Carlos Valderrama (footballer)
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Carlos Valderrama | ||
Personal information | ||
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Full name | Carlos Alberto Valderrama Palacio | |
Date of birth | September 2, 1961 (age 45) | |
Place of birth | Santa Marta, Colombia | |
Height | 5' 9" (175 cm) | |
Nickname | El Pibe | |
Playing position | Central midfielder | |
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Carlos Alberto Valderrama Palacio (born September 2, 1961 in Santa Marta) is a former Colombian soccer player, a creative midfielder considered the best Colombian player of all time. [1]
Nicknamed El Pibe ("The kid"), Valderrama is recognizable for his enormous dyed blondish-orange bush of hair and is known for his skillful passing and shielding. One of the most formidable powers of Valderrama is his ability to dominate the match playing in walking pace. Valderrama captained Colombia during the 1990, 1994, and 1998 World Cups, before announcing his international retirement after the 1998 competition having received 111 caps and scored 11 times. He won the Colombian championship with Atlético Junior in 1993 and 1995. One example of excellent field vision was in the 1990 World Cup in Italy. In the game against Germany, Valderrama passed the ball to Freddy Rincon who was open for a pass. Rincon then scored through the legs of German goalkeeper Bodo Illgner. This goal tied the match at 1-1 and sent Colombia to the second round of the World Cup for the first time in its history and the only team Germany could not beat on their way to the championship.
He began his career at Unión Magdalena of the Colombian First Division in 1981. He also played for Millonarios and Deportivo Cali before joining Montpellier of the French First Division in 1988. to play for Independiente Medellín and Atlético Junior from 1993-96 before going to the US in 1996 to play for the Tampa Bay Mutiny (1996-97, 2000-01), Miami Fusion (1998-99), and Colorado Rapids (2001-02). In Major League Soccer, Valderrama scored relatively few goals (16) for a midfielder, but is the league's all-time leader in assists (114). In 2005, he was named to the MLS All-Time Best XI.
In February 2004, Valderrama ended his 22-year career in a tribute match at the Metropolitan stadium of Barranquilla, with some of the most important football players of South America, such as Diego Maradona (he couldn't play), Enzo Francescoli and José Luis Chilavert. Despite ending his career, recent attempts have been made to try and persuade the former South American Footballer of the Year out of retirement and to play at a semi-professional level. Clubs rumoured to have approached him are Deportivo Cali, Once Caldas, Centauros Villavicencio and Leek Town.
He is married and has five children. Valderrama was the only Colombian to feature in FIFA's 125 Top Living Football Players list in March 2004.
Contents |
[edit] Career
Team | Nation | Years | Apps | Goals |
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Unión Magdalena | 1981-1983 | |||
Millonarios | 1984 | |||
Deportivo Cali | 1985-1987 | |||
Montpellier SC | 1988-1990 | |||
Real Valladolid | 1991 | |||
Independiente Medellín | 1992 | |||
Atlético Junior | 1993-1995 | |||
Tampa Bay Mutiny | 1996-1997 | |||
Miami Fusion | 1998 | |||
Tampa Bay Mutiny | 1999-2001 | |||
Colorado Rapids | 2002 |
[edit] Trivia
- He appeared in the cover of Konami game ISS PRO '98.
- There is a 22 foot tall bronze statue of Valderrama beside the Eduardo Santos stadium in Santa Marta, Colombia, created by Colombian artist, Amilkar Ariza.
[edit] Honours
- South American Footballer of the Year (1987, 1993)
- French Cup winner (1990)
- Colombian Championship winner with Junior Barranquilla (1993, 1995)
- MLS Player of the Year (1996)
- MLS All-time Assist King
- MLS All-star game MVP
- Member of the FIFA Century Club
[edit] External links
[edit] See also
Preceded by Antonio Alzamendi |
South American Footballer of the Year 1987 |
Succeeded by Rubén Paz |
Preceded by Raí |
South American Footballer of the Year 1993 |
Succeeded by Cafu |
Major League Soccer | MLS All-Time Best XI |
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Tony Meola | Jeff Agoos | Marcelo Balboa | Eddie Pope | Landon Donovan | Marco Etcheverry |
Colombia squad - 1990 FIFA World Cup | ||
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1 Higuita | 2 Escobar | 3 Gildardo Gómez | 4 Herrera | 5 Villa | 6 Pérez | 7 Estrada | 8 Gabriel Gómez | 9 Guerrero | 10 Valderrama | 11 Redín | 12 Niño | 13 Hoyos | 14 Álvarez | 15 Perea | 16 Iguarán | 17 Cassiani | 18 Cabrera | 19 Rincón | 20 Fajardo | 21 Mendoza | 22 Hernández | Coach: Maturana |
Colombia squad - 1994 FIFA World Cup | ||
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1 Córdoba | 2 Escobar | 3 Mendoza | 4 Herrera | 5 Gaviria | 6 Gómez | 7 de Ávila | 8 Lozano | 9 Valenciano | 10 Valderrama | 11 Valencia | 12 Mondragón | 13 Ortiz | 14 Álvarez | 15 Perea | 16 Aristizábal | 17 Serna | 18 Cortés | 19 Rincón | 20 Pérez | 21 Asprilla | 22 Pazo | Coach: Maturana |
Colombia squad - 1998 FIFA World Cup | ||
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1 O. Córdoba | 2 I. Córdoba | 3 Palacios | 4 Santa | 5 Bermúdez | 6 Serna | 7 de Ávila | 8 Lozano | 9 Valencia | 10 Valderrama | 11 Asprilla | 12 Calero | 13 Cabrera | 14 Bolaño | 15 Aristizábal | 16 Moreno | 17 Estrada | 18 Pérez | 19 Rincón | 20 Ricard | 21 Preciado | 22 Mondragón | Coach: Gómez |
Persondata | |
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NAME | Palacio, Carlos Alberto Valderrama |
ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Valderrama, Carlos |
SHORT DESCRIPTION | Footballer |
DATE OF BIRTH | September 2, 1961 |
PLACE OF BIRTH | Santa Marta, Colombia |
DATE OF DEATH | |
PLACE OF DEATH |
Categories: 1961 births | Living people | Colombian footballers | FIFA 100 | Montpellier HSC players | Real Valladolid footballers | La Liga footballers | Tampa Bay Mutiny players | Miami Fusion players | Colorado Rapids players | FIFA World Cup 1990 players | FIFA World Cup 1994 players | FIFA World Cup 1998 players | Footballers with 100 or more caps