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| caps1 = 35
| caps1 = 35
| goals1 = 13
| goals1 = 13
| years2 = 2007-Present
| years2 = 2007–
| clubs2 = [[Real Madrid C.F.|Real Madrid]]
| clubs2 = [[Real Madrid C.F.|Real Madrid]]
| caps2 = 127
| caps2 = 127

Revision as of 12:12, 1 June 2011

Gonzalo Higuaín
Personal information
Full name Gonzalo Gerardo Higuaín
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 1⁄2 in)[1]
Position(s) Striker
Team information
Current team
 Real Madrid
Number 20
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2006 River Plate 35 (13)
2007– Real Madrid 127 (69)
International career‡
2008 Argentina Olympic 1 (2)
2009– Argentina 13 (7)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23:57, 10 May 2011 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 17:00, 17 November 2010 (UTC)

Gonzalo Gerardo "El Pipita" Higuaín (Spanish pronunciation: [ɡonˈθalo iɣwaˈin]; born 10 December 1987) is an Argentine professional footballer. He was born in France, attaining Argentine citizenship in 2007, and now holding dual nationality. He currently plays as a striker for Real Madrid and the Argentine national team. He is the son of former footballer Jorge Higuaín.

Early life

Higuaín was born in Brest, France, the son of the Argentine former footballer Jorge Higuaín, who was playing for Stade Brestois 29 as an expatriate. Therefore, he holds dual French-Argentine nationality. Having left the country at the age of 10 months, he did not return to France until the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Even though he does not speak French, he holds a French passport because his father was naturalized in France. He successfully applied for Argentine nationality in January 2007.

Club career

River Plate

Higuaín started playing in the youth teams and made his debut with River Plate in a 2–1 defeat against Gimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata on 29 May 2005.[2] On 12 February 2006, he scored his first league goal in a 3–1 victory over Banfield.[3] Higuaín ended the 2005–06 season with five goals in 12 appearances.[4]

Following his brace in the Superclásico derby against Boca Juniors on 8 October 2006, River Plate manager Daniel Passarella declared that Higuain had an "enormous future" and was "destined for superstardom."[5] In the following season, he scored eight goals in 17 league matches.[4]

Real Madrid

Gonzalo Higuaín and Luca Antonini during Real Madrid – Milan, 2010–11 UEFA Champions League.
Gonzalo Higuaín during Real Madrid – RCD Español, 2009–10 La Liga season.

In December 2006, Spanish club Real Madrid signed Higuaín for €13 million, after River Plate had earlier turned down a €10 million offer for the 19-year-old striker.[6] His debut came on 11 January 2007 against Real Betis in the second round of the Copa del Rey in Seville. His presentation at the League came 3 days later, on 14 January 2007, against Real Zaragoza at home. Higuain was involved in the creation of numerous scoring chances and in the assistance for the only goal, which earned Madrid the victory. His first goal with Real came on 24 February when the team faced Atletico Madrid in the Madrid derby, scoring the tying goal (1–1) at the Estadio Vicente Calderón. Later on the season, Higuaín showed an impressive performance by scoring a last minute goal on a league match against RCD Espanyol to earn his team a 4–3 victory when the tie was rampant on the scoreboard.[7] However, during his first season in the Bernabeú, Higuaín arose some doubts over his performance due to his lack of goals.

During the 2007–08 season, Higuaín faced a rather intermittent performance. Yet, during the last stages of the league he managed to consolidate an impressive display. He first scored a last minute goal to earn his team a victory in a 2–1 comeback against Osasuna, which allowed Real Madrid to be mathematically crowned League Champions for the second consecutive year.[8] Four days later, Pipita arose to the spotlight once more by scoring the 3rd goal of a 4–1 trashing over Barcelona in El Clásico. This performance was particularly praised due to Higuaín scoring his goal barely 57 seconds after coming in from the bench.[9]

In the 2008–09 season Higuaín was offered the chance to be a starter due to the serious injury suffered by the Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.[10] On 21 April 2009, he accounted another great performance when he defined the match against Getafe with a goal in the last minute, giving Real Madrid a 3–2 victory which enabled the team to follow the trail of Josep Guardiola´s Barcelona.[11] In August 2008, Higuaín scored the winner in Madrid's victory over Valencia in the Spanish Supercup.[12] Shortly afterwards, he scored all four goals in a 4–3 win against Málaga. Because of this, he started to gain international recognition, at the same time he got to be one of the leading goalscorers of the Spanish League, alongside his Barcelona counterpart, Samuel Eto'o.[13] That season, the striker was devoted as one of the great promises of world football in the wake of spectacular games, and particularly dazzling last-minute goals. Higuaín ended the season with 22 league goals,[14] 24 in all competitions, shining alongside longtime football stars like Diego Forlán, David Villa and Thierry Henry.

The 2009–10 season saw Higuaín become Real's top goalscorer with 27 league goals, 29 in total, being at the same time the Spanish League's 2nd top goalscorer, behind only Lionel Messi but suprassing Swedish international Zlatan Ibrahimovic and even his fellow teammate Cristiano Ronaldo. This season included him scoring his first two goals in the Champions league and his 2nd hat-trick for the club.

In June 2010, Real Madrid extended Higuaín's contract until 2016.[15] On 23 October 2010, he scored Real Madrid's 5200th league goal, against Racing Santander on a 6–1 trashing by the Whites. On 4 November of the same year, Gonzalo entered the history of Real Madrid by being the scorer of the club's 700th goal in the Champions League.[16]

On the first weeks of December 2010, Higuaín was diagnosed with a herniated lumbar disc, and was suggested by Real's medical staff to have it operated.[17] On 5 January 2011, Real Madrid announced he would finally undergo surgery at the Department of Neurological Surgery of Chicago's Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine under the command of Dr. Richard G. Fessler, M.D.[18] The surgery took place on 11 January, and Higuaín was discharged from the hospital the next day following a successful operation.[19] He was expected to spend at least four months away from the field in the recovery process. Two months spent to recover from the surgery and another two to train with the team, however he was able to make an early comeback. On 23 April 2011, Higuaín scored a hat-trick against Valencia CF in a 3–6 away win in Estadio Mestalla, giving him 8 goals in 8 matches against Valencia. Higuaín also assisted two other goals for Karim Benzema and Kaká in that same match.

International career

During the game between Argentina and South Korea at FIFA World Cup 2010, 17 June 2010, Soccer City, Johannesburg. Argentina's Gonzalo Higuain celebrates his hat-trick with teammates.

Higuaín initially rejected calls from both the Argentine and French national teams,[20][21] claiming at the time he was undecided for which country he would prefer to play, before choosing Argentina.[22] Higuaín was called up by the Argentina Olympic squad for a friendly match against Guatemala in February 2008,[23] and scored two goals in his debut as Argentina won 5–0, though the match was not officially recognized by FIFA as "A" international matches.

Higuaín was selected for Argentina by coach Diego Maradona for the last 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification games against Peru and Uruguay. He scored his first goal on his full debut, a 49th minute strike during a 2–1 win over Peru on 10 October 2009. He netted his second goal for Argentina in the 1–0 win over Germany at the Allianz Arena in Munich on 3 March 2010, right on the stroke of half-time, pouncing on a mistake made by German goalkeeper Rene Adler, in which Higuaín tapped into an open net from about 25 yards out.[24] Following Argentina's qualification, Higuaín was included in the squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He scored a hat-trick in Argentina's 4–1 win over South Korea in their second group match,[25] becoming the third Argentinian to score a hat-trick in the World Cup finals, after Guillermo Stábile in 1930 and Gabriel Batistuta in 1994 and 1998,[26] and the first player to score a hat-trick in the tournament since 2002. His goal in the 3–1 defeat of Mexico in the Second Round took him to a total of four, and he remained one of the top scorers for Argentina in the competition.

Shortly after a disappointing World Cup campaign, on 7 September 2010, Higuaín scored in a friendly match against newly crowned world champions Spain making it 2–0, a game that ended 4–1.

Higuaín is one of only three foreign-born players to have played for Argentina in a FIFA World Cup, along with Pedro Arico Suárez[27] and Constantino Urbieta Sosa.[28]

Statistics

Club

As of 10 May 2011[29]
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists
River Plate 2004–05 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 – 6 0 0
2005–06 12 5 5 5 3 0 0 0 0 – 17 8 5
2006–07 17 8 11 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 18 8 11
Total 35 13 16 5 3 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 41 16 16
Real Madrid 2006–07 19 2 3 2 0 0 2 0 0 – 23 2 3
2007–08 25 8 3 4 1 0 5 0 0 – 34 9 3
2008–09 34 22 9 2 1 0 7 0 0 1 1 0 44 24 9
2009–10 32 27 5 1 0 0 7 2 1 – 40 29 6
2010–11 17 10 6 2 1 0 6 2 0 – 25 13 6
Total 127 69 25 11 3 0 27 4 1 1 1 0 166 77 26
Career Total 162 82 41 16 6 0 27 4 1 2 1 0 207 93 42

Olympic Goals

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 7-02-2008 Memorial Coliseum, Estados Unidos, Guatemala 1–0 5–0 Friendly (Unrecognized by FIFA)
2 7-02-2008 Memorial Coliseum, Estados Unidos, Guatemala 2–0 5–0 Friendly (Unrecognized by FIFA)

International Goals

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 10 October 2009 Estadio Monumental, Argentina, Peru 1–0 2–1 World Cup 2010 Qualifying
2 3 March 2010 Allianz Arena, Germany Germany 1–0 1–0 Friendly
3 17 June 2010 Soccer City Stadium, South Africa South Korea 2–0 4–1 2010 World Cup
4 17 June 2010 Soccer City Stadium, South Africa South Korea 3–1 4–1 2010 World Cup
5 17 June 2010 Soccer City Stadium, South Africa South Korea 4–1 4–1 2010 World Cup
6 27 June 2010 Soccer City Stadium, South Africa Mexico 2–0 3–1 2010 World Cup
7 7 October 2010 Estadio Monumental, Argentina Spain 2–0 4–1 Friendly

Honours

Club

Spain Real Madrid

References

  1. ^ "Official Real Madrid profile". Real Madrid. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
  2. ^ Higuain los convence a todos (Higuain convinces all) canchallena.com, 2 November 2009, in spanish.
  3. ^ "Gonzalo Higuaín All goals 2005 – 2006 (River Plate)". Guardian Stats. Retrieved 15 September 2010.
  4. ^ a b "Gonzalo Higuaín Facts". Guardian Stats. Retrieved 15 September 2010.
  5. ^ "Passarella predicts River's 18-year-old Higuain has "enormous future"higuain is becoming one of the most dangerous strikers in the world". International Herald Tribune. 9 October 2006.
  6. ^ "Real sign Argentine striker Higuain from River". ESPN. 14 December 2006. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
  7. ^ "Real Madrid rallies against Espanyol and rises to top of Spanish League". The New York Times. 13 May 2007.
  8. ^ "www.Marca.com". www.Marca.com. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
  9. ^ "El Barça saca a hombros al Madrid". El Pais. 24 May 2011. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
  10. ^ "Higuaín: "Espero que la lesión de Van Nistelrooy no signifique su retirada"". El Pais. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
  11. ^ "Higuaín y Casillas, especialistas en milagros – LIGA BBVA , Real Madrid 3 – Getafe 2". AS.com. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
  12. ^ Supercopa 2008 Marca.com. Retrieved on 25 August 2010
  13. ^ "Higuain, Eto'o both notch four goals". Sportsnet.ca. 8 November 2008. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
  14. ^ Spanish Primera División – Top Scorers – 2008/2009 ESPN Retrieved on 16 December 2010
  15. ^ "Gonzalo Higuain's contract extended to 2016". Real Madrid. 7 June 2010. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
  16. ^ Champions League (4 November 2010). "Real Madrid Striker Gonzalo Higuain Pleased To Qualify For Knockout Stages After Milan Draw". Goal.com. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
  17. ^ "Real Madrid wait for Gonzalo Higuain injury assessment". The Independent. London. 3 December 2010.
  18. ^ "Higuain will have surgery in Chicago on Tuesday". Real Madrid. 5 January 2011. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
  19. ^ "Higuain discharged from hospital". Real Madrid. 12 January 2011. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
  20. ^ "La Celeste y Blanca pesa" (in Spanish). Olé. 10 November 2006.
  21. ^ "Domenech turns to uncapped tyros". UEFA. 9 November 2006.
  22. ^ "Higuain to choose Argentina over France" – Yahoo sports
  23. ^ "Higuaín called up for friendly against Guatemala". Lanacion.com.ar. Retrieved 26 June 2010.
  24. ^ "Late goal boosts Argentina hopes". BBC News. 11 October 2009. Retrieved 26 June 2010.
  25. ^ Stevenson, Jonathan (17 June 2010). "Argentina 4–1 South Korea". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
  26. ^ Richard Williams (17 June 2010). "Argentina 4–1 South Korea , World Cup 2010 match report". The Guardian. UK. Retrieved 26 June 2010.
  27. ^ Pedro Arico Suárez – FIFA competition record (archived)
  28. ^ Constantino Urbieta Sosa – FIFA competition record (archived)
  29. ^ Higuain Statistics. Retrieved 27 October 2008.
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