Mark González

Not to be confused with Mark Gonzales.
Mark González

González training with CSKA Moscow in 2011
Personal information
Full name Mark Dennis González Hoffmann
Date of birth (1984-07-10) 10 July 1984
Place of birth Durban, South Africa
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in)
Playing position Winger
Club information
Current team
 Sport
Number 11
Youth career
SG Borken
Universidad Católica
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2002–2004 Universidad Católica 42 (13)
2004–2006 Albacete 25 (5)
2006–2007 Liverpool 25 (2)
2006 → Real Sociedad (loan) 16 (6)
2007–2009 Betis 44 (10)
2009–2014 CSKA Moscow 49 (6)
2014–2016 Universidad Católica 41 (14)
2016– Sport 0 (0)
National team‡
2004 Chile U23 7 (2)
2003- Chile 54 (6)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17 July 2015.
† Appearances (goals)

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 28 January 2015
This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is González and the second or maternal family name is Hoffmann.

Mark Dennis González Hoffmann (born 10 July 1984), commonly known as Mark González, is a Chilean footballer who plays for Sport of the Brazilian Série A as a left winger. He has also played top-flight football in Russia, Spain and England. He was described by José Mari Bakero, the sporting director one of his former clubs, Real Sociedad, as "fast and explosive, the classic left winger but with technical discipline",[1] while he has claimed himself that his speed is his greatest asset.[2]

He made his international debut in 2003, and was selected in Chile's squads for two Copa América tournaments and the 2010 World Cup.

Early life

Mark González was born in Durban, South Africa. His father Raúl was a professional footballer for Durban Bush Bucks, and named him after his friends and fellow footballers Mark Tovey and Dennis Wicks. He left South Africa aged 10 in 1994 and moved back to Chile with his mother.[3][4]

Club career

Liverpool

González had agreed a move to Liverpool on loan for the 2005–06 season (with a view to a permanent £1.5 million move) from Albacete Balompié. However, he was denied a work permit by the Department of Education and Employment in August 2005. The Liverpool management showed great faith in González, pursuing his services despite work permit troubles and a cruciate knee ligament injury. After a quicker than expected return to fitness Liverpool were persuaded to make the move permanent in October 2005, but the player was immediately loaned back to Albacete to continue his recuperation after an appeal against the earlier work permit decision was rejected (a new work permit application can only be put forward one year after the original application). Arrangements were then made for the player to spend a loan spell at Real Sociedad until summer 2006.

Real Sociedad (loan)

González was presented on loan at Real Sociedad on 30 January 2006, until 30 June, alongside Jhon Viáfara whom the club had loaned from Portsmouth.[1][2] González said that at Sociedad he would aim to improve his tactical play.[2]

At Sociedad González put in some good performances, most notably against Real Madrid, against whom he scored Sociedad's equaliser as the game finished 1–1. He played 16 league games for Sociedad and scored 5 goals. Sociedad showed interest in taking him permanently, along with several other La Liga clubs, but González is quoted to have said "I am very thankful to Real Sociedad and their coach Jose Mari Bakero, but while they'd like me to stay I'm going to England to join Liverpool."[5]

González is now eligible for a Spanish passport, and a work permit application has now been granted. On 30 June 2006, Mark González retired from international football, at the age of 21. This was due to a rift with the national team coach who had sent him home from the Chilean international tour. However he has since made himself available again for play with the national team.

Return to Liverpool

On 5 July 2006, González was granted a work permit, and was allowed to start his Liverpool career, wearing the number 11 shirt. His manager, Rafael Benítez, said "This is very good news for us and I am absolutely delighted to welcome Mark González to Liverpool as he is a player the supporters will like to see". González made his first appearance as a half-time substitute for fellow debutant Fabio Aurelio in a pre-season friendly away against Crewe Alexandra on 22 July.[6]

González made an excellent first impression on his competitive debut on 9 August 2006 against Israeli side Maccabi Haifa, after coming off the bench in the 85th minute for Steven Gerrard. He scored an 88th-minute winner in Liverpool's Champions League 3rd Round Qualifier to seal a 2–1 win.[7] He scored his first Premier League goal in Liverpool's 3–0 win over Tottenham Hotspur on his first Premiership start for the club.[8] He scored just once more for Liverpool, in a 4–0 win over Fulham in December.[9]

González was injured inside the first ten minutes of the quarter-finals of the League Cup against Arsenal on 9 January 2007 as a result of a challenge on Theo Walcott. He was brought off on a stretcher for Luis García, who was also taken off injured later in the match as Liverpool lost 3–6.[10] He played his last game for Liverpool on 5 May 2007 against Fulham in a 1–0 defeat.[11]

Real Betis

On 24 May 2007, Rafael Benítez confirmed that Liverpool had almost reached an agreement with Real Betis over the Chilean winger.[12] On 12 June Mark González confirmed that he had signed a contract for £5 million with Real Betis, who presented him to the press and fans on 17 July 2007. He went on to score on his home debut with a penalty goal in the 1–0 victory over Champions League holders AC Milan in the Centenary Match in front of 55,000 fans. González scored in a famous 2–1 victory over high-flying Real Madrid to steer Betis out of the relegation zone in La Liga. González scored ten goals in 44 first team appearances for the club. Betis received an offer of €11 million from an unnamed club in July 2008.[13]

CSKA Moscow

González in action against Inter Milan in the Champions League in April 2010

In June 2009, following the relegation of Real Betis, Greek double holders Olympiacos F.C. made an offer of €3 million to secure him a starting eleven position in their squad for the forthcoming Champions League, but CSKA Moscow offered €6.5 million and on 11 August 2009, he signed a 5-year deal with the Russian club.[14][15] He debuted for the club on 16 August 2009, in a league match away to Lokomotiv Moscow.

On 6 December 2010, it was reported that he had been accused of rape in Moscow. However, later the same day the investigators announced that the accused was an unrelated Portuguese citizen named Mario Gonzalez, who is also allegedly a professional footballer.[16]

On 21 January 2014, CSKA announced that Gonzalez had left them to join Universidad Católica in Chile on loan.[17] In December 2014, Gonzalez had his CSKA contract terminated by mutal consent.[18]

Universidad Católica

Originally a loan, González joined his first professional club Universidad Católica in Chile in the January of 2015, after spending 10 years abroad. After the mutual termination of his contract at CSKA, he joined Católica on a permanent move as a free agent. He helped the team with 9 goals in the campaign which Católica won. It was also González's first Primera División win, after finishing second in the 2002 Clausura.[19][20]

Turning 31 in July 2015, he signed a new 1-year deal with Católica for the 2015–16 season.[21]

Sport Recife

On January 4, 2016 Mark González joined Brazilian Série A club Sport Recife.

International career

On 21 June 2010, González scored the only goal of the game for Chile against Switzerland during the group stage of the FIFA World Cup in South Africa, heading in a cross from Esteban Paredes.[22]

He was named in the preliminary squad for the 2015 Copa America but was omitted from the final squad.[23]

International goals

Scores and results list Chile's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 11 June 2003 Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano, San Pedro Sula, Honduras  Honduras 1–1 2–1 Friendly
2. 30 March 2004 Estadio Hernando Siles, La Paz, Bolivia  Bolivia 2–0 2–0 FIFA World Cup qualifier
3. 9 February 2005 Estadio Sausalito, Viña del Mar, Chile  Ecuador 1–0 3–0 Friendly
4. 21 June 2010 Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, South Africa   Switzerland 1–0 1–0 2010 World Cup
5. 28 January 2015 Estadio El Teniente, Rancagua, Chile  United States 2–2 3–2 Friendly
6. 3–2

Personal life

González began dating Chilean television personality and model Maura Rivera in 2008, and they married in 2010. They have one son, Mark González, Jr.[24]

Career honours

Club

Liverpool
CSKA

Individual

References

  1. 1 2 Ramajo, Roberto (1 February 2006). "Viáfara y Mark González están listos para debutar el domingo". Diario AS. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 Cendero, Javier (30 January 2006). "La Real Sociedad presenta a Viáfara y Mark González [Real Sociedad present Viáfara and Mark González]". Merca Futbol. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  3. ↑ "Gonzalez grew up in the apartheid regime". Gulf News. 10 June 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  4. ↑ Sadler, Ian (24 May 2006). "Liverpool winger 'made and named in SA'". iol.co.za. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  5. ↑ "Gonzalez committed to Reds". Skysports.com. 10 May 2006. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  6. ↑ "Crewe Alexandra 0-1 Liverpool". Liverweb.
  7. ↑ "Liverpool 2–1 Maccabi Haifa". BBC. 9 August 2006. Retrieved 3 November 2009.
  8. ↑ McNulty, Phil (23 September 2006). "Liverpool 3–0 Tottenham". BBC. Retrieved 3 November 2009.
  9. ↑ Sinnott, John (10 December 2006). "Liverpool 4–0 Fulham". BBC. Retrieved 3 November 2009.
  10. ↑ Lyon, Sam (9 January 2007). "Liverpool 3-6 Arsenal". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  11. ↑ "Fulham 1–0 Liverpool". LFCHistory.net. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  12. ↑ "González set to leave Reds". Report on liverpoolfc.tv. 24 May 2007. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  13. ↑ "Offer for Betis duo". Report on /www.realbetisbalompie.es. 16 July 2008. Archived from the original on 16 June 2011. Retrieved 16 July 2008.
  14. ↑ Mira, Luís (11 August 2009). "Official: CSKA Moscow Sign Betis Winger Mark Gonzalez". Goal.com. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  15. ↑ "PFC CSKA sign Mark Gonzalez". PFC CSKA Moscow. 12 August 2009. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  16. ↑ Zheglov, Aleksandr (6 December 2010). "Footballer was accused of rape too soon". Kommersant. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  17. ↑ "Mark Gonzalez joins Universidad Catolica on loan, Jesus will continue career in Mexico". http://pfc-cska.com/en/. Retrieved 2 October 2014. External link in |publisher= (help)
  18. ↑ Марк Гонсалес покинул ПФК ЦСКА. http://pfc-cska.com (in Russian). PFC CSKA Moscow. 24 December 2014. Retrieved 30 December 2014. External link in |website= (help)
  19. ↑ Futebol.com (in Spanish) http://www.futebol.com/chile/perfil-de-mark-gonzalez-34233.html. Retrieved 17 July 2015. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  20. ↑ Soccerway.com http://nr.soccerway.com/players/mark-dennis-gonzalez-hoffmann/2973/. Retrieved 17 July 2015. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  21. ↑ Emol.com (in Spanish). 22 June 2015 http://www.emol.com/noticias/Deportes/2015/06/22/722709/Mark-Gonzalez-renueva-su-contrato-por-dos-anos-mas-con-Universidad-Catolica.html. Retrieved 17 July 2015. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  22. ↑ Young, Colin (22 June 2010). "WORLD CUP 2010: Chile 1 Switzerland 0: Behrami bitter as the Swiss choke on Chile". Daily Mail. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  23. ↑ "Sampaoli confirms final Chile squad for Copa America". goal.com. 1 June 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  24. ↑ "Los seis años de amor de Maura Rivera y Mark González" [The six years of love between Maura Rivera and Mark González] (in Spanish). Zeleb.cl. 12 May 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2015.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mark González.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Sunday, January 31, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.