Edinson Cavani was born on 14 February 1987 in Uruguay and began his professional career at Danubio in Montevideo. He moved to Italian club Palermo in January 2007, where he developed into one of Serie A's most reliable strikers, earning the nickname "El Matador" for his composure in front of goal.
In 2010, he joined Napoli on a deal worth a total of €17 million, quickly establishing himself as the division's standout forward. He finished as Serie A's top scorer in the 2012–13 season with 29 goals and helped Napoli win the Coppa Italia in 2012. That form attracted Paris Saint-Germain, who signed him in July 2013 for around €64 million — a French football record at the time. During his seven years at PSG, Cavani won six Ligue 1 titles and finished as the club's second all-time top scorer. He claimed the Ligue 1 Player of the Year award for 2016–17 and was the league's top scorer in both 2016–17 and 2017–18.
A composed, intelligent centre-forward with a strong work rate and clinical finishing, Cavani signed for Manchester United in 2020, scoring 17 goals in his first season including a goal in the UEFA Europa League final.
At international level, he made his senior debut for Uruguay in 2008 and went on to earn 136 caps, scoring 58 goals — second only to Luis Suárez in Uruguayan scoring history. He appeared in four FIFA World Cups (2010, 2014, 2018, 2022) and five Copa América tournaments, winning the title in 2011.
Cavani is currently listed as a player at Manchester United.