Roberto Acuña
Encyclopedia
Roberto Miguel Acuña Cabello (born 25 March 1972 in Avellaneda
, Buenos Aires
, Argentina
) is a Paraguay
an footballer who plays for Club Rubio Ñú
.
Nicknamed El Toro (bull
) due to his strength and dominating presence, he operated as a central midfielder. He spent several years as a professional in Spain
, at Real Zaragoza
and Deportivo de La Coruña
, being very unlucky at the latter.
, where he started playing for Club Nacional
in 1989. After five years, he decided to acquire the country's citizenship to play for the national team
, eventually becoming the second most capped player in Paraguay's history, second only to central defender Carlos Gamarra
.
Afterwards, Acuña played four seasons back in Argentina, with Argentinos Juniors
, Club Atlético Independiente
and Boca Juniors
, before moving to Europe
in 1997, where he signed with Spain
's Real Zaragoza
. With the Aragon
ese, he was an everpresent midfield fixture, helping the side to the 2001 domestic cup
, and netting 20 goals in five seasons, alone in the league
.
Consequently, Acuña attracted attention from Deportivo de La Coruña
, which bought the player for five years and €
11, even though he was still due a five-match suspension from the previous season, where Zaragoza relegated. With the Galicians, however, Acuña never appeared more than seven times in the league during his spell, also struggling with injuries and being often loaned.
Acuña first retired in 2007, finishing his career in Paraguay with Olimpia Asunción
. In 2001, he won the Paraguayan Footballer of the Year
award. However, in 2009, he came out of inactivity, signing with lowly Club Rubio Ñú
.
s, and collected in total 100 caps
, scoring five times. He appeared in all the matches during those three editions, and was the first Paraguayan to be sent off
in a World Cup when he elbowed
Germany
's Michael Ballack
in the last minute of the 0–1 round of 16 loss (for a second bookable offense).
Acuña retired from international competition on 11 June 2011 at the age of 39, captaining Paraguay in a friendly
with Romania
.
Avellaneda
Avellaneda is a port city in the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and the seat of the Avellaneda Partido, whose population was 328,980 as per the ....
, Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires Province
The Province of Buenos Aires is the largest and most populous province of Argentina. It takes the name from the city of Buenos Aires, which used to be the provincial capital until it was federalized in 1880...
, 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...
) is a 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 who plays for Club Rubio Ñú
Club Rubio Ñú
Club Rubio Ñu is a Paraguayan football club based in the Barrio Santísima Trinidad of Asunción. The club was founded August 24, 1913 and plays in the first division of the Paraguayan football league...
.
Nicknamed El Toro (bull
Bull
Bull usually refers to an uncastrated adult male bovine.Bull may also refer to:-Entertainment:* Bull , an original show on the TNT Network* "Bull" , an episode of television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation...
) due to his strength and dominating presence, he operated as a central midfielder. He spent several years as a professional 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...
, at Real Zaragoza
Real Zaragoza
Real Zaragoza, S.A.D. is a Spanish association football team from Zaragoza in Spain. Founded on 18 March 1932, Real Zaragoza have spent the majority of their 78 year history in the Spanish top-flight. Real Zaragoza are Spain's 9th highest ranked team in overall league points...
and Deportivo de La Coruña
Deportivo de La Coruña
Real Club Deportivo de La Coruña is a professional football club based in the city of A Coruña, Galicia; founded in 1906 and currently playing in Segunda División...
, being very unlucky at the latter.
Club career
At a young age, Acuña migrated to ParaguayParaguay
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...
, where he started playing for Club Nacional
Club Nacional
Club Nacional is a Paraguayan football team, based in the neighbourhood of Barrio Obrero in Asunción, founded in 1904.-History:The club was founded on June 5, 1904 by a group of alumni of the Colegio Nacional de la Capital, one of the oldest public schools in Asunción...
in 1989. After five years, he decided to acquire the country's citizenship to play for the national team
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...
, eventually becoming the second most capped player in Paraguay's history, second only to central defender Carlos Gamarra
Carlos Gamarra
Carlos Alberto Gamarra Pavón is a former football player. He captained the Paraguay national team at international level, playing at Centre back, and is the most capped player in Paraguayan football history, having made 110 international appearances and scoring 12 goals.Gamarra is known for his...
.
Afterwards, Acuña played four seasons back in Argentina, with Argentinos Juniors
Argentinos Juniors
Asociación Atlética Argentinos Juniors is an Argentine football club based in La Paternal, Buenos Aires. Founded on August 15, 1904, the club was originally called the “Martyrs of Chicago”, in homage to the eight anarchists imprisoned or hanged after the 1886 Haymarket Riot in Chicago.-Early...
, Club Atlético Independiente
Club Atlético Independiente
Club Atlético Independiente is an Argentine athletic, sports and social club, which has its headquarters and stadium in the city of Avellaneda, Buenos Aires Province. The club is best known for its football team, that plays in the Argentine Primera División....
and Boca Juniors
Boca Juniors
Club Atlético Boca Juniors is an Argentine sports club based in La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It is best known for its professional football team, which currently plays in the Primera División....
, before moving to 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...
in 1997, where he signed with 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...
's Real Zaragoza
Real Zaragoza
Real Zaragoza, S.A.D. is a Spanish association football team from Zaragoza in Spain. Founded on 18 March 1932, Real Zaragoza have spent the majority of their 78 year history in the Spanish top-flight. Real Zaragoza are Spain's 9th highest ranked team in overall league points...
. With the Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
ese, he was an everpresent midfield fixture, helping the side to the 2001 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 ....
, and netting 20 goals in five seasons, alone in the league
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...
.
Consequently, Acuña attracted attention from Deportivo de La Coruña
Deportivo de La Coruña
Real Club Deportivo de La Coruña is a professional football club based in the city of A Coruña, Galicia; founded in 1906 and currently playing in Segunda División...
, which bought the player for five years and €
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,...
11, even though he was still due a five-match suspension from the previous season, where Zaragoza relegated. With the Galicians, however, Acuña never appeared more than seven times in the league during his spell, also struggling with injuries and being often loaned.
Acuña first retired in 2007, finishing his career in Paraguay with 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....
. In 2001, he won the Paraguayan Footballer of the Year
Paraguayan Footballer of the Year
The Paraguayan Footballer of the Year is an award given to the best Paraguayan professional football player every year. The award began officially in 1997 and it is presented by Paraguayan newspaper Diario ABC Color...
award. However, in 2009, he came out of inactivity, signing with lowly Club Rubio Ñú
Club Rubio Ñú
Club Rubio Ñu is a Paraguayan football club based in the Barrio Santísima Trinidad of Asunción. The club was founded August 24, 1913 and plays in the first division of the Paraguayan football league...
.
International career
Like defender Gamarra, Acuña appeared in three FIFA World CupFIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
s, and collected in total 100 caps
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
, scoring five times. He appeared in all the matches during those three editions, and was the first Paraguayan to be sent off
Ejection (sports)
In sports, an ejection is one of several disqualifying actions assessed to a player or coach by a game official , usually for unsportsmanlike conduct....
in a World Cup when he elbowed
Elbow (strike)
An elbow strike is a strike with the point of the elbow, the part of the forearm nearest to the elbow, or the part of the upper arm nearest to the elbow...
Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
's Michael Ballack
Michael Ballack
Michael Ballack is a German professional footballer, who is currently playing for Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen. He is among the top goal scorers in the history of his international team. Ballack has worn the number 13 shirt for every team he has played for except for Kaiserslautern...
in the last minute of the 0–1 round of 16 loss (for a second bookable offense).
Acuña retired from international competition on 11 June 2011 at the age of 39, captaining Paraguay in a 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...
with Romania
Romania national football team
The Romania national football team is the national football team of Romania and is controlled by the Romanian Football Federation.Romania is one of only four national teams, the other three being Brazil, France, and Belgium, that took part in the first three World Cups.However, after that...
.
Club
- IndependienteClub Atlético IndependienteClub Atlético Independiente is an Argentine athletic, sports and social club, which has its headquarters and stadium in the city of Avellaneda, Buenos Aires Province. The club is best known for its football team, that plays in the Argentine Primera División....
:- South American SupercupSupercopa SudamericanaThe Supercopa Sudamericana , also known as the Supercopa Libertadores João Havelange, Supercopa Libertadores, Supercopa João Havelange or simply Supercopa, was a football club competition contested annually by the past winners of the Copa Libertadores...
: 1995
- South American Supercup
- ZaragozaReal ZaragozaReal Zaragoza, S.A.D. is a Spanish association football team from Zaragoza in Spain. Founded on 18 March 1932, Real Zaragoza have spent the majority of their 78 year history in the Spanish top-flight. Real Zaragoza are Spain's 9th highest ranked team in overall league points...
:- Spanish CupCopa del ReyThe 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 ....
: 2000–01
- Spanish Cup
- DeportivoDeportivo de La CoruñaReal Club Deportivo de La Coruña is a professional football club based in the city of A Coruña, Galicia; founded in 1906 and currently playing in Segunda División...
:- Spanish SupercupSupercopa de EspañaThe Supercopa de España is a Spanish football championship contested by the winners of La Liga and the Copa del Rey...
: 20022002 Supercopa de EspañaThe 2002 Supercopa de España was two-leg Spanish football matches played on 18 August and 25 August 2002. It contested by RCD de la Coruña, who were Spanish Cup winners in 2001–02, and Valencia CF, who won the 2001–02 Spanish League.-First leg:-Second leg:...
- Spanish Supercup
External links
- Argentine League statistics
- BDFutbol profile
- International appearances; at RSSSFRec.Sport.Soccer Statistics FoundationThe Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation is an international amateur organization dedicated to collecting statistics about association football...
- FootballLineups profile