Javier Saviola
Encyclopedia
Javier Pedro Saviola Fernández (born 11 December 1981) is an Argentine
professional footballer who plays for S.L. Benfica in Portugal
, as a striker.
Known for his speed and ability to score from almost any position, he represented both FC Barcelona
and Real Madrid
during his career (amongst others), and was named, as the youngest player, to Pelé
's FIFA 100
list of the 125 greatest living footballers. Due to the many years spent in Spain
, he also holds Spanish nationality
.
), Parque Chas
Buenos Aires
-born Saviola made his debut for Club Atlético River Plate
at the age of 16, and went on to be a prolific goalscorer for the club.
He helped River to the 1999 Apertura
and 2000 Clausura championships, and earned the 1999 South American Footballer of the Year
award. Still only 18, he gained a reputation as a phenomenal prospect.
in a £
15 million transfer. He obtained Spanish citizenship
shortly after, thereby not being restricted by the Spanish league maximum on the number of non-European Union
citizens allowed in each club. Under coach Louis van Gaal
, he scored 17 goals in his first season, finishing third best scorer in La Liga
.
His second year at the club did not start well, as he only scored two goals in the first half of the season. When van Gaal was fired and Radomir Antić
became the new Barcelona manager, Saviola went on to score 11 goals in the latter half of the campaign. At the start of the following season, Frank Rijkaard
was appointed as new manager, and Saviola scored 14 goals in the league alone, but was deemed surplus at the club, as was longtime offensive partner Patrick Kluivert
.
Saviola was sent on loan the following year, moving to AS Monaco FC
in the French first division
in the summer of 2004. As he did not fit into Rijkaard's plans, Saviola was again loaned out in the summer of 2005, this time to Spanish club Sevilla FC
, in order to replace Júlio Baptista
, on the move to Real Madrid
. At Sevilla, Saviola won his first title in Europe, when the club won the UEFA Cup — he also scored nine times in the league, good enough for fifth
.
Saviola returned to Barcelona for the 2006–07 season, playing in 18 league games (six as a starter) and scoring five goals. He benefited greatly from injuries to teammates, most notably to Samuel Eto'o
, and added five in as many games in that season's domestic cup
, notably a hat-trick
against Deportivo Alavés
(3–2 win at home, 5–2 aggregate).
On 10 July 2007, Real Madrid
signed Saviola after his Barcelona contract expired, on a three-year deal. Although on a financially lucrative contract, he endured a difficult time at Real. He was mainly restricted to cup matches and sporadic appearances (mainly as a substitute) in the league and the UEFA Champions League
. The arrival of Klaas-Jan Huntelaar limited his opportunities even more, and Saviola finished his Real Madrid spell with five goals in 28 overall appearances.
5 million deal that would see Saviola play in Portugal
for the next three years, with an option for one more; a €30 million clause was added. He scored his first goal for the club on a penalty in a friendly match against FC Sion
and, on 16 July, scored twice to send his team into the Guadiana Tournament finals.
On 22 October 2009, Saviola scored two goals for Benfica, guiding them to a 5–0 victory over Everton
for the UEFA Europa League (he would also score in the club's 2–0 win in Liverpool, in the second match), adding another brace four days later, as the Reds hammered C.D. Nacional 6–1, in the domestic league.
On 12 December, Saviola scored on a chip shot against Académica de Coimbra, for a 4–0 home win. Already a fan favourite, on the 20th, he scored the game's only as Benfica defeated main rival F.C. Porto at home; during the victorious campaign, he formed a deadly offensive partnership with Paraguay
an Óscar Cardozo
, with the pair combining for more than 50 goals overall.
On 3 January 2010, after receiving the Portuguese Liga Player of the Month award, he scored another winning goal against Nacional, again being the game's only scorer as Benfica defeated Rio Ave FC away, scoring in the 46th minute. He netted his 19th goal overall in a 3–1 home triumph against F.C. Paços de Ferreira, on March 7, and Benfica was eventually crowned league champions, after a five-year wait.
of the FIFA U-20 World Cup
, held in Argentina. He was top scorer and was voted player of the tournament, as the national team
won the competition; with 11 goals in seven games, he became the record goal-scorer in World Youth Cups history. His vintage performance earned himself many offers from Europe
an clubs but, surprisingly, he lost his place in the Argentina national football team squad for the 2002 FIFA World Cup
in favour of veteran Claudio Caniggia
.
Two years later, Saviola played in the 2004 Olympic Games
and won the gold medal
. Under coach Marcelo Bielsa
, he was given few playing opportunities for the senior team but, after Bielsa's resignation in 2004, new coach José Pekerman
, who also coached the player at youth level, turned the tide in the player's favour.
Saviola was called up to represent Argentina at the 2006 World Cup
. Luciano Figueroa
and winger Luciano Galletti
were also in contention for a place on the roster, but Saviola's excellent form for Sevilla secured his place in the squad. He made his presence felt at the tournament, as he scored a goal against Côte d'Ivoire
in Argentina's opening game, and made two assists
in the 6–0 victory against Serbia and Montenegro.
Saviola retired from international football on 5 December 2009, although not yet 28. He stated that he felt his career as an Argentina player had come to an end, and that he wanted to concentrate on club football.
|2000||2||0
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Sevilla
Barcelona
Real Madrid
Benfica:
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
professional footballer who plays for S.L. Benfica in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, as a striker.
Known for his speed and ability to score from almost any position, he represented both FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
and Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
during his career (amongst others), and was named, as the youngest player, to Pelé
Pelé
However, Pelé has always maintained that those are mistakes, that he was actually named Edson and that he was born on 23 October 1940.), best known by his nickname Pelé , is a retired Brazilian footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest football players of all time...
's FIFA 100
FIFA 100
The FIFA 100 is a list of the world-renowned Brazilian striker Pelé's choice of the "greatest living footballers". Unveiled on 4 March 2004 at a gala ceremony in London, the FIFA 100 marked part of the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Fédération Internationale de...
list of the 125 greatest living footballers. Due to the many years spent in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, he also holds Spanish nationality
Spanish nationality law
Spanish nationality law refers to all the laws of Spain concerning nationality. The 11th article of the First Title of the Spanish Constitution refers to Spanish nationality and establishes that a separate law is to regulate how it is acquired and lost. This separate law is the Spanish Civil Code...
.
River Plate
Nicknamed El Conejo (The RabbitRabbit
Rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world...
), Parque Chas
Parque Chas
Parque Chas is a barrio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, reinstated on 6 December 2005 through By-law No. 1907/06.Parque Chas is the smallest district in Buenos Aires and is bounded by La Pampa, Triunvirato, Combatientes de Malvinas, Chorroarín, and Constituyentes streets. It is also the only district...
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
-born Saviola made his debut for Club Atlético River Plate
Club Atlético River Plate
Club Atlético River Plate is an Argentine sports club based in the Nuñez neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It is best known for its professional football team, which currently competes in Nacional B, the second tier of Argentine football....
at the age of 16, and went on to be a prolific goalscorer for the club.
He helped River to the 1999 Apertura
Apertura and Clausura
The Apertura and Clausura tournaments are a relatively recent innovation for many Latin American football leagues in which the traditional European football season from August to May is divided in two sections per season, each with its own champion. Apertura and Clausura are the Spanish words for...
and 2000 Clausura championships, and earned the 1999 South American Footballer of the Year
South American Footballer of the Year
The South American Footballer of the Year is an annual association football award presented to the best footballer in South America over the previous calendar year. The award was conceived by Venezuelan newspaper El Mundo, whom awarded it from 1971 to 1985. Uruguayan newspaper El País took over...
award. Still only 18, he gained a reputation as a phenomenal prospect.
Spain
In 2001, aged 19, Saviola moved abroad to play for FC BarcelonaFC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
in a £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
15 million transfer. He obtained Spanish citizenship
Citizenship
Citizenship is the state of being a citizen of a particular social, political, national, or human resource community. Citizenship status, under social contract theory, carries with it both rights and responsibilities...
shortly after, thereby not being restricted by the Spanish league maximum on the number of non-European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
citizens allowed in each club. Under coach Louis van Gaal
Louis van Gaal
Aloysius Paulus Maria "Louis" van Gaal OON is a Dutch football manager formerly in charge of Ajax, Netherlands, Barcelona, AZ and Bayern Munich...
, he scored 17 goals in his first season, finishing third best scorer in La Liga
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
.
Radomir Antic
Radomir Antić is a Serbian former football defender and former football manager for the Serbian national team.Following a 17-year playing career he found his true calling in coaching....
became the new Barcelona manager, Saviola went on to score 11 goals in the latter half of the campaign. At the start of the following season, Frank Rijkaard
Frank Rijkaard
Franklin Edmundo Rijkaard is a Dutch football manager of Dutch and Surinamese descent and former player. Rijkaard has played for Ajax, Real Zaragoza and Milan, and represented his national side 73 times, scoring 10 goals. In his coaching career, he has been at the helm of the Dutch national side,...
was appointed as new manager, and Saviola scored 14 goals in the league alone, but was deemed surplus at the club, as was longtime offensive partner Patrick Kluivert
Patrick Kluivert
Patrick Stephan Kluivert is a former Dutch footballer, currently head coach of the youth side of FC Twente. He played as a striker for AFC Ajax, A.C. Milan, FC Barcelona, Newcastle United, Valencia CF, PSV Eindhoven, and Lille OSC. Kluivert played for the Dutch national team from 1994 to 2004. He...
.
Saviola was sent on loan the following year, moving to AS Monaco FC
AS Monaco FC
Association Sportive de Monaco Football Club are a French football club based in Fontvieille, Monaco. The club was founded in 1924 and currently play in Ligue 2, the second tier of French football. The team plays its home matches at the Stade Louis II located within Fontvieille...
in the French first division
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
in the summer of 2004. As he did not fit into Rijkaard's plans, Saviola was again loaned out in the summer of 2005, this time to Spanish club Sevilla FC
Sevilla FC
Sevilla Fútbol Club S.A.D. is a Spanish professional football club based in Seville, Spain that plays in the Spanish La Liga championship.They are one of the most successful clubs in Spanish football having won a 1 La Liga title, 5 Spanish "Copa del Rey" Cups, 1 Spanish Super Cup and 2 UEFA...
, in order to replace Júlio Baptista
Júlio Baptista
Júlio César Baptista is a Brazilian footballer who currently plays as an attacking midfielder or forward for Málaga CF of the Spanish La Liga...
, on the move to Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
. At Sevilla, Saviola won his first title in Europe, when the club won the UEFA Cup — he also scored nine times in the league, good enough for fifth
2005–06 La Liga
* Athletic Bilbao* Atlético Madrid* FC Barcelona* Betis* Cádiz CF* Celta de Vigo* Deportivo Alaves* Deportivo de La Coruña* Espanyol* Getafe CF* Málaga CF* RCD Mallorca* CA Osasuna* Racing de Santander* Real Madrid* Real Sociedad* Sevilla FC...
.
Saviola returned to Barcelona for the 2006–07 season, playing in 18 league games (six as a starter) and scoring five goals. He benefited greatly from injuries to teammates, most notably to Samuel Eto'o
Samuel Eto'o
Samuel Eto'o Fils is a Cameroonian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Russian team Anzhi Makhachkala. He is also the current captain of the Cameroon national team.Eto'o trained at Kadji Sports Academy...
, and added five in as many games in that season's domestic cup
Copa del Rey
The Copa del Rey is an annual football cup competition for Spanish football teams. Its full name is Campeonato de España – Copa de Su Majestad el Rey de Fútbol ....
, notably a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
against Deportivo Alavés
Deportivo Alavés
Deportivo Alavés, S.A.D., usually abbreviated to Alavés, is a Spanish football club based in Vitoria-Gasteiz, in the Basque Country. Founded in 1921, it plays in Segunda División B, holding home matches at the 19,500-seater Estadio Mendizorrotza....
(3–2 win at home, 5–2 aggregate).
On 10 July 2007, Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
signed Saviola after his Barcelona contract expired, on a three-year deal. Although on a financially lucrative contract, he endured a difficult time at Real. He was mainly restricted to cup matches and sporadic appearances (mainly as a substitute) in the league and the UEFA Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
. The arrival of Klaas-Jan Huntelaar limited his opportunities even more, and Saviola finished his Real Madrid spell with five goals in 28 overall appearances.
Benfica
On 26 June 2009, S.L. Benfica and Real Madrid agreed on a €Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
5 million deal that would see Saviola play in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
for the next three years, with an option for one more; a €30 million clause was added. He scored his first goal for the club on a penalty in a friendly match against FC Sion
FC Sion
FC Sion is a Swiss football team from the city of Sion. The club was founded in 1909, and play their home games at the Stade Tourbillon. They have won the Swiss Super League twice, and the Swiss Cup in each of their twelve appearances in the final, the most recent being in 2011.The first team also...
and, on 16 July, scored twice to send his team into the Guadiana Tournament finals.
On 22 October 2009, Saviola scored two goals for Benfica, guiding them to a 5–0 victory over Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
for the UEFA Europa League (he would also score in the club's 2–0 win in Liverpool, in the second match), adding another brace four days later, as the Reds hammered C.D. Nacional 6–1, in the domestic league.
On 12 December, Saviola scored on a chip shot against Académica de Coimbra, for a 4–0 home win. Already a fan favourite, on the 20th, he scored the game's only as Benfica defeated main rival F.C. Porto at home; during the victorious campaign, he formed a deadly offensive partnership with 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...
an Óscar Cardozo
Óscar Cardozo
Óscar René Cardozo Marín is a Paraguayan footballer who plays for S.L. Benfica in Portugal, as a striker.Known for his powerful left-foot shot and free-kick skills, he first gained notoriety whilst playing for Newell's Old Boys, which led to a move to Benfica, where he scored more than 100...
, with the pair combining for more than 50 goals overall.
On 3 January 2010, after receiving the Portuguese Liga Player of the Month award, he scored another winning goal against Nacional, again being the game's only scorer as Benfica defeated Rio Ave FC away, scoring in the 46th minute. He netted his 19th goal overall in a 3–1 home triumph against F.C. Paços de Ferreira, on March 7, and Benfica was eventually crowned league champions, after a five-year wait.
International career
Saviola starred in the 2001 edition2001 FIFA World Youth Championship
The 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in Argentina between June 17 and July 8, 2001. The 2001 championship was the 13th contested. The tournament took part in six cities, Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Mendoza, Rosario, Salta, and Mar del Plata...
of 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...
, held in Argentina. He was top scorer and was voted player of the tournament, as the national team
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....
won the competition; with 11 goals in seven games, he became the record goal-scorer in World Youth Cups history. His vintage performance earned himself many offers from Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an clubs but, surprisingly, he lost his place in the Argentina national football team squad for the 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
in favour of veteran Claudio Caniggia
Claudio Caniggia
Claudio Paul Caniggia is a former Argentine football forward, who played 50 times for the Argentine national team. He appeared in three World Cups, and was a member of both rival clubs River Plate and Boca Juniors. Caniggia was known for his speed as a player and competed in Athletics before his...
.
Two years later, Saviola played in the 2004 Olympic Games
2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
and won the gold medal
Football at the 2004 Summer Olympics
The football tournament at the 2004 Summer Olympics started on 11 August, , and ended on 28 August.The men's tournament is played by U-23 national teams, with up to three over age players allowed per squad...
. Under coach Marcelo Bielsa
Marcelo Bielsa
Marcelo Alberto Bielsa Caldera is an Argentine association football coach and former defender, born in Rosario, Santa Fe...
, he was given few playing opportunities for the senior team but, after Bielsa's resignation in 2004, new coach José Pekerman
José Pekerman
José Néstor Pékerman is an Argentine football coach and an ex-football player. He become famous as a youth level coach for Argentina, winning the FIFA World Youth Championship three times, and the U-20 South American Youth Championship twice...
, who also coached the player at youth level, turned the tide in the player's favour.
Saviola was called up to represent Argentina at the 2006 World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
. Luciano Figueroa
Luciano Figueroa
Luciano Gabriel "Lucho" Figueroa Herrera is an Argentine association football player who currently plays as a striker for Rosario Central.-Club career:...
and winger Luciano Galletti
Luciano Galletti
Luciano Martín Galletti is a former Argentine football right winger Forward last playing for Olympiacos CFP in Greece.-Playing career:...
were also in contention for a place on the roster, but Saviola's excellent form for Sevilla secured his place in the squad. He made his presence felt at the tournament, as he scored a goal against Côte d'Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire national football team
The Côte d'Ivoire National Football Team or Ivory Coast National Football Team, nicknamed Les Éléphants , represents Côte d'Ivoire in international football and is controlled by the Fédération Ivoirienne de Football...
in Argentina's opening game, and made two assists
Assist (football)
In association football, an assist is a contribution by a player which helps to score a goal. Statistics for assists made by players may be kept officially by the organisers of a competition, or unofficially by, for example, journalists or organisers of fantasy football competitions...
in the 6–0 victory against Serbia and Montenegro.
Saviola retired from international football on 5 December 2009, although not yet 28. He stated that he felt his career as an Argentina player had come to an end, and that he wanted to concentrate on club football.
International goals
Argentina's goal tally first| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 20 April 2003 | June 11 Stadium June 11 Stadium June 11 Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Tripoli, Libya, and is one of the largest stadiums in Africa. The name of the stadium commemorates the day in which American forces were asked to relinquish their military base rights in Libya and leave the country. It is mostly used for football... , Tripoli Tripoli Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three... , Libya Libya Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west.... |
 LibyaLibya Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west.... |
1–0 | 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... |
| 2. | 8 June 2003 | Nagai Stadium Nagai Stadium is an athletic stadium in Osaka, Japan. It is the home ground of J. League club Cerezo Osaka. The stadium has a seating capacity of 50,000.-History:... , Osaka Osaka is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
1–0 | 4–1 | Friendly | |
| 3. | 11 June 2003 | Seoul World Cup Stadium Seoul World Cup Stadium The Seoul World Cup Stadium, also known as Sangam Stadium, is located in Seongsan, Mapo-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It was built for the 2002 FIFA World Cup and opened in 2001. It was designed to represent the image of a traditional Korean kite... , Seoul Seoul Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world... , South Korea South Korea The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south... |
1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly | |
| 4. | 30 June 2004 | Giants Stadium Giants Stadium Giants Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA, in the Meadowlands Sports Complex. Maximum seating capacity was 80,242. The building itself was 230.5 m long, 180.5 m wide and 44 m high from service level to the top of the seating bowl and 54 m high to... , New Jersey New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware... , USA |
2–0 | 2–1 | Friendly | |
| 5. | 7 July 2004 | Estadio Elias Aguirre Estadio Elias Aguirre Estadio Elías Aguirre is a multi-purpose stadium administrated by the governmental Instituto Peruano del Deporte in Chiclayo, Peru. It was built in 1970 named after the 19th century Peruvian sailor Elías Aguirre Romero... , Chiclayo Chiclayo Chiclayo is the capital city of the Lambayeque region in northern Peru. It is located 13 kilometers inland from the Pacific coast and 770 kilometers from the nation's capital, 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.... |
2–1 | 6–1 | 2004 Copa América | |
| 6. | 7 July 2004 | Estadio Elias Aguirre, Chiclayo, Peru | 3–1 | 6–1 | 2004 Copa América | |
| 7. | 7 July 2004 | Estadio Elias Aguirre, Chiclayo, Peru | 4–1 | 6–1 | 2004 Copa América | |
| 8. | 17 November 2004 | Estadio Antonio V. Liberti, Buenos Aires Buenos Aires Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent... , Argentina Argentina Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires... |
3–1 | 3–2 | 2006 World Cup qualification 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL) Listed below are the dates and results for the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for South America. 10 teams took part, all in a single group. The rules were very simple: the teams would play against each other in a home-and-away basis, with the four teams with most points qualifying to... |
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| 9. | 15 June 2005 | RheinEnergieStadion RheinEnergieStadion The RheinEnergieStadion is a football stadium in Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was built on the site of the two previous Müngersdorfer stadiums. It is the home of the local Bundesliga team, 1. FC Köln. The stadium was one of the 12 hosting the 2006 FIFA World Cup... , Cologne Cologne Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the... , Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
2–0 | 2 – 1 | 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup -Group B:---------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:-----Third place playoff:-Final:-Awards:-Goal scorers:5 goals Adriano4 goals Luciano Figueroa John Aloisi Michael Ballack... |
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| 10. | 10 June 2006 | Imtech Arena, Hamburg Hamburg -History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808... , Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
2–0 | 2–1 | 2006 FIFA World Cup 2006 FIFA World Cup The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six... |
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| 11. | 7 February 2007 | Stade de France Stade de France The Stade de France is the national stadium of France, situated just north of Paris in the commune of Saint-Denis. It has an all-seater capacity of 80,000, making it the fifth largest stadium in Europe, and is used by both the France national football team and French rugby union team for... , Saint-Denis Saint-Denis Saint-Denis is a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris. Saint-Denis is a sous-préfecture of the Seine-Saint-Denis département, being the seat of the Arrondissement of Saint-Denis.... , France France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
Club
| Club | League | Season | League | Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||||||
| River Plate Club Atlético River Plate Club Atlético River Plate is an Argentine sports club based in the Nuñez neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It is best known for its professional football team, which currently competes in Nacional B, the second tier of Argentine football.... |
Primera División | 1998–99 | 19 | 6 | - | - | |||||||||||||
| 19 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–00 | 33 | 19 | - | - | |||||||||||||||
| 33 | 19 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–01 | 34 | 20 | - | - | |||||||||||||||
| 34 | 20 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 86 | 45 | |- | - | - | 86 | 45 | ||||||||||||
| Barcelona FC Barcelona Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.... |
La Liga La Liga The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system... |
2001–02 | 36 | 17 | 1 | 0 | - | 11 | 4 | ||||||||||
| 44 | 21 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–03 | 36 | 13 | 1 | 0 | - | 14 | 7 | ||||||||||||
| 51 | 20 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–04 | 33 | 14 | 5 | 2 | - | 7 | 3 | ||||||||||||
| 45 | 19 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 105 | 44 | 7 | 2 | Monaco AS Monaco FC Association Sportive de Monaco Football Club are a French football club based in Fontvieille, Monaco. The club was founded in 1924 and currently play in Ligue 2, the second tier of French football. The team plays its home matches at the Stade Louis II located within Fontvieille... | Ligue 1 Ligue 1 Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2.... |
2004–05 | 29 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 11 |
| Total | 29 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 11 | |||||||
| Sevilla Sevilla FC Sevilla Fútbol Club S.A.D. is a Spanish professional football club based in Seville, Spain that plays in the Spanish La Liga championship.They are one of the most successful clubs in Spanish football having won a 1 La Liga title, 5 Spanish "Copa del Rey" Cups, 1 Spanish Super Cup and 2 UEFA... |
La Liga La Liga The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system... |
2005–06 2005–06 La Liga * Athletic Bilbao* Atlético Madrid* FC Barcelona* Betis* Cádiz CF* Celta de Vigo* Deportivo Alaves* Deportivo de La Coruña* Espanyol* Getafe CF* Málaga CF* RCD Mallorca* CA Osasuna* Racing de Santander* Real Madrid* Real Sociedad* Sevilla FC... |
29 | 9 | 0 | 0 | - | 13 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 14 | ||||||
| Total | 29 | 9 | 0 | 0 | Barcelona FC Barcelona Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.... | La Liga La Liga The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system... |
2006–07 | 18 | 5 | 5 | 5 | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 10 | |
| Total | 18 | 5 | 5 | 5 | Real Madrid Real Madrid C.F. Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la... | La Liga La Liga The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system... |
2007–08 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | - | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 3 | |
| 2008–09 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 | - | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 | ||||||||
| Total | 16 | 4 | 8 | 1 | Benfica | Primeira Liga | 2009–10 | 27 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 44 | 19 |
| 2010–11 | 24 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 14 | |||||||
| 2011–12 2011–12 Primeira Liga -Personnel and kits:Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players and Managers may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.-Managerial changes:-League table:-Positions by round:... |
6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 3 | |||||||
| Total | 57 | 24 | 8 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 27 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 100 | 36 | |||||||
| Career total | 340 | 137 | 28 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 84 | 30 | 1 | 0 | 461 | 181 | |||||||
| Last update: 14 August 2011 | |||||||||||||||||||
International
|-|2000||2||0
|-
|2001||0||0
|-
|2002||3||0
|-
|2003||8||3
|-
|2004||10||5
|-
|2005||8||1
|-
|2006||5||1
|-
|2007||4||1
|-
!Total||40||11
|}
Club
River Plate- Argentine League: 1999A, 2000C
Sevilla
- UEFA Cup: 2005–06
Barcelona
- Spanish SupercupSupercopa de EspañaThe Supercopa de España is a Spanish football championship contested by the winners of La Liga and the Copa del Rey...
: 20062006 Supercopa de EspañaThe 2006 Supercopa de España was a two-leg Spanish football match played on 17 and 20 August 2006.It was contested by league champions FC Barcelona and cup-winners RCD Espanyol . FC Barcelona won 4–0 on aggregate.-First leg:...
Real Madrid
- Spanish LeagueLa LigaThe Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
: 2007–08 - Spanish SupercupSupercopa de EspañaThe Supercopa de España is a Spanish football championship contested by the winners of La Liga and the Copa del Rey...
: 20082008 Supercopa de EspañaThe 2008 Supercopa de España was two-leg Spanish football matches played on 17 August and 24 August 2008. It was contested by Valencia CF, who were Spanish Cup winners in 2007–08, and Real Madrid, who won the 2007–08 Spanish League. Real Madrid won 6–5 on aggregate for their eighth Supercopa...
Benfica:
- Portuguese LeaguePortuguese LigaThe Primeira Liga , formerly called Primeira Divisão, currently named Liga ZON Sagres after their main sponsors, is the top professional association football division of the Portuguese football league system...
: 2009–102009–10 Portuguese LigaThe 2009–10 Portuguese Liga season, officially known as the Liga Sagres due to sponsorship reasons, was the 76th season of top-tier football in Portugal. It began on 16 August 2009 and ended on 9 May 2010... - Portuguese League Cup: 2009–10, 2010–112010–11 Taça da LigaThe 2010–11 Taça da Liga was the fourth edition of the portuguese Taça da Liga. The first matches were played on August 8, 2010. The final was scheduled on April 23, 2011 where Benfica beat Paços de Ferreira 2-1, and won their third title. The final was played at the Estadio Cidade de Coimbra,...
International
Argentina- FIFA U-20 World CupFIFA U-20 World CupThe 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...
: 20012001 FIFA World Youth ChampionshipThe 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship took place in Argentina between June 17 and July 8, 2001. The 2001 championship was the 13th contested. The tournament took part in six cities, Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Mendoza, Rosario, Salta, and Mar del Plata... - Summer Olympic GamesSummer Olympic GamesThe Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
: 2004Football at the 2004 Summer OlympicsThe football tournament at the 2004 Summer Olympics started on 11 August, , and ended on 28 August.The men's tournament is played by U-23 national teams, with up to three over age players allowed per squad...
Individual
- Argentine League: Top scorer 1999A
- South American Footballer of the YearSouth American Footballer of the YearThe South American Footballer of the Year is an annual association football award presented to the best footballer in South America over the previous calendar year. The award was conceived by Venezuelan newspaper El Mundo, whom awarded it from 1971 to 1985. Uruguayan newspaper El País took over...
: 1999 - Player of the Year of ArgentinaPlayer of the Year of ArgentinaThe Footballer of the Year of Argentina is a yearly award given by the Argentine Sports Journalists' Circle as one of the Olimpia Awards, the most important sports award in Argentina.The Olimpia...
: 1999 - FIFA U-20 World Cup: Top scorer 2001
- FIFA U-20 World CupFIFA U-20 World CupThe 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...
: MVP 2001 - Portuguese League Player of the Month: December 2009
- Portuguese Golden BallPortuguese Golden BallThe Portuguese Golden Ball is an annual award given, by Portuguese newspaper A Bola, to the player who is adjudged to have been the best of the year in the Primeira Liga. The first winner of the award was Eusébio, in 1991...
: 2010