Alberto Junior Rodríguez

Alberto Rodríguez
Personal information
Full nameAlberto Junior Rodríguez Valdelomar
Date of birth31 March 1984
Place of birthLima, Peru
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing positionCentre back
Club information
Current team
None
Youth career
Deportivo Wanka
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2002–2006Sporting Cristal155(10)
2007–2011Braga79(3)
2011–2012Sporting CP7(0)
2012–2014Rio Ave32(3)
National team‡
2003–Peru50(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 11 May 2014.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 3 June 2014
This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Rodríguez and the second or maternal family name is Valdelomar.

Alberto Junior Rodríguez Valdelomar, nicknamed El mudo (mute) (born 31 March 1984), is a Peruvian professional footballer who plays as a central defender.

Club career

Born in Lima, Rodríguez started his football career with Deportivo Wanka, but was quickly taken to national powerhouse Sporting Cristal still aged 18. During his four full seasons he never appeared in less than 30 league matches, with the capital side winning three Clausura titles.

On 28 December 2006 Rodríguez signed a three 1/2-year deal with Portuguese League club S.C. Braga[1] and, on 18 February 2007, played his first league match against U.D. Leiria.[2] He finished his first season with nine appearances, helping the Minho team finish fourth.

In the following four campaigns Rodríguez was irregularly used by Braga due to constant injury problems, but contributed with 20 games as the team finished in a best-ever second place in 2010, adding seven contests in the following campaign's UEFA Europa League, with his team achieving runner-up honours. On 27 May 2011, he penned a four-year contract with national powerhouse Sporting Clube de Portugal.[3]

Under former Braga boss Domingos Paciência, Rodríguez's first and only season with Sporting was again greatly undermined by physical problems, and he only appeared in 13 official matches.[4][5] In mid-July 2012 he was loaned to Deportivo de La Coruña in La Liga, moving to the Spanish side as many teammates,[6][7] but returned to Lisbon after failing on his medical.[8][9]

On 24 July 2012 Rodríguez bought out his contract with Sporting, and signed for fellow top-divisioner Rio Ave FC.

International career

Rodríguez started representing Peru during the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, and quickly became a defensive cornerstone for the national side, representing it at the 2007 Copa América in an eventual quarterfinal exit.

He was also selected for the 2011 Copa América squad, being an important defensive unit as the Sergio Markarián-led team finished in third place in Argentina.[10]

Honours

Club

Sporting Cristal
Braga
Sporting
Rio Ave

Country

References

  1. ↑ Braga bring in Peruvian youngster; UEFA.com, 29 December 2006
  2. ↑ "Tactical Formation". Football-Lineups. Retrieved 23 February 2007.
  3. ↑ Rodriguez assinou por quatro épocas: «Quero ser campeão» (Rodriguez signed for four seasons: «I want to be champion»); A Bola, 27 May 2011 (Portuguese)
  4. ↑ Sporting: Rodríguez foi operado (Sporting: Rodríguez underwent surgery); Relvado, 31 March 2012 (Portuguese)
  5. ↑ Godinho Lopes admite número anormal de lesões (Godinho Lopes admits to abnormal number of injuries); Record, 16 April 2012 (Portuguese)
  6. ↑ Official: Alberto Rodriguez joins Deportivo on loan from Sporting Lisbon; Goal.com, 14 July 2012
  7. ↑ El Deportivo incorpora al peruano Alberto Rodríguez (Deportivo adds Peruvian Alberto Rodríguez); El Correo Gallego, 14 July 2012 (Spanish)
  8. ↑ D. Corunha: Alberto Rodríguez não passou nos exames médicos (D. Corunha: Alberto Rodríguez did not pass medical); Mais Futebol, 18 July 2012 (Portuguese)
  9. ↑ Alberto Rodríguez no fichará por falta de acuerdo (Alberto Rodríguez will not sign for lack of agreement); Diario AS, 22 July 2012 (Spanish)
  10. ↑ "Peru through, Uruguay spoil the party". FIFA.com. 17 July 2011. Retrieved 7 March 2014.

External links