Julio Valentín González

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Julio González
Personal information
Full name Julio Valentín Ferreira González
Date of birth August 26, 1981 (1981-08-26) (age 26)
Place of birth    Asunción, Paraguay
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Playing position striker
Club information
Current club Tacuary
Youth clubs
Olimpia Asunción
Club Guaraní
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
2001
2001-02
2002
2002-03
2003-04
2004
2004-2007
2007-
Guaraní
Vicenza
Huracán (TA) (on loan)
Vicenza
Tacuary (on loan)
Nacional (on loan)
Vicenza
Tacuary
29 (17)
0 (0)
10 (1)
0 (0)
15 (6)
12 (5)
38 (11)
   
National team
2001 Paraguay  ? (?)

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of August 2006.
* Appearances (Goals)

Olympic medal record
Competitor for Flag of Paraguay Paraguay
Men's Football
Silver 2004 Athens Team Competition

Julio Valentín Ferreira González (born 26 August 1981 in Asunción) is a Paraguayan footballer.

González played for Paraguay at the 2004 Olympics, helping them to a silver medal, and at the (Catalan).

González, the topscorer for Serie B club Vicenza as of December 2005, was due to represent his country in the upcoming 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, however on December 22, 2005, he was involved in a terrible car accident, as he was going to Venice airport in order to take a flight for the holiday times. After a long hospitalization, on January 17, 2006, González finally suffered the amputation of his left arm. The event particularly gained importance amongst the news, and González immediately enjoyed the solidarity of the whole sportsworld, included a visit from Alex Zanardi.

González then underwent a long rehabilitation time [1], always considering a comeback to active football. The player, who was confirmed under contract with Vicenza for the 2006-07 season despite his inability[2] was then awarded the Giacinto Facchetti Prize by Italian sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport.

On July 2007 he returned to Paraguay and started training with club Tacuary, where his younger brother (Celso) plays.[3] 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 November 18, 2007, playing for Tacuary in a Paraguayan First Division match against South American giants Olimpia Asunción, playing 57 minutes.[4] The news gained massive media exposure in Italy as well.

[edit] References

Awards
Preceded by
Inaugural winner
La Gazzetta dello Sport's Facchetti Award
2006
Succeeded by
Flag of Iraq Younis Mahmoud