Armando Cooper facts for kids
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Cooper with Panama at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Armando Enrique Cooper Whitaker | ||
| Date of birth | 26 November 1987 | ||
| Place of birth | Colón, Panama | ||
| Height | 1.73 m | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2005 | Árabe Unido | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2006–2011 | Árabe Unido | 141 | (26) |
| 2011–2015 | Godoy Cruz | 26 | (3) |
| 2013–2014 | → Oțelul Galați (loan) | 21 | (3) |
| 2015 | FC St. Pauli | 7 | (0) |
| 2015–2016 | Árabe Unido | 18 | (3) |
| 2016 | → Toronto FC (loan) | 12 | (1) |
| 2017 | Toronto FC | 23 | (0) |
| 2018 | Universidad de Chile | 3 | (0) |
| 2018 | Dinamo București | 11 | (0) |
| 2019 | Maccabi Petah Tikva | 14 | (5) |
| 2019–2020 | Árabe Unido | 11 | (1) |
| 2020 | Hapoel Tel Aviv | 6 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | Maccabi Petah Tikva | 17 | (3) |
| 2021-2024 | Árabe Unido | 50 | (2) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2006–2007 | Panama U20 | 14 | (3) |
| 2008 | Panama U23 | 5 | (1) |
| 2006–2022 | Panama | 122 | (9) |
† Appearances (Goals). |
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Armando Enrique Cooper Whitaker, born on November 26, 1987, is a former professional football player from Panama. He was a talented midfielder on the field.
Contents
Armando Cooper's Club Career
Armando Cooper started his football journey in the youth teams of Árabe Unido in Panama. In 2006, he began playing for their professional team. He helped them win many titles in the Liga Panameña de Fútbol, which is Panama's top football league.
Playing in Argentina and Romania
In July 2011, Cooper joined an Argentine club called Godoy Cruz. Later, for the 2013-2014 season, he was loaned to Otelul Galati, a club in Romania. This means he played for them for a short time before returning to his main club.
Time in Germany and Back to Panama
In February 2015, Cooper moved to Germany to play for FC St. Pauli in the 2. Bundesliga league. However, he only played for 125 minutes before returning to Árabe Unido in September 2015.
Success with Toronto FC
On August 18, 2016, Cooper was loaned to Toronto FC, a team in Major League Soccer (MLS) in North America. He scored his first goal for Toronto FC on November 30. This goal helped Toronto FC win against Montreal Impact with a total score of 7–5. This win allowed them to reach the 2016 MLS Cup Final.
After the exciting 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs, Cooper officially signed a full-time contract with Toronto FC. However, on December 14, 2017, his contract was not renewed, and he left the club.
Armando Cooper's International Career
Armando Cooper also played for his country, Panama. He was part of the Panama U-20 team. This team played in the 2007 U-20 World Cup in Canada.
Playing for Panama's Main Team
He made his first appearance for the senior national team on October 7, 2006. This game was against the national team of El Salvador. On January 16, 2011, he scored his first goal for Panama. It was in a 2–0 victory against Nicaragua during a 2011 Copa Centroamericana match. This game took place in Panama City.
The 2018 FIFA World Cup
In May 2018, Cooper was chosen for Panama's team for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. This was a huge moment for Panama football! Cooper played in Panama's first two games. These were against England and Belgium. He received yellow cards in both games. Because of this, he could not play in the final match against Tunisia.
Armando Cooper's Playing Style
Armando Cooper was known for his high energy on the football field. He was also very creative and skilled at dribbling the ball. Dribbling means moving the ball with your feet while running. He was a versatile midfielder, meaning he could play in different midfield positions. However, he often preferred to play in a more attacking role.
Career Statistics for Panama
Here are Armando Cooper's appearances and goals for the Panama national team:
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Panama | 2006 | 1 | 0 |
| 2007 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2008 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2009 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 20 | 3 | |
| 2012 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 15 | 1 | |
| 2016 | 12 | 1 | |
| 2017 | 19 | 2 | |
| 2018 | 8 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 8 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2022 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 122 | 9 | |
Honours and Achievements
Armando Cooper achieved several important titles with Toronto FC:
- MLS Cup: He won the MLS Cup in 2017. His team was also the runner-up in 2016.
- Eastern Conference Championship (Playoffs): His team won this championship in 2016 and 2017.
- Supporters' Shield: They won the Supporters' Shield in 2017.
- Canadian Championship: He won the Canadian Championship in 2017.
- Trillium Cup: His team also won the Trillium Cup in 2017.
See Also
In Spanish: Armando Cooper para niños
- List of footballers with 100 or more caps
