Renny Vega

This name uses Spanish naming customs; the first or paternal family name is Vega and the second or maternal family name is Hernández.

Renny Vega

Personal information
Full name	Renny Vicente Vega Hernández
Date of birth	4 July 1979 (1979-07-04)
Place of birth	Maracay, Venezuela
Height	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position	Goalkeeper
Club information
Current club	Colo Colo
Number	32
Youth career
1998–2000	Nacional Táchira
2000–2001	Udinese
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2001–2003	Italchaco		(0)
2003–2004	Deportivo Táchira		(0)
2004–2005	Caracas		(0)
2005–2006	Aragua		(0)
2006–2007	Carabobo	29	(0)
2007–2008	Bursaspor	22	(0)
2008	Denizlispor	1	(0)
2009–2012	Caracas	79	(0)
2012–	→ Colo-Colo (loan)	0	(0)
National team‡
1999–	Venezuela	63	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 14 February 2012. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 11 November 2011

Renny Vicente Vega Hernández (born 4 July 1979) is a Venezuelan footballer that currently plays for Colo-Colo and the Venezuelan national football team as a goalkeeper.

Club career

In 1997, Vega traveled to Italy to play in the youth ranks of Udinese. However, he returned to Venezuela in 1998, joining Nacional Táchira, a first division club of his country. After two years with Nacional, Vega returned to Udinese remaining at the club for one year. He than returned to Venezuela and played for various First Division clubs, including Caracas.

In 2006, he was signed by Carabobo, playing 29 games in the club. In 2007, because of his good performances with the national team and his club, he was transferred to Turkish club Bursaspor, being this his second adventure in the old continent. He established himself as the Turkish clubs top keepers and appeared in 22 league matches. After his spell at Bursaspor, he joined Denizlispor, playing only one game for the club.

In January 2009, after his bad spell at Denizlispor, Vega returned to Venezuela, joining Caracas, the most successful team of his country. With Caracas he played both the Copa Libertadores and the local tournament. He had a successful semester at Caracas, winning the Venezuelan league title and also the cup title. In 2010, his team again qualified to the Copa Libertadores but had a poor Cup run, finishing last place in the group with 2 points. Although, since Caracas won the league title again, his team once again qualified to the continental tournament in 2011.

In February 2012, it was announced that Vega signed a one year loan with Colo Colo of the Chilean first division. The contract allows for a possible extension or even acquisition after the 2013 season.

International career

Early years

In 1998, Vega was named the best youth goalkeeper of his country and was listed in the Venezuelan squad that would play the Copa América the next year in Paraguay. On June 30, 1999, he made his international debut in a disastrous 7–0 defeat against Brazil. In that time, Brazil had star players like Ronaldinho, Roberto Carlos, Ronaldo, Cafu, Rivaldo and Dida.

After a poor performance in the 2001 Copa América, receiving 13 goals in 3 games, he was not called for a long time to play with the national team.

2007 Copa América

Vega was again recalled to the squad in February 2007 for a friendly international game against Chile and also in preparation for the Copa América that would take place in his home country. In May of that year, he was listed in the 23-man squad by the coach Richard Paez to play in the continental tournament of South America.

On 26 June 2007, Vega played in the inaugural match of the Copa América at the Estadio Polideportivo de Pueblo Nuevo, in a 2–2 draw with the Bolivia. On 1 July, his transfer to Turkish Super League club Bursaspor was confirmed, mostly due to his good performances at Carabobo and in the 2-0 win over Peru. After a 0–0 draw with the Uruguay, Venezuela for the first time in its footballing history advanced to the knockout stage of the tournament. However, Venezuela was eliminated after playing Uruguay again and were defeated 4–1.

2011 Copa América

Prior to the 2011 Copa América held in Argentina, Renny played two of the three friendly matches leading up to the tournament. The first game was a 2–0 win over Guatemala and in the second match against Spain, Vega committed two mistakes that led his team to a 3–0 loss.

Vega played the full 90 minutes in the opening match of the Group B against Brazil. During the game against the Verdeamarelha, Vega stopped a series of goal attempts from stars like Neymar, Alexandre Pato and Robinho, and thanks to the crossbar and his performance, the game ended in a 0–0 draw. After of the game, Vega said: "The big teams aren’t going to get an easy ride — they’ll have to scrap for everything in every game".

On 13 July 2011, in the last game of the group stage against Paraguay, Venezuela advance to the knockout stage for second time in its history, after drawing 3–3 in dramatic fashion. The game was being lost 3-1 in the 85th minute, but thanks to a goal from Nicolás Fedor in the 89th minute, the team looking for the equalizer in the 93rd minute, in which Vega went up for a corner and headed the ball assisting centre back Grenddy Perozo in scoring the equalizing goal.

Honours

Caracas

• Venezuelan Primera División: 2008-09, 2009-10
• Copa Venezuela: 2009

External links

• Profile at TFF.org
• Profile at transfermarkt.de