Guillermo Franco
Personal information | ||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Full name | Guillermo Luis Franco Farquarson | |||||||||||||
Date of birth | 3 November 1976 | |||||||||||||
Place of birth | Corrientes, Argentina | |||||||||||||
Height | 1.81 m (5 ft 11+1⁄2 in) | |||||||||||||
Position(s) | Striker | |||||||||||||
Senior career* | ||||||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||
1995–2002 | San Lorenzo | 96 | (23) | |||||||||||
2002–2005 | Monterrey | 119 | (63) | |||||||||||
2006–2009 | Villarreal | 81 | (14) | |||||||||||
2009–2010 | West Ham United | 23 | (5) | |||||||||||
2010–2012 | Vélez Sársfield | 18 | (5) | |||||||||||
2012 | Pachuca | 12 | (0) | |||||||||||
2012 | Chicago Fire | 3 | (0) | |||||||||||
Total | 352 | (110) | ||||||||||||
International career | ||||||||||||||
2005–2010 | Mexico | 25 | (8) | |||||||||||
Medal record
| ||||||||||||||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21 January 2013 |
Guillermo Luis Franco Farquarson (born 3 November 1976) is a former Argentine-born Mexican football striker. Franco last played for Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire. He also played for the Mexico national team, until his international retirement in September 2010.
Early life
Guillermo Franco was born in Corrientes, the capital city of the Corrientes Province in Argentina.
Club career
San Lorenzo
Franco began his career with Argentine Primera División side San Lorenzo, playing with the team from 1996 to 2002 mainly as a right winger.
Monterrey
He then joined Mexican Monterrey in the middle of 2002, and made his debut during the 2002 Apertura. Franco was very successful with the Rayados, and led the league in scoring during the 2004 Apertura with 15 goals in 16 games, playing as a striker. He was part of the team that won the Primera División de México championship in 2003 and achieved runner-up position twice in 2004 and 2005.
Villareal
Subsequently, Franco spent three years in Spain playing for Villarreal, but his spell was plagued with injuries. The forward, however, scored a goal that qualified Villarreal for the UEFA Cup, in a 1–0 victory against Celta de Vigo.
West Ham United
In September 2009, Franco signed for West Ham United on a one-year contract, becoming the first Mexican to play for the Hammers.[1] On 25 September, it was disclosed that due to West Ham's perilous financial situation following former chairman Björgólfur Guðmundsson's financial collapse, West Ham's CEO Scott Duxbury, and their Sporting and Football Technical Director Gianluca Nani, had part financed the deal from their own salaries.[2] Franco made his debut for West Ham on 17 October 2009 in a 2–1 away defeat to Stoke City.[3] He scored his first goal for the team on 31 October 2009 to put them 1–0 up against Sunderland away from home, in a game that finished 2–2.[4] Franco became the third Mexican player to score in the Premier League, Jared Borgetti and Carlos Vela being the first and second respectively.[citation needed] On 24 April 2010, Franco assisted Scott Parker, who scored for the winner in a 3–2 victory against Wigan Athletic; a win which would see them safe from relegation.[5] In May, despite his wish to stay at the club, it was announced that West Ham had released Franco.[6]
Vélez Sársfield
The striker then spent one semester as a free agent, until he joined Vélez Sársfield back in Argentina on January 2011.[7] He signed a one-year deal making his debut coming on as a second-half substitute for Santiago Silva on a 2–2 draw at Independiente, for the first fixture of the 2011 Clausura. Subsequently, he played the starting minutes of the Copa Libertadores debut against Caracas FC, suffering a shoulder injury that left him out for the remainder of the season.[8] Having played less than 30 minutes, he offered the club to terminate his contract, or suspend his salary until he recovered,[9] though Vélez rejected it. He returned for the 2011 Copa Libertadores quarter-finals, entering the field and scoring one goal from a penalty in a 4–2 victory over Libertad. He also played the last 5 games of the 2011 Clausura (one as a starter),[10] helping his team win the Argentine league title.
Pachuca
On 21 January 2012, he joined to Pachuca of the Mexican Primera División. The next season, the Chicago Fire signed him.[11]
Chicago Fire
Franco signed with Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire on 14 September 2012.[11] On 21 January 2013 the club announced Franco's contract option was not picked up for the new season.[12]
On 29 January 2013, Franco announced his retirement from football.[13]
International career
In 2004, Franco became a naturalized Mexican citizen[14] after settling in Mexico in 2002; and made his debut for the national side in 2005.
He played at the 2006 FIFA World Cup and was a part of the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup squad. During the 2010 World Cup qualification, he contributed two goals in six games. Franco played in all four matches for Mexico at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
In September 2010, he announced his retirement from international football.
Statistics
Club statistics
Club performance | League | Cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
Argentina | League | Cup | South America | Total | ||||||
1995–96 | San Lorenzo | Primera División (Argentina) |
3 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 3 | 0 |
1996–97 | 6 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 6 | 0 | ||
1997–98 | 10 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 10 | 1 | ||
1998–99 | 6 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 6 | 0 | ||
1999–00 | 26 | 10 | - | - | - | - | 26 | 10 | ||
2000–01 | 19 | 7 | - | - | - | - | 19 | 7 | ||
2001–02 | 26 | 5 | - | - | - | - | 26 | 5 | ||
Mexico | League | Cup | North America | Total | ||||||
2002–03 | Monterrey | Primera División (Mexico) |
39 | 15 | - | - | - | - | 39 | 15 |
2003–04 | 30 | 12 | - | - | - | - | 30 | 12 | ||
2004–05 | 28 | 23 | - | - | - | - | 28 | 23 | ||
2005–06 | 22 | 13 | - | - | - | - | 22 | 13 | ||
Spain | League | Copa del Rey | Europe | Total | ||||||
2005–06 | Villareal | La Liga | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 17 | 4 |
2006–07 | 27 | 2 | 5 | 0 | - | - | 32 | 2 | ||
2007–08 | 24 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 30 | 9 | ||
2008–09 | 18 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 25 | 2 | ||
England | League | FA Cup | Europe | Total | ||||||
2009–10 | West Ham United | Premier League | 23 | 5 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 23 | 5 |
Argentina | League | Cup | South America | Total | ||||||
2010–11 | Vélez Sársfield | Primera División (Argentina) |
6 | 0 | - | - | 3 | 1 | 9 | 1 |
2011–12 | 11 | 5 | - | - | 6 | 4 | 17 | 9 | ||
Mexico | League | Cup | North America | Total | ||||||
2011–12 | Pachuca | Primera División (Mexico) |
12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
USA | League | Open Cup | North America | Total | ||||||
2012 | Chicago Fire | MLS | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Total | Argentina | 113 | 27 | - | - | 9 | 5 | 121 | 32 | |
Mexico | 131 | 63 | - | - | - | - | 131 | 63 | ||
Spain | 81 | 14 | 6 | 1 | 17 | 2 | 104 | 17 | ||
England | 23 | 5 | 0 | 0 | - | - | 23 | 5 | ||
USA | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | ||
Career total | 250 | 109 | 6 | 1 | 24 | 5 | 280 | 117 |
International
As of 14 November 2010
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
Mexico | 2005 | 4 | 1 |
2006 | 6 | 1 | |
2007 | 0 | 0 | |
2008 | 2 | 0 | |
2009 | 8 | 4 | |
2010 | 5 | 1 | |
Total | 25 | 7 |
International goals
Goal | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | 8 October 2005 | Estadio Alfonso Lastras, San Luis Potosí, Mexico | Guatemala | 1–1 | 5–2 | 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification[18] |
2. | 1 March 2006 | Pizza Hut Park, Frisco, United States | Ghana | 1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly[19] |
3. | 10 June 2009 | Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico | Trinidad and Tobago | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification[20] |
4. | 23 July 2009 | Soldier Field, Chicago, United States | Costa Rica | 1–0 | 5–3 (p.s.o.) | 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup[21] |
5. | 26 July 2009 | Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, United States | United States | 0–5 | 0–5 | 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup[22] |
6. | 5 September 2009 | Estadio Ricardo Saprissa, San José, Costa Rica | Costa Rica | 0–2 | 3–0 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification[23] |
7. | 24 May 2010 | Wembley Stadium, London, England | England | 2–1 | 3–1 | Friendly |
Honours
Club
- San Lorenzo
- CF Monterrey
- Vélez Sársfield
International
- Mexico
Individual
- Primera División de México top scorer: 2004 Apertura
References
- ^ Franco signs www.whufc.com
- ^ West Ham chiefs pay for striker with their own money www.thisislondon.co.uk
- ^ Scrivener, Peter (17 October 2009). "Stoke 2–1 West Ham". BBC News. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
- ^ Dawkes, Phil (31 October 2009). "Sunderland 2–2 West Ham". BBC News. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
- ^ Bevan, Chris (24 April 2010). "BBC Sport – Football – West Ham 3–2 Wigan". BBC News. Retrieved 26 May 2010.
- ^ "Mexico striker Guillermo Franco released by West Ham just 24 hours after Wembley goal | Mail Online". London: Dailymail.co.uk. 26 May 2010. Retrieved 26 May 2010.
- ^ "Ricardo Gareca ya tiene su primer refuerzo" (in Spanish). Club Atlético Vélez Sársfield. 22 January 2011. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
- ^ "México: Guillermo Franco, cuatro meses fuera por lesión" (in Spanish). Goal.com. 18 February 2011. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
- ^ "Franco: "Mientras me recupere, no cobraré ni un centavo"". Cancha Llena (in Spanish). 18 February 2011. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
- ^ "Closing '11 statistics". Argentine Soccer. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
- ^ a b http://www.chicago-fire.com/news/2012/09/fire-sign-guillermo-franco
- ^ "Three Fire Midfielders Return To Fold in 2013". chicago-fire.com. 21 January 2013.
- ^ http://www.mediotiempo.com/futbol/mexico/noticias/2013/01/29/el-guille-franco-anuncia-su-retiro-como-futbolista
- ^ Tom Bryant (17 September 2009). "Guillermo Franco signs for West Ham | Football | guardian.co.uk". London: Guardian. Retrieved 28 June 2010.
- ^ "Mediotiempo". Mediotiempo. 26 January 2009. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
- ^ Guillermo Luis Farcuason Franco (3 November 1976). "Soccernet". Soccernet.espn.go.com. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
- ^ "Guillermo Franco". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
- ^ "Mexico vs Guatemala". Fifa.com. 8 October 2005. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
- ^ "Mexico vs Ghana". Soccernet.espn.go.com. 1 March 2006. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
- ^ "Mexico vs Trinidad and Tobago". Fifa.com. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
- ^ "Costa Rica vs Mexico, Gold Cup". Soccernet.espn.go.com. 23 July 2009. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
- ^ "USA vs Mexico". Soccernet.espn.go.com. 26 July 2009. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
- ^ "Costa Rica vs Mexico". Fifa.com. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
External links
- Guillermo Franco at Soccerbase
- FootballDatabase.com Profile
- Guillermo Franco – Liga MX stats at MedioTiempo.com (archived) (in Spanish)
- Guillermo Franco – FIFA competition record (archived)
- Guillermo Franco at National-Football-Teams.com
- Argentine Primera statistics at Fútbol XXI Template:Es icon
- Use dmy dates from February 2013
- 1976 births
- Living people
- People from Corrientes
- Naturalized citizens of Mexico
- Argentine emigrants to Mexico
- Argentine footballers
- Mexican footballers
- Association football forwards
- Mexico international footballers
- Argentine people of Danish descent
- Mexican expatriate footballers
- Mexican expatriates in the United Kingdom
- Argentine Primera División players
- San Lorenzo footballers
- Club Atlético Vélez Sarsfield footballers
- Chicago Fire Soccer Club players
- Liga MX players
- C.F. Monterrey players
- C.F. Pachuca players
- La Liga players
- Villarreal CF players
- Premier League players
- Major League Soccer players
- West Ham United F.C. players
- Expatriate footballers in Spain
- Expatriate footballers in England
- Expatriate soccer players in the United States
- 2006 FIFA World Cup players
- 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup players
- 2010 FIFA World Cup players
- CONCACAF Gold Cup-winning players
- Mexican Christians