Roberto Acuña

Roberto Acuña
Personal information
Full name Roberto Miguel Acuña Cabello
Date of birth 25 March 1972 (1972-03-25) (age 39)
Place of birth Avellaneda, Argentina
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current club Rubio Ñú
Number 10
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1989–1993 Club Nacional
1993–1994 Argentinos Juniors 33 (4)
1994–1995 Boca Juniors 31 (3)
1995–1997 Indepediente 65 (3)
1997–2002 Zaragoza 153 (23)
2002–2006 Deportivo La Coruña 14 (0)
2003–2004 → Elche (loan) 26 (2)
2004 → Al Ain (loan) 4 (0)
2007 Rosario Central 4 (0)
2007 Olimpia 16 (3)
2009– Rubio Ñu 62 (12)
National team
1993–2011 Paraguay 100 (5)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 31 August 2011.
† Appearances (Goals).
This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Acuña and the second or maternal family name is Cabello.

Roberto Miguel Acuña Cabello (born 25 March 1972 in Avellaneda, Buenos Aires, Argentina) is a Paraguayan 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.

Contents

Club career

At a young age, Acuña migrated to Paraguay, 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 Aragonese, 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.[1] With the Galicians, however, Acuña never appeared more than seven times in the league during his spell, also struggling with injuries[2] and being often loaned.[3]

Acuña first retired in 2007, finishing his career in Paraguay with Olimpia Asunción. In 2001, he won the Paraguayan Footballer of the Year award.[4] However, in 2009, he came out of inactivity, signing with lowly Club Rubio Ñú.

International career

Like defender Gamarra, Acuña appeared in three FIFA World Cups, and collected in total 100 caps, scoring five times.[5] 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).[6]

Acuña retired from international competition on 11 June 2011 at the age of 39, captaining Paraguay in a friendly with Romania.

Honours

Club

Individual

References

  1. ^ Deportivo swoop for Acuña; UEFA.com, 10 July 2002
  2. ^ Acuña despair for Deportivo; UEFA.com, 17 April 2003
  3. ^ Deportivo return for 'Toro'; UEFA.com, 1 February 2005
  4. ^ El historial del galardón (Award's history); ABC Color (Spanish)
  5. ^ Paraguay - Record International Players; at RSSSF
  6. ^ "Germany edge out Paraguay". BBC Sport. 15 June 2002. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport3/worldcup2002/hi/matches_wallchart/germany_v_paraguay/default.stm. Retrieved 15 September 2011. 

External links