Julio Valentín González
Encyclopedia
Julio Valentín Ferreira González (born 26 August 1981 in Asunción
) is a retired Paraguay
an footballer
.
González played for Paraguay
at the 2004 Olympics
, helping the squad to a silver medal. He also competed with the team at the .
club Vicenza
as of December 2005, was due to represent his country in the upcoming 2006 FIFA World Cup
in Germany
. However, on 22 December 2005, he was involved in a terrible car accident as he was going to Venice
airport in order to take a flight over the holidays. After a long hospitalization, on 17 January 2006, González finally suffered the amputation of his left arm. The event was an important news item, and he immediately enjoyed the support of the whole sports world, including a visit from Alex Zanardi
.
González then underwent a long period of rehabilitation, always considering a comeback to active football. The player, who was confirmed under contract with Vicenza for the 2006-07 season
despite his inability was then awarded the Giacinto Facchetti
Prize by Italian sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport
.
On July 2007, González returned to Paraguay and started training with club Tacuary
, where his younger brother (Celso) plays. A few days later, he confirmed in an interview to La Gazzetta dello Sport
he will also serve as local scout for his former team Vicenza.
González finally managed to make his comeback on 18 November 2007, playing for Tacuary in a Paraguayan First Division
match against South American giants Olimpia Asunción
. He played for 57 minutes. The news gained massive media exposure in Italy as well. In 2008, González went to play for Presidente Hayes
.
Later that year in 2008, González took over Inter Campus, an Internazionale youth academy based in Paraguay.
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...
) is a retired 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 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...
.
González played for Paraguay
Paraguay national football team
The Paraguay national football team is controlled by the Paraguayan Football Association and represents Paraguay in men's international football competitions. The team has reached the second round of the World Cup on four occasions . The 2010 trip also featured their first appearance in the...
at the 2004 Olympics
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...
, helping the squad to a silver medal. He also competed with the team at the .
Career
González, the topscorer for Serie BSerie B
Serie B, currently named Serie bwin due to sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest division in the Italian football league system after the Serie A. It is contested by 22 teams and organized by the Lega Serie B since July 2010, after the split of Lega Calcio that previously took care of both the...
club Vicenza
Vicenza Calcio
Vicenza Calcio is an Italian football club based in Vicenza, Veneto. The club was formed in 1902 and currently plays in Italy's Serie B, having spent the entire 1960s and a large part of the 1990s in Serie A...
as of December 2005, was due to represent his country in the upcoming 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...
in 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...
. However, on 22 December 2005, he was involved in a terrible car accident as he was going to Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
airport in order to take a flight over the holidays. After a long hospitalization, on 17 January 2006, González finally suffered the amputation of his left arm. The event was an important news item, and he immediately enjoyed the support of the whole sports world, including a visit from Alex Zanardi
Alex Zanardi
Alessandro "Alex" Zanardi is an Italian racing driver and paracyclist.He won two CART championship titles in North America during the late 1990s. He also had a less successful career as a Formula One driver...
.
González then underwent a long period of rehabilitation, always considering a comeback to active football. The player, who was confirmed under contract with Vicenza for the 2006-07 season
Serie B 2006-07
The 2006-07 Serie B season started on September 9, 2006 and ended on June 10, 2007. The 22 clubs in Serie B each played 42 matches during the regular season....
despite his inability was then awarded the Giacinto Facchetti
Giacinto Facchetti
Giacinto Facchetti was an Italian football player. From January 2004 until his death, he was President of Internazionale, the club for which he played for his whole career during the 1960s and 1970s, playing 634 official games and scoring 75 goals. He played for the Internazionale team remembered...
Prize by Italian sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport
La Gazzetta dello Sport
La Gazzetta dello Sport is an Italian newspaper dedicated to coverage of various sports. It was first published on April 3, 1896, allowing it to cover the first modern Olympic Games held in Athens...
.
On July 2007, González returned to Paraguay and started training with club Tacuary
Tacuary
Tacuary Foot Ball Club is a Paraguayan football team, based in the neighborhood of Barrio Jara, Asunción. The club was founded in 1923. Despite being a small team that got promoted to the first division fairly recently , Tacuary qualified to the prestigious Copa Libertadores tournament twice and...
, where his younger brother (Celso) plays. A few days later, he confirmed in an interview to La Gazzetta dello Sport
La Gazzetta dello Sport
La Gazzetta dello Sport is an Italian newspaper dedicated to coverage of various sports. It was first published on April 3, 1896, allowing it to cover the first modern Olympic Games held in Athens...
he will also serve as local scout for his former team Vicenza.
González finally managed to make his comeback on 18 November 2007, playing for Tacuary in a Paraguayan First Division
Liga Paraguaya: Primera División
The División Profesional de la Asociación Paraguaya de Fútbol , also known as the Primera División , or due to sponsorship reasons Copa TIGO, is the top-flight professional football league in Paraguay...
match against South American giants Olimpia Asunción
Olimpia Asunción
Club Olimpia is a Paraguayan sport club based in Asunción. It is best known for its professional football team which plays in the Paraguayan Primera División....
. He played for 57 minutes. The news gained massive media exposure in Italy as well. In 2008, González went to play for Presidente Hayes
Club Presidente Hayes
Presidente Hayes is a Paraguayan football club from Tacumbu, a section of Asunción, Paraguay. The club is also known colloquially by its nicknames The Yankees and The Little Star...
.
Later that year in 2008, González took over Inter Campus, an Internazionale youth academy based in Paraguay.