Hugo Rodallega
Encyclopedia
Hugo Rodallega Martínez (born 25 July 1985) is a Colombian
footballer
who plays for English Premier League club Wigan Athletic. He primarily plays as a striker
, but can also play on the wing.
Rodallega started his professional career with Deportes Quindío
in 2004. An impressive first season with the club earned him a call-up to represent Colombia
at the U-20 South American Championship in 2005, where he went on to set a new record for most goals scored in the tournament. A move to Deportivo Cali
and his senior international debut followed later in the year before he moved abroad, signing for Mexican Primera División side Monterrey. A disappointing spell resulted in a loan move to Atlas before being transferred to Necaxa in 2007. In January 2009, he moved to Wigan Athletic for a fee of £4.5 million. After initially struggling at the club, he finished as the club's top goalscorer in his first full Premier League season. To date he has scored 23 goals for the club, making him Wigan's all-time leading Premier League goalscorer.
located near the city of Cali
, and lived in the village with his parents and two elder sisters. Rodallega and his wife Carolina live in North West England
with their son, also named Hugo. His cousin Carmen is also a footballer, and has played for the Colombia women's national football team
.
before signing for Deportes Quindío
in 2004. He scored his first goal in professional football on 11 April 2004 in a 1–1 draw against Deportivo Cali
. He went on to score a total of 13 goals in his first season, earning himself a call-up to the Colombia under-20
squad for the South American Youth Championship
. He signed for Deportivo Cali during the middle of the 2005 season, where he won his first honours at club level, helping the team win the 2005-II Copa Mustang.
Rodallega had now caught the attention of foreign clubs and signed for Mexican Primera División club Monterrey in 2006. He failed to replicate his previous goal scoring record, finding the net three times before being loaned out to Atlas. He was then transfer listed after scoring just once in 15 games for Monterrey during the Clausura 2007 tournament, and was subsequently signed by Necaxa. His spell at Necaxa was more successful, where he managed to score 16 goals during his first season with the club.
confirmed that Rodallega had been granted a work permit, and on 26 January he finally completed his move to the club for a fee of £4.5 million.
Rodallega made his debut for Wigan as a 77th minute substitute against Liverpool
on 28 January 2009 at the DW Stadium. He nearly made an instant impact for his new team, hitting the crossbar with a powerful strike from a 25 yard freekick. After a slow start, he scored his first goal for Wigan against West Brom
on 9 May 2009, and went on to score three goals in the last four games of the season, helping the club finish in 11th place. In Wigan's first match of the 2009–10 season, Rodallega got the team's first goal of the season in a 2–0 away win against Aston Villa, with a "spectacular" half-volley from the corner of the penalty area. Rodallega appeared in all 38 league games during the season, and despite Wigan's new manager Roberto Martinez
often playing him on the left wing, he also finished as the club's top goalscorer with ten league goals. On 5 February 2011, Rodallega scored his seventh goal of the season in a 4–3 win against Blackburn Rovers
, equalling the Wigan's club record of 20 Premier League goals scored by one player, set by Henri Camara
. He broke that record on 16 April, scoring the opening goal in a 3–1 win against Blackpool
at Bloomfield Road
, making him Wigan's leading goalscorer of all time in the Premier League.
On May 22, 2011 Rodallega scored a game-winning goal that kept Wigan in the Premier League. His 78th-minute header against Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium
secured a 1-0 win and Wigan's Premier League status for 2011-12
.
. He came onto the pitch as a half-time substitute, and went on to score four goals in the second half of the match. Colombia finished the tournament as champions as Rodallega became the tournament's all-time top goal scorer with a total of 11 goals in nine games, beating Luciano Galletti
's record of nine goals. Rodallega was also selected for the FIFA U-20 World Cup
, but failed to live up to expectations and was dropped from the team after the group stages as Colombia lost against Argentina
in the second round.
Rodallega's senior international debut was in a friendly against Venezuela
. He briefly played in goal during Colombia's final tournament game at the Copa America 2007
, when first string goalkeeper Robinson Zapata
was given a red card and Colombia had no more available substitutes. He was able to complete the game with Colombia winning 1–0.
On 30 April 2008, Rodallega scored two goals, assisted 1 goal and got a penalty awarded for his country in a 5–2 friendly match victory over Venezuela, being hailed by many Colombians as the return of "Rodagol" who scored 11 goals in the Sub 20 WC qualifier tournament in 2005.
Colombian people
Colombian people are from a multiethnic Spanish speaking nation in South America called Colombia. Colombians are predominantly Roman Catholic and are a mixture of Europeans, Africans, and Amerindians.-Demography:...
footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who plays for English Premier League club Wigan Athletic. He primarily plays as a striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
, but can also play on the wing.
Rodallega started his professional career with Deportes Quindío
Deportes Quindío
Deportes Quindío, is a Colombian football club based in the city of Armenia. The club was founded January 8, 1951 and play their home games at the Centenario de Armenia stadium, which has a capacity of approximately 29,000.-National Honours:...
in 2004. An impressive first season with the club earned him a call-up to represent Colombia
Colombia national under-20 football team
The Colombia national under-20 football team, is controlled by the Federación Colombiana de Fútbol and represents Colombia in international under-20 football competitions.-Current squad:The following players are participating in the 2011 U-20 FIFA World Cup....
at the U-20 South American Championship in 2005, where he went on to set a new record for most goals scored in the tournament. A move to Deportivo Cali
Deportivo Cali
Asociación Deportivo Cali is a Colombian sports club based in Cali, Colombia. Mostly known for its football team, it also sponsors basketball, volleyball and swimming...
and his senior international debut followed later in the year before he moved abroad, signing for Mexican Primera División side Monterrey. A disappointing spell resulted in a loan move to Atlas before being transferred to Necaxa in 2007. In January 2009, he moved to Wigan Athletic for a fee of £4.5 million. After initially struggling at the club, he finished as the club's top goalscorer in his first full Premier League season. To date he has scored 23 goals for the club, making him Wigan's all-time leading Premier League goalscorer.
Early and personal life
Rodallega was born in El Carmelo, a village in the west of ColombiaColombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
located near the city of Cali
Calì
Calì, also written in English as Cali, is an Italian surname, widespread mainly in the Ionian side of Sicily.For the surname Calì is assumed the origin of the Greek word kalos , or from its Sanskrit root kali, "time."The surname refers to:...
, and lived in the village with his parents and two elder sisters. Rodallega and his wife Carolina live in North West England
North West England
North West England, informally known as The North West, is one of the nine official regions of England.North West England had a 2006 estimated population of 6,853,201 the third most populated region after London and the South East...
with their son, also named Hugo. His cousin Carmen is also a footballer, and has played for the Colombia women's national football team
Colombia women's national football team
The Colombia women's national football team represents Colombia in international women's football.Colombia were runners-up in the 2010 South American Women's Championship, their best ever finish, earning the team a place in the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup finals in Germany.-World Cup...
.
Early career
Rodallega began his career at local amateur club Boca Juniors de CaliBoca Juniors de Cali
Boca Juniors de Cali was a soccer team which represented the city of Cali since its creation in 1949 until its exit from professional soccer in 1957. Since its early years it adopted the jersey from the Argentine team Boca Juniors.- Victories :...
before signing for Deportes Quindío
Deportes Quindío
Deportes Quindío, is a Colombian football club based in the city of Armenia. The club was founded January 8, 1951 and play their home games at the Centenario de Armenia stadium, which has a capacity of approximately 29,000.-National Honours:...
in 2004. He scored his first goal in professional football on 11 April 2004 in a 1–1 draw against Deportivo Cali
Deportivo Cali
Asociación Deportivo Cali is a Colombian sports club based in Cali, Colombia. Mostly known for its football team, it also sponsors basketball, volleyball and swimming...
. He went on to score a total of 13 goals in his first season, earning himself a call-up to the Colombia under-20
Colombia national under-20 football team
The Colombia national under-20 football team, is controlled by the Federación Colombiana de Fútbol and represents Colombia in international under-20 football competitions.-Current squad:The following players are participating in the 2011 U-20 FIFA World Cup....
squad for the South American Youth Championship
South American Youth Championship
The South American Youth Championship, also known as U-20 South American Championship and Juventud de América is a South American football tournament organized by the CONMEBOL , for South American national teams of men under age 20.-History:The first South American Youth Championship was hosted by...
. He signed for Deportivo Cali during the middle of the 2005 season, where he won his first honours at club level, helping the team win the 2005-II Copa Mustang.
Rodallega had now caught the attention of foreign clubs and signed for Mexican Primera División club Monterrey in 2006. He failed to replicate his previous goal scoring record, finding the net three times before being loaned out to Atlas. He was then transfer listed after scoring just once in 15 games for Monterrey during the Clausura 2007 tournament, and was subsequently signed by Necaxa. His spell at Necaxa was more successful, where he managed to score 16 goals during his first season with the club.
Wigan Athletic
On 20 December 2008, Necaxa claimed they had started negotiations to sell Rodallega to English Premier League side Wigan Athletic. On 12 January, Wigan manager Steve BruceSteve Bruce
Stephen Roger "Steve" Bruce is an English football manager and former player. Born in Corbridge, Northumberland, he was a promising schoolboy footballer but was rejected by a number of professional clubs. He was on the verge of quitting the game altogether when he was offered a trial with Gillingham...
confirmed that Rodallega had been granted a work permit, and on 26 January he finally completed his move to the club for a fee of £4.5 million.
Rodallega made his debut for Wigan as a 77th minute substitute against Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
on 28 January 2009 at the DW Stadium. He nearly made an instant impact for his new team, hitting the crossbar with a powerful strike from a 25 yard freekick. After a slow start, he scored his first goal for Wigan against West Brom
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
on 9 May 2009, and went on to score three goals in the last four games of the season, helping the club finish in 11th place. In Wigan's first match of the 2009–10 season, Rodallega got the team's first goal of the season in a 2–0 away win against Aston Villa, with a "spectacular" half-volley from the corner of the penalty area. Rodallega appeared in all 38 league games during the season, and despite Wigan's new manager Roberto Martinez
Roberto Martinez
Roberto Martinez is the name of:* Roberto Martínez Lacayo, President of Nicaragua* Roberto Martínez y Gutiérrez, Mexican bishop consecrated by Moisés CarmonaSports* Roberto Martínez , Honduran boxer...
often playing him on the left wing, he also finished as the club's top goalscorer with ten league goals. On 5 February 2011, Rodallega scored his seventh goal of the season in a 4–3 win against Blackburn Rovers
Blackburn Rovers F.C.
Blackburn Rovers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the town of Blackburn, Lancashire. The team currently competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football....
, equalling the Wigan's club record of 20 Premier League goals scored by one player, set by Henri Camara
Henri Camara
Henri Camara is a Senegalese footballer who plays as a striker for Greek Superleague side Panetolikos.-Early career:Camara was born in Dakar to a Guinean father and a Senegalese mother...
. He broke that record on 16 April, scoring the opening goal in a 3–1 win against Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
at Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road
Bloomfield Road is an all-seater football stadium in the English town of Blackpool, Lancashire. It has been the permanent home of Blackpool F.C. since 1901 and is named after the road on which the stadium's main entrance used to stand. The stadium has been in a process of redevelopment since 2000...
, making him Wigan's leading goalscorer of all time in the Premier League.
On May 22, 2011 Rodallega scored a game-winning goal that kept Wigan in the Premier League. His 78th-minute header against Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium
Britannia Stadium
The Britannia Stadium is an all-seater football stadium in Stoke-on-Trent, England and the home of Premier League club Stoke City Football Club. With space for 27,598 spectators . The name is taken from the sponsors of the Stadium the Britannia Co-operative Bank...
secured a 1-0 win and Wigan's Premier League status for 2011-12
2011–12 Premier League
The 2011–12 Premier League is the twentieth season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2011–12 fixtures were announced on 17 June 2011 at 9:00 BST. The season began on 13 August 2011 and is due to end on 13 May 2012...
.
International career
In 2005, Rodallega was selected in Colombia's squad for the U-20 South American Championship. He made his debut in Colombia's opening game against BoliviaBolivia national under-20 football team
Bolivia national under-20 football team represents Bolivia in international football competitions such as South American Youth Championship.-2009 South American Youth Championship:Head coach: Oscar Villegas...
. He came onto the pitch as a half-time substitute, and went on to score four goals in the second half of the match. Colombia finished the tournament as champions as Rodallega became the tournament's all-time top goal scorer with a total of 11 goals in nine games, beating Luciano Galletti
Luciano Galletti
Luciano Martín Galletti is a former Argentine football right winger Forward last playing for Olympiacos CFP in Greece.-Playing career:...
's record of nine goals. Rodallega was also selected for the FIFA U-20 World Cup
FIFA U-20 World Cup
The FIFA U-20 World Cup, until 2005 known as the FIFA World Youth Championship, is the world championship of football for male players under the age of 20 and is organized by Fédération Internationale de Football Association...
, but failed to live up to expectations and was dropped from the team after the group stages as Colombia lost against Argentina
Argentina national under-20 football team
The Argentina national under-20 football team is the representative of Argentina in FIFA sponsored tournaments that pertain to that age level....
in the second round.
Rodallega's senior international debut was in a friendly against Venezuela
Venezuela national football team
The Venezuela national football team is the national football team of Venezuela and is controlled by the Federación Venezolana de Fútbol. It is nicknamed La Vinotinto , because of the traditional burgundy color of their shirts....
. He briefly played in goal during Colombia's final tournament game at the Copa America 2007
Copa América 2007
The 2007 Campeonato Sudamericano Copa América, known simply as the 2007 Copa América or 2007 Copa América Venezuela, was the 42nd edition of the Copa América, the South-American championship for international association football teams...
, when first string goalkeeper Robinson Zapata
Róbinson Zapata
Róbinson Zapata Montaño, aka Rufay , is a Colombian football player who plays for Deportivo Pereira.-Colombia:...
was given a red card and Colombia had no more available substitutes. He was able to complete the game with Colombia winning 1–0.
On 30 April 2008, Rodallega scored two goals, assisted 1 goal and got a penalty awarded for his country in a 5–2 friendly match victory over Venezuela, being hailed by many Colombians as the return of "Rodagol" who scored 11 goals in the Sub 20 WC qualifier tournament in 2005.
International goals – Colombia
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | June 4, 2006 | Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys is a stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Originally built in 1927 for the 1929 International Exposition in the city , it was renovated in 1989 to be the main stadium for the 1992 Summer Olympics... , Barcelona Barcelona Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of... , Spain |
1 – 0 | 2–0 | Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
|
| 2 | February 7, 2007 | Estadio General Santander Estadio General Santander General Santander Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Cúcuta, Colombia. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium has a capacity of 42,901 people. It is named in honour of Francisco de Paula Santander.... , Cúcuta Cúcuta Cúcuta is a Colombian city, capital of Norte de Santander, in the northeast of the country. Due to its proximity to the Colombian-Venezuelan border, Cúcuta is an important commercial center. The city has the constitutional category of Special District. It is located at the most active... , Colombia Colombia Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the... |
1 – 2 | 1–3 | Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
|
| 3 | May 9, 2007 | Estadio Rommel Fernandez Estadio Rommel Fernandez Estadio Rommel Fernández is a multi-purpose stadium located in Panama City, It is used for different sports, and mainly for the conduct of games football. It was inaugurated February 6 of 1970. It was designed to accommodate the XI Central American and Caribbean Games in 1970... , Panama City Panama City Panama is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a population of 880,691, with a total metro population of 1,272,672, and it is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of the same name. The city is the political and administrative center of the... , Panama Panama Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The... |
3 – 0 | 4–0 | Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
|
| 4 | June 23, 2007 | Estadio Metropolitano Estadio Metropolitano Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez is a multi-use All-seater stadium in Barranquilla, Colombia. It is the home stadium of local football team Atlético Junior. The stadium holds 49,612, making it one of the largest in Colombia. It was built for the failed Colombian World Cup bid in 1986... , Barranquilla Barranquilla Barranquilla is an industrial port city and municipality located in northern Colombia, near the Caribbean Sea. The capital of the Atlántico Department, it is the largest industrial city and port in the Colombian Caribbean region with a population of 1,148,506 as of 2005, which makes it Colombia's... , Colombia |
2 – 1 | 3–1 | Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
|
| 5 | April 30, 2008 | Estadio Alfonso Lopez Estadio Alfonso Lopez Estadio Alfonso López is a multi-purpose stadium in Bucaramanga, Colombia. It is currently used mostly for football matches. The stadium has a capacity of 25,000 people, and is the home of Atlético Bucaramanga and Real Santander. It had the first synthetic grass pitch in Colombia. -Picture:* -... , Bucaramanga Bucaramanga Bucaramanga is a Colombian city, and capital city of the department of Santander, Colombia. Bucaramanga has the fifth largest city economy and sixth largest population in Colombia, with 1,212,656 people in its metropolitan area... , Colombia |
1 – 0 | 5–2 | Friendly Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
|
| 6 | 4 – 2 | |||||
| 7 | June 14, 2008 | Estadio Monumental "U", Lima Lima Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima... , Peru Peru Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.... |
0 – 1 | 1–1 | 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifying Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
|
| 8 | October 14, 2008 | Defensores del Chaco, Asunción Asunción Asunción is the capital and largest city of Paraguay.The "Ciudad de Asunción" is an autonomous capital district not part of any department. The metropolitan area, called Gran Asunción, includes the cities of San Lorenzo, Fernando de la Mora, Lambaré, Luque, Mariano Roque Alonso, Ñemby, San... , Paraguay Paraguay Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the... |
0 – 2 | 0–2 | 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifying Exhibition game An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition... |
Career statistics
| Club | Division | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||||||||
| Deportes Quindío Deportes Quindío Deportes Quindío, is a Colombian football club based in the city of Armenia. The club was founded January 8, 1951 and play their home games at the Centenario de Armenia stadium, which has a capacity of approximately 29,000.-National Honours:... |
Primera A | 2004 | 31 | 13 | - | - | - | 31 | 13 | ||||||||||
| 2005 | 12 | 7 | - | - | - | 12 | 7 | ||||||||||||
| Total | 43 | 20 | |- | Deportivo Cali Deportivo Cali Asociación Deportivo Cali is a Colombian sports club based in Cali, Colombia. Mostly known for its football team, it also sponsors basketball, volleyball and swimming... | Primera A | 2005 | 26 | 12 | - | - | 2 | 0 | 28 | 12 | |||||
| Monterrey | Primera División | 2006 C | 14 | 3 | - | - | - | 14 | 3 | ||||||||||
| 2007 C | 15 | 1 | 3 | 0 | - | - | 18 | 1 | |||||||||||
| Total | 29 | 4 | 3 | 0 | |- | 32 | 4 | ||||||||||||
| Atlas (loan) | Primera División | 2006 A | 17 | 5 | - | - | - | 17 | 5 | ||||||||||
| Necaxa | Primera División | 2007 A Primera División de México Apertura 2007 Primera División de México Apertura 2007 is a Mexican football tournament - one of two shorter tournaments that together make up the Mexican football season - to determine the champion of Mexican football. It began on Friday, August 3, 2007. On June 10, 2007, FMF General Secretary Decio de Maria... |
16 | 9 | - | - | - | 16 | 9 | ||||||||||
| 2008 C Primera División de México Clausura 2008 Primera División de México Clausura 2008 was a Mexican football tournament - the second of two tournaments held in the 2007/2008 season. It began January 18, 2008 and ran until June 1, 2008. Veracruz and Morelia inaugurated the season, with Morelia winning 1-0... |
20 | 7 | - | - | - | 20 | 7 | ||||||||||||
| 2008 A | 17 | 9 | - | - | - | 17 | 9 | ||||||||||||
| Total | 53 | 25 | |- | Wigan Athletic Wigan Athletic F.C. Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW... | Premier League | 2008–09 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 15 | 3 | ||||
| 2009–10 | 38 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 42 | 10 | ||||||||||
| 2010–11 | 36 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | - | 37 | 9 | ||||||||||
| 2011–12 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 7 | 0 | ||||||||||
| Total | 96 | 22 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | Career Total | 264 | 88 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 274 | 88 | ||