Sergio Agüero
File:Kun aguero.jpg | ||||||||||||||
Personal information | ||||||||||||||
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Full name |
Sergio Leonel Agüero del Castillo | |||||||||||||
Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in)[1] | |||||||||||||
Position(s) | Striker | |||||||||||||
Team information | ||||||||||||||
Current team | Atlético Madrid | |||||||||||||
Number | 10 | |||||||||||||
Senior career* | ||||||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||
2003–2006 | Independiente | 53 | (23) | |||||||||||
2006– | Atlético Madrid | 156 | (61) | |||||||||||
International career‡ | ||||||||||||||
2005–2007 | Argentina U20 | 7 | (6) | |||||||||||
2008 | Argentina U23 | 5 | (2) | |||||||||||
2006– | Argentina | 25 | (9) | |||||||||||
Medal record
| ||||||||||||||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 December 2010 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 23:47, 7 September 2010 (UTC) |
Sergio Leonel "Kun" Agüero del Castillo[1] (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈseɾxjo aˈɣweɾo]; born 2 June 1988) is an Argentine footballer who currently plays as a striker for Atlético Madrid and the Argentine national team.
Agüero earned his nickname Kun when his grandparents noted his resemblance to Japanese anime character Kum Kum.[2] He is married and has a son with Diego Maradona's daughter Giannina Maradona [citation needed].
Early life
Agüero was born in Quilmes, Buenos Aires on 2 June 1988 into a large family with seven children.[3][4] His mother, Adriana, was a housewife, and his father, Leonel, was a taxi driver. Kun is the second child of the seven, but unlike his siblings Yesica, Gabriela, Maira, Daiana, Mauritius and Gaston, he took the name of his mother, Agüero, and not Del Castillo, the name of his father. Agüero started playing football at a young age and he often played on a pitch in his local neighbourhood, Villa Itali.[2] He was quoted as saying that the best place for children to learn how to play football was on the street, and that doing so helped him in his own development.[5]
Club career
Independiente
Sergio Agüero started playing for Argentine first division team Club Atlético Independiente, becoming the youngest player to debut in the Argentine First Division at 15 years and 35 days (on 5 July 2003 against Club Atlético San Lorenzo de Almagro), breaking the record previously established by Diego Maradona in 1976.[2] His first goal for the club came in a 2-2 draw against rivals Estudiantes de la Plata on 26 November 2004.[6] Agüero soon became a regular in the first team, earning a place in the Argentina squad for the U-20 World Cup in 2005.
Agüero's most famous goal for Independiente came on 11 September 2005 in a 4-0 win against Racing Club de Avellaneda, where he ran from inside his own half before finishing with his left foot.[6] His outstanding performances during the 2005 Torneo Apertura attracted interest from a number of big name European clubs, and after months of speculation, Agüero announced to television cameras in April 2006 that he intended to leave the club at the end of the season.[6]
Atlético Madrid
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/78/Sergio_Ag%C3%BCero.jpg/150px-Sergio_Ag%C3%BCero.jpg)
In May 2006 Agüero signed for Spanish club Atlético Madrid for an undisclosed fee, reported to be around €23 million, breaking the club's previous transfer record.[7][8] He caused controversy early in his Atlético career by using his hands to score the winning goal against Recreativo Huelva on 14 October 2006, it was only his second goal for the club, the first coming in a 4-1 away win against Athletic Bilbao on September 17.[9] In the 2007–08 season, Agüero finished third in scoring in La Liga, behind Dani Güiza and Luís Fabiano, with 19 goals, and was runner up in the Trofeo Alfredo Di Stéfano award.[10] Kun won many plaudits for his man of the match display against Barcelona in March 2008, scoring twice, assisting a goal, and winning a penalty for Atlético in a 4-2 win.[11] He also scored important goals against the likes of Real Madrid, Valencia, Sevilla and Villarreal to help Atlético finish fourth and qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in over ten years.[12]
Agüero was once again a regular goalscorer for Atlético in the 2008–09 season, forming a partnership with Uruguayan striker Diego Forlán, also a former Independiente striker. On September 16, he scored his first Champions League goals in a 3-0 away win at PSV Eindhoven.[13] In March 2009, the duo of Forlán and Agüero scored a brace each in a 4–3 win over league leaders Barcelona.[14] Agüero finished in the top ten runners for the Pichichi Trophy while his teammate Forlán won the trophy.[15] Atlético finished fourth in the league, qualifying for the following season's Champions League.
Despite not being as prolific in front of goal, Agüero had another good season in 2009–10, and was praised for his influential performances as Atlético enjoyed their most successful season in over a decade.[16] On 3 November 2009, he scored twice against Chelsea during a 2–2 draw in the Champions League at the Vicente Calderón. Atlético were knocked out of the competition, but went on to reach the final of the 2009–10 UEFA Europa League, where Agüero assisted both goals in a 2-1 extra time win against English club Fulham.[17] He also helped Atlético reach the final of the Spanish Cup, although this time they were not victorious, losing to Sevilla in the Camp Nou on May 19.[18] On 27 August 2010, Atlético Madrid captured the UEFA Super Cup by beating favorites Inter Milan by a score of 2-0. Agüero assisted José Antonio Reyes for the opening goal and then secured the win by scoring the second.[19]
International career
Agüero made his senior debut for Argentina in a friendly with Brazil, played at Emirates Stadium, England on 3 September 2006.[1] As a teenager, he represented Argentina at three FIFA World Youth Championships. Together with future 2008 Olympics squad teammates Fernando Gago of Real Madrid and Lionel Messi of Barcelona, they won the 2005 edition in the Netherlands.
2007 U20 World Cup
At the 2007 U-20 World Cup in Canada, he scored twice and helped set up three goals in a 6–0 win over Panama in the second game of the group stage of the tournament. Agüero then scored the only goal in Argentina's third match against North Korea from a free kick. Having qualified to the round of 16, he scored two of the three goals against Poland that would eventually give them a 3-1 win to advance to the next round. Argentina defeated Mexico in the quarter-finals and Chile in the semi-finals, and faced the Czech Republic in the finals, a team they drew 0-0 in the group stage. Agüero captained and scored the equaliser in the 62nd minute, leading to a 2–1 victory. In addition, Agüero won the Golden Boot of the tournament, scoring six goals in seven games, and the Golden Ball as the best player of the tournament, succeeding to countryman Lionel Messi who won both awards at the 2005 tournament.
2008 Summer Olympics
As a member of the Argentine squad for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Agüero scored two goals in the space of five minutes in the semi-final 3–0 win over Brazil on 19 August 2008.[20] Argentina went on to win the gold medal, a second in a row at the Olympic tournament.
2010 World Cup
He was chosen for the 2010 World Cup squad, and made his World Cup debut in Argentina's second group match against Korea Republic on 12 June 2010, replacing Carlos Tévez in the 75th minute. Agüero's impact was immediate as Argentina scored in the next minute. He assisted on Gonzalo Higuaín's hat-trick goal late in the game. Argentina won the game 4-1.
Personal life
Agüero is currently married to Giannina Maradona, the youngest daughter of Argentine football legend Diego Maradona, whom he has dated since the end of 2007. On 19 February 2009, it was announced that Giannina had given birth to a son named Benjamín in Madrid.[21] Maradona was in the Spanish capital for the birth of his first grandson, while Agüero, 20, missed Atlético's training session earlier in the day. Atlético offered their congratulations in a statement on their official website.[22]
Agüero has a tattoo on the inside of his right arm, inscribed in Tengwar—a form of writing invented by J. R. R. Tolkien that was used by the Elves in his works. It translates roughly to Kun Agüero in the Latin alphabet. He also has a tattoo on his left arm with his son's name and date of birth.[23]
Career statistics
Correct as of 22 December 2010[24]
Club | Season | League | Cup[25] | Continental[26] | Total | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | Apps | Goals | Assists | ||
Independiente | 2003–04 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
2004–05 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 5 | 0 | |
2005–06 | 36 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 18 | 4 | |
Argentina | 53 | 23 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 53 | 23 | 4 | |
Atlético Madrid | 2006–07 | 38 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 7 | 3 |
2007–08 | 37 | 19 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 50 | 27 | 10 | |
2008–09 | 37 | 17 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 4 | 2 | 47 | 21 | 11 | |
2009–10 | 31 | 12 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 16 | 6 | 4 | 54 | 20 | 11 | |
2010–11 | 13 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 20 | 13 | 5 | |
Spain | 156 | 61 | 25 | 18 | 7 | 3 | 39 | 20 | 12 | 213 | 88 | 40 | |
Career totals | 209 | 84 | 29 | 18 | 7 | 3 | 39 | 20 | 12 | 266 | 111 | 44 |
International goals
Argentina's goal tally first
# | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | 17 November 2007 | El Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina | ![]() |
1 – 0 | 3–0 | World Cup 2010 Qualifying |
2. | 26 March 2008 | Cairo International Stadium, Cairo, Egypt | ![]() |
1 – 0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
3. | 4 June 2008 | Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, United States | ![]() |
4 – 1 | 4–1 | Friendly |
4. | 6 September 2008 | El Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina | ![]() |
1 – 1 | 1–1 | World Cup 2010 Qualifying |
5. | 11 October 2008 | El Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina | ![]() |
2 – 0 | 2–1 | World Cup 2010 Qualifying |
6. | 28 March 2009 | El Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina | ![]() |
4 – 0 | 4–0 | World Cup 2010 Qualifying |
7. | 12 August 2009 | Lokomotiv Stadium, Moscow, Russia | ![]() |
1 – 1 | 3–2 | Friendly |
8. | 24 May 2010 | El Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina | ![]() |
5 – 0 | 5–0 | Friendly |
9. | 7 September 2010 | El Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina | ![]() |
4 – 1 | 4–1 | Friendly |
Olympic goals
# | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | 19 August 2008 | Beijing Worker's Stadium, Beijing, China | ![]() |
1 – 0 | 3–0 | Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics |
2. | 19 August 2008 | Beijing Worker's Stadium, Beijing, China | ![]() |
2 – 0 | 3–0 | Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics |
Honours
Club
Country
Individual
- FIFA Young Player of the Year: 2007
- FIFA U-20 World Cup Top Scorer: 2007
- FIFA U-20 World Cup Player of the Tournament: 2007
- Tuttosport Golden Boy: 2007[27][28]
- Don Balón (Best Ibero-American Player in La Liga): 2007–08
References
- ^ a b c "Football Database – Aguero".
- ^ a b c "The Rise of Sergio Aguero". BBC Sport. 7 May 2008. Retrieved 25 March 2009.
- ^ "ESPN Profile". ESPN Soccernet. Retrieved 17 June 2009.
- ^ http://www.kunaguerofans.com/la-historia-del-kun/
- ^ "Sergio Aguero - Playing on the street is the best football education". goal.com. Retrieved 17 November 2010.
- ^ a b c "Biografia (Spanish)". Retrieved 20 November 2010.
- ^ "Atlético agree fee for Independiente starlet". ESPN Soccernet.
- ^ "Atlético sign Argentine prodigy Aguero". ESPN Soccernet.
- ^ "Atlético Madrid 2-1 Recreativo Huelva". ESPN.
- ^ "Marca names the Madridista captain the best player of the league". Real Madrid.
- ^ "A masterclass from Atlético Madrid's Sergio Aguero dented Barcelona's title hopes and made several Catalan headline-writers look very foolish indeed". The Guardian.
- ^ "Atletico de Madrid confirm return to Europe's elite". soccerway.com. 2008-05-12.
- ^ "PSV Eindhoven 0-3 Atlético Madrid".
- ^ "Atletico stun Barcelona as Real close up". CNN. 1 March 2009. Retrieved 7 June 2009.
- ^ "El uruguayo Forlán ganó el 'pichichi' y la 'Bota de Oro'" (in Spanish). Eurosport. 1 June 2009. Retrieved 26 June 2009. [dead link]
- ^ "Quique Sánchez Flores and Diego Forlán prefer Sergio Agüero to Lionel Messi (Spanish)". Marca. 2010-04-07. Retrieved 2010-11-18.
- ^ "Forlán double gives Atlético glory". UEFA. 2010-05-12. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
- ^ "Atlético Madrid 0-2 Sevilla - Match Report". Telegraph. 2010-05-19. Retrieved 2010-11-18.
- ^ "Atletico Madrid Goal Heroes Jose Antonio Reyes & Kun Aguero Praise Team After Inter Win". Goal.com. 2010-08-27. Retrieved 2010-08-27.
- ^ Nick Harris (20 August 2008). "Argentina 3 Brazil 0: Argentina in final after routing arch rivals". London: The Independent. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
- ^ "Maradona a grandfather thanks to Atletico's Agüero". Reuters. 19 February 2009.
- ^ "Benjamín Agüero Maradona is born on Thursday 19 February and weighs 3.660 kilos". Atletico Madrid.
- ^ "Sergio Aguero Tattoos". Vanishing Tattoo. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
- ^ ESPN (26 October 2008). "Sergio Aguero Stats, News – Atletico Madrid". ESPN Soccernet. Retrieved 26 October 2008.
- ^ Includes Copa del Rey and Supercopa de España
- ^ Includes UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Intertoto Cup, UEFA Super Cup and Copa Libertadores
- ^ Tuttosport 'Golden Boy' award winner El Mundo
- ^ Sergio Agüero, Golden Boy
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Official site
- Futbol360 profile
- Footballdatabase.com profile
- Profile at FutbolPunto with maps and graphs (Spanish)
- News, Photos and videos Sergio Agüero
- The rise of Sergio Aguero
- FIFA.com Profile
- UEFA.com Profile
- Sergio Aguero News & articles SergioAguero.net
- Heir to the throne? Teen Agüero may become Argentina’s next Maradona Southamericanfutbol.com
- Agüero´s World Cup chances ride on his return to form Southamericanfutbol.com
- 1988 births
- Living people
- Argentine footballers
- Argentina international footballers
- Club Atlético Independiente footballers
- People from Quilmes
- La Liga footballers
- Atlético Madrid footballers
- Expatriate footballers in Spain
- Argentine expatriate footballers
- Footballers at the 2008 Summer Olympics
- 2010 FIFA World Cup players
- Olympic footballers of Argentina
- Olympic gold medalists for Argentina
- Primera División Argentina players
- Argentine expatriate sportspeople in Spain