Argentine footballer
In this
Spanish name , the first or paternal
surname is
Rodríguez and the second or maternal family name is
Prado .
Gonzalo Rodríguez
Full name
Gonzalo Javier Rodríguez Prado Date of birth
(1984-04-10 ) 10 April 1984 (age 40) [ 1] Place of birth
Buenos Aires , Argentina[ 1] Height
1.82 m (6 ft 0 in)[ 1] Position(s)
Centre-back Years
Team
Apps
(Gls ) 2002–2004
San Lorenzo
57
(4) 2004–2012
Villarreal
184
(6) 2012–2017
Fiorentina
159
(22) 2017–2020
San Lorenzo
33
(2) Total
433
(34) 2003–2015
Argentina
7
(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals
Gonzalo Javier Rodríguez Prado (Latin American Spanish: [ɡonˈsalo roˈðɾiɣes] ; born 10 April 1984) is an Argentine former professional footballer who played as a central defender .
After starting out at San Lorenzo , he spent most of his career with Villarreal , appearing in 253 competitive matches over the course of eight La Liga seasons (nine goals). He also played five years in the Italian Serie A with Fiorentina .[ 2]
Club career
San Lorenzo
Born in Buenos Aires , Gonzalo started playing with San Lorenzo de Almagro . He made his Primera División debut on 26 July 2002 at the age of 18, against Rosario Central .[ 3]
At age 20, Rodríguez had already represented Argentina , previously having appeared at the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship with the under-20 team .[ 3]
Villarreal
In July 2004, Rodríguez signed for Spain's Villarreal CF , being an undisputed starter in his first two seasons and renewing his contract for a further five years.[ 4] However, after the surprise elimination from the UEFA Intertoto Cup at the hands of NK Maribor , in which he was sent off ,[ 5] and a month into the league campaign , he suffered a serious injury, tearing the cruciate ligament in his right knee; after returning to activity in April 2007, he suffered the same injury two months later.[ 6]
Rodríguez returned to good form in 2008–09 , often partnering Uruguayan Diego Godín [ 7] [ 8] [ 9] and totalling 48 La Liga games over two seasons, with his side always qualifying for the UEFA Europa League , finishing fifth and seventh respectively. On 7 April 2011, in the Europa League quarter-final tie against FC Twente , he broke his fibula following a tough challenge by Marc Janko , being rushed to hospital in an ambulance and lost for the remainder of the season .[ 10] [ 11]
Fiorentina
In early August 2012, following Villarreal's relegation , Gonzalo joined ACF Fiorentina alongside his teammate Borja Valero .[ 12] He scored six Serie A goals from 35 appearances in his first year , helping to a final fourth place and the subsequent Europa League qualification .[ 13]
In the 2015–16 season , Rodríguez was named new team captain by new manager Paulo Sousa .[ 14] He made his 200th competitive appearance for the Italian club on 9 April 2017, and marked the occasion with his 25th goal in a 2–2 away draw against UC Sampdoria .[ 15]
Return to San Lorenzo
Rodríguez returned to San Lorenzo in July 2017, on a free transfer .[ 16] On 23 June 2020, the 36-year-old announced his retirement.[ 17]
Career statistics
Club
[ 18]
International
Argentina [ 18]
Year
Apps
Goals
2003
2
1
2004
1
0
2005
2
0
2008
1
0
2015
1
0
Total
7
1
Scores and results list Argentina's goal tally first. [ 19]
Honours
San Lorenzo
Villarreal
Individual
Fiorentina All-time XI[ 21]
References
^ a b c "Gonzalo Rodriguez" . Eurosport . Retrieved 5 April 2020 .
^ Mata, Javier (25 June 2020). "Gonzalo Rodríguez, uno de los históricos del Villareal [sic ], se retira" [Gonzalo Rodríguez, one of Villarreal's legends, retires]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 February 2024 .
^ a b c "Gonzalo Rodríguez se retira en medio de la pandemia" [Gonzalo Rodríguez retires amidst the pandemic]. Página 12 (in Spanish). 24 June 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2024 .
^ "Villarreal refresh Rodríguez contract" . UEFA. 27 January 2006. Retrieved 3 May 2010 .
^ Pavcnik, Martin (22 July 2006). "Maribor soar as Villarreal crash out" . UEFA. Retrieved 21 February 2024 .
^ "Grim news for Gonzalo at Villarreal" . UEFA. 14 June 2007. Retrieved 26 July 2018 .
^ Fabián, Rafael (5 March 2008). "La pareja de moda" [Hip duo]. El Periódico Mediterráneo (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 January 2018 .
^ Andrés, A. (19 September 2008). "Old Trafford doctora a la pareja Gonzalo-Godín" [Gonzalo-Godín duo get PhD at Old Trafford]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 January 2018 .
^ Ruiz Fájula, Damián (6 July 2010). "Godín vuelve a tiempo" [Godín returns on time]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 January 2018 .
^ "EL: Villarreal punishes FC Twente; Benfica beats PSV" . Sports Illustrated . 7 April 2011. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 18 April 2011 .
^ "El defensa del Villarreal Gonzalo Rodríguez se pierde la temporada por lesión" [Villarreal defender Gonzalo Rodríguez misses season due to injury] (in Spanish). Europa Press . 8 April 2011. Retrieved 21 February 2024 .
^ "Borja Valero, Gonzalo Rodriguez and Aquilani to Fiorentina" . ACF Fiorentina. 4 July 2012. Archived from the original on 29 December 2016. Retrieved 4 August 2012 .
^ Pinna, Roberto (7 November 2014). "Fantacalcio 14–15: Gonzalo Rodriguez in crisi, è tra i peggiori della Fiorentina" [Fantacalcio 14–15: Gonzalo Rodriguez in crisis, among Fiorentina's worst]. La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Retrieved 21 February 2024 .
^ "Fiorentina, Rodriguez ci crede: "Il sogno di vincere lo Scudetto adesso è concreto" " [Fiorentina, Rodriguez a believer: "The dream of winning the Scudetto is now real] (in Italian). Goal . 1 January 2016. Retrieved 25 January 2016 .
^ Campanale, Susan (10 April 2017). "Serie A Week 31: Did You Know?" . Football Italia. Retrieved 20 April 2017 .
^ "Gonzalo Rodríguez vuelve a San Lorenzo: "Fue una decisión del corazón" " [Gonzalo Rodríguez returns to San Lorenzo: "My decision was from the heart"]. La Nación (in Spanish). 10 July 2017. Retrieved 27 September 2020 .
^ González, Fede (23 June 2020). "Gonzalo Rodríguez se retira del fútbol profesional" [Gonzalo Rodríguez retires from professional football]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 29 July 2020 .
^ a b "G. Rodríguez" . Soccerway. Retrieved 15 May 2016 .
^ "Rodriguez's goal enough for Argentina to edge Mexico" . The Star . 6 February 2003. Retrieved 5 April 2020 .
^ "El Villarreal vuelve a la UEFA tras ganar la Intertoto" [Villarreal return to UEFA after winning the Intertoto]. El Mundo (in Spanish). 23 August 2004. Retrieved 21 February 2024 .
^ Magrini, Matteo (23 August 2016). "Festa al Franchi, presenti e assenti. No eccellenti da Rui Costa, Baggio e Batistuta" [Party at the Franchi, present and absentees. Excellent players, from Rui Costa, to Baggio and Batistuta, decline] (in Italian). Fiorentina.it. Archived from the original on 24 August 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016 .
External links