight, not just when it is open.
- End product. Goals and assists are what turn "interesting" into "undroppable".
A Salary Nobody Has Published
Let's be straight about the money. Pinillos' salary has not been made public, and anyone quoting a precise weekly wage is guessing. What can be said is that a player in the Alavés B orbit earns far less than established La Liga names, though likely more than many lower-league professionals in Spain.
Icon Polls estimates his net worth in 2026 at $300,000 to $700,000. That range accounts for likely wages, bonuses and whatever modest contract payments a developing player at this level might receive. It is an editorial estimate, not a figure from the player or the club, and it is deliberately wide because the inputs are uncertain.
The honest summary: at this stage of his career, minutes are worth more to him than money. A regular senior role would change his earnings quickly. Without one, the numbers will stay modest.
Two Hundred Thousand Euros Is a Starting Point
A fair public guide to his market value in 2026 is around EUR 200,000. Treat that as a reference point, not a price tag. Real transfer fees depend on contract length, how badly a buyer wants him, and whether Alavés sees him as part of its plans.
Here is why the figure is low but not discouraging. Valuations for young players move fast in both directions. A run of senior appearances, especially with goals or assists, could push his value up sharply. A season stuck in reserve football would probably flatten it. His position works in his favour too: versatile attacking players are easier to sell than specialists.
Our read is that patience is the realistic angle. There is nothing yet to justify hype. There is also nothing that rules out a jump.
The Card Career Mode Players Keep Finding
A surprising share of interest in Pinillos comes from gamers. He appears in FC26 player databases as Lander Pinillos Wilson, usually listed as a CAM, which matches his real role.
His card follows a familiar pattern for young players: a current rating that won't excite anyone, with potential pitched higher. Exact numbers shift with database updates, so we won't quote one. Some profiles show him without a real face scan, which is common for players outside the first-team spotlight.
For career mode, he is a cheap development signing. You don't buy him to win now. You buy him because, with game time and a role that suits him, he might grow into something useful. In that sense the game mirrors reality closely.
Height, Faith and What We'll Leave Alone
Databases list him between 176 cm and 178 cm, about 5 feet 9 inches to 5 feet 10 inches. The small disagreement is normal and not worth losing sleep over. For a player who lives on balance, quick turns and close control, it is a perfectly sensible frame.
His religion has not been confirmed by him or by any reliable source, so we don't assign one. The same goes for his personal life generally: Pinillos keeps it private, and his public story is a football one. That seems like the right place to leave it.
If you would rather debate the players at the very top of the game than the ones still climbing, vote in our poll on the best football players of all time.
Before You Ask
How old is Lander Pinillos?
He is 22 and turns 23 on 6 October 2026. He was born in Pamplona in 2003.
Is he a first-team player at Alavés?
He has been linked to the senior setup, but much of his development has come with Alavés B. Regular first-team minutes are the next step he still needs to take.
Is he worth signing in FC26 career mode?
As a low-cost young CAM with room to grow, yes, if you are building for later rather than chasing results this season.
