Roberto Acuña

Roberto Acuña

Personal information
Full name	Roberto Miguel Acuña Cabello
Date of birth	25 March 1972 (1972-03-25)
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.

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. With the Galicians, however, Acuña never appeared more than seven times in the league during his spell, also struggling with injuries and being often loaned.

Acuña first retired in 2007, finishing his career in Paraguay with Olimpia Asunción. In 2001, he won the Paraguayan Footballer of the Year award. 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. 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).

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

Honours

Club

• Independiente:
  • South American Supercup: 1995

• Zaragoza:
  • Spanish Cup: 2000–01

• Deportivo:
  • Spanish Supercup: 2002

Individual

• Paraguayan Footballer of the Year: 2001

External links

• Argentine League statistics (Spanish)
• BDFutbol profile
• Roberto Acuña at National-Football-Teams.com
• International appearances; at RSSSF
• FootballLineups profile