Nelson Rivas

Nelson Rivas
Personal information
Full name Nelson Enrique Rivas López
Date of birth 25 March 1983 (1983-03-25) (age 28)
Place of birth Pradera, Colombia
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position Defender
Club information
Current club Montreal Impact
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2002 Deportivo Pasto 12 (0)
2003 Deportivo Cali 3 (0)
2003 Deportes Tolima 18 (0)
2004–2006 Deportivo Cali 93 (2)
2007 River Plate 9 (0)
2007–2011 Internazionale 16 (0)
2009–2010 → Livorno (loan) 16 (2)
2011 → Dnipro (loan) 1 (0)
2012– Montreal Impact 0 (0)
National team
2008 Colombia 1 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of October 3, 2011.
† Appearances (Goals).
This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Rivas and the second or maternal family name is López.

Nelson Rivas is a Colombian football defender who plays for the Montreal Impact of Major League Soccer.[1] He was born on 25 March 1983, in the city of Pradera in Colombia. He currently plays as a central defender or right back. He is nicknamed Tyson after the famous American boxer due to his size, appearance and strength. Inter fans have also nicknamed him The Giant.

Career

Rivas began his career with Deportivo Pasto. After playing for several clubs in his native Colombia, Rivas became a fixture for Deportivo Cali. He was a two time winner of the Copa Mustang in Colombia, first with Deportes Tolima in 2003 and for the second time with Deportivo Cali in 2005. After leaving Cali he played for legendary club River Plate in Argentina.

Rivas was bought in July 2007 by Internazionale for €5 million[2] and signed a contract until the 30 June 2011. The transfer fee actually paid via FC Locarno[2][3] in order to redistributed to investor. He made his debut in a Champions League game Fenerbahçe-Inter (1-0). On 23 September 2007 it was reported in Italy that Rivas had collapsed at the Saturday training session the previous day. He went to further examinations throughout the week after the incident.[4] On 4 October 2008 he injured his knee in the Serie A game against Bologna.[5] While with Inter he became a Serie A champion, having won it in the 2007–2008 season and 2008-2009.

He was loaned to A.S. Livorno Calcio during the 2009-2010 season where he played a total of 16 games scoring 2 goals[6]. On 31 August 2011 the Colombian stopper became a free agent after his contract at Inter was rescinded by mutual consent[7].

On 2 October 2011 Nelson Rivas signed with Montreal Impact of Major League Soccer[8].

Honours

Season Club Title
2003 Deportes Tolima Copa Mustang
2005 Deportivo Cali Copa Mustang
2008 Inter Serie A
2008 Inter Italian Super Cup
2009 Inter Serie A

References

  1. ^ http://www.montrealimpact.com/News/News.aspx?language=EN&ArticleID=1760&Focus=0
  2. ^ a b FC Internazionale Milano 2007–08 bilancio, Require purchase in CCIAA (Italian)
  3. ^ "Deposito Trasferimenti Calciatori - Stagione Sportiva 2007/2008". Lega Calcio. ca. September 2007. Archived from the original on 26 September 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070926232427/http://www.lega-calcio.it/ita/trasferimenti07080.shtml. Retrieved 5 January 2011. 
  4. ^ "Combi: "Rivas tests reassuring"". www.inter.it. http://www.inter.it/aas/news/reader?L=en&N=27529&stringa=Rivas. 
  5. ^ Rivas Requires Surgery
  6. ^ http://www.goal.com/en/news/10/italy/2009/08/25/1461356/livorno-sign-inter-defender-nelson-rivas-report
  7. ^ http://www.football-italia.net/aug31n.html
  8. ^ http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/10/03/colombian-defender-rivas-montreals-first-signing
Montreal Impact – current squad