Carlos Gamarra facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Carlos Gamarra

Gamarra in 2019
Personal information
Full name	Carlos Alberto Gamarra Pavón
Date of birth	(1971-02-17) 17 February 1971 (age 54)
Place of birth	Ypacaraí, Paraguay
Height	1.80 m
Playing position	Centre back
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1991–1992	Cerro Porteño	35	(2)
1992–1993	Independiente	8	(0)
1993–1995	Cerro Porteño	49	(2)
1995–1997	Internacional	59	(5)
1997–1998	Benfica	13	(0)
1998–1999	Corinthians	31	(3)
1999–2000	Atlético Madrid	32	(0)
2000–2002	Flamengo	4	(1)
2001–2002	→ AEK Athens (loan)	24	(0)
2002–2005	Internazionale	27	(0)
2005–2006	Palmeiras	33	(2)
2007	Olimpia	25	(1)
Total		340	(16)
National team
1992–2004	Paraguay U23	18	(6)
1993–2006	Paraguay	110	(12)
Honours Representing  Paraguay Men's Football Silver 2004 Athens Team Competition
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Carlos Alberto Gamarra Pavón (born 17 February 1971) is a famous former football player from Paraguay. He was a strong centre back, which is a defender who plays in the middle of the field. Carlos Gamarra was known for being a great leader and a very tough defender. He was excellent at tackling, heading the ball, and was physically strong. Many people in South America thought he was one of the best defenders.

Gamarra played for the Paraguay national team 110 times, scoring 12 goals. This made him one of the most capped (most played) players in Paraguay's history. He even captained the team for many years. He played in three FIFA World Cup tournaments (1998, 2002, and 2006) and five Copa América tournaments. He also played in two Summer Olympic Games, winning a silver medal in 2004! Carlos Gamarra was named the Paraguayan Footballer of the Year in both 1997 and 1998. He was also chosen for the 1998 FIFA World Cup All-Star Team, which means he was one of the best players at that World Cup.

Carlos Gamarra's Club Career

Carlos Gamarra started his football journey in 1991 in his home country, Paraguay. He played for a team called Cerro Porteño. With them, he won the Paraguayan national championship in 1992.

Playing in South America

After a short time playing for Independiente in Argentina, Gamarra returned to Cerro Porteño. In 1995, he moved to Brazil to play for Internacional. This is where he really started to become famous. His great playing earned him the title of Paraguayan Footballer of the Year in 1997 and again in 1998.

Later, he joined another Brazilian team, SC Corinthians. With Corinthians, he helped them win the Brazilian Championship (Serie A) in 1998. He also played for Flamengo in Brazil.

Playing in Europe

Gamarra also played for clubs in Europe. He joined S.L. Benfica in Portugal for the 1997–1998 season. Then, in 1999, he moved to Spain to play for Atlético Madrid.

After a season in Spain, he went to Greece to play for AEK Athens on loan. While in Greece, he played 24 league games and helped his team win the Greek Cup in 2002.

After his great performance at the 2002 World Cup, Gamarra moved to Italy. He joined Internazionale, one of Italy's biggest clubs, for the 2002–2003 season. He helped Inter finish second in the league that season. He stayed with Inter until 2005.

Finishing His Career

In 2005, Gamarra returned to Brazil to play for Palmeiras. Finally, in 2007, he went back to Paraguay to end his amazing football career. He signed with Olimpia and retired after the 2007 season.

Carlos Gamarra's International Career

Carlos Gamarra first played for the Paraguay national team on 27 March 1993. His first big moment on the international stage was during the 1998 FIFA World Cup. Paraguay played very well and reached the second round. They were eventually knocked out by France, who went on to win the tournament.

Gamarra played in all four of Paraguay's games in 1998. He was highly praised for his defensive skills. What's even more amazing is that he did not commit a single foul in any of his matches! Because of his outstanding play, FIFA named him to the World Cup All-Star team.

At the 2002 FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan, Paraguay again reached the second round. Gamarra played every minute of their games. And once again, he completed the tournament without committing a single foul! This shows how disciplined and skilled he was as a defender.

Olympic Success

Gamarra also led the Paraguay team to a silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. They played against Argentina in the final, losing 1–0. This was a huge achievement for Paraguay and for Gamarra as their captain.

2006 World Cup and Retirement

In the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Gamarra had a rare moment when he scored an own goal in the opening match against England. This happened very early in the game. It was a tough moment, but it's important to remember that such things can happen in football, even to the best players. During this World Cup, Carlos Gamarra announced that he would retire from the Paraguay national team.

Career statistics

Club

International

Scores and results list Paraguay U23's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Gamarra goal.

List of international goals scored by Carlos Gamarra

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	30 July 1992	Estadio Luis Casanova, Valencia, Spain	Morocco	3–0	3–1	1992 Summer Olympics
2	15 August 2004	Kaftanzoglio Stadium, Thessaloniki, Greece	Ghana	1–0	1–2	2004 Summer Olympics

Awards and Achievements

Carlos Gamarra won many awards and championships during his career:

• Paraguayan League: 1992, 1994 (with Cerro Porteño)
• Torneo República: 1991 (with Cerro Porteño)
• Campeonato Gaúcho: 1997 (with Internacional)
• Brazilian Championship (Campeonato Brasileiro Série A): 1998 (with Corinthians)
• Campeonato Paulista: 1999 (with Corinthians)
• Campeonato Carioca: 2001 (with Flamengo)
• Copa dos Campeões: 2001 (with Flamengo)
• Greek Cup: 2002 (with AEK Athens)
• Coppa Italia: 2005 (with Internazionale)
• Olympic Games Silver Medal: 2004 (with Paraguay)

Individual Awards

Carlos Gamarra also received many personal awards for his amazing skills:

• El País South America Ideal Team of the Year: 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2005 (This means he was chosen as one of the best players in South America multiple times!)
• Paraguayan Footballer of the Year: 1997, 1998
• FIFA World Cup All-Star Team: 1998
• Best Defender CONMEBOL: 1998 (CONMEBOL is the football association for South America)
• Campeonato Brasileiro Série A Team of the Year: 2005
• Bola de Prata: 1995, 1996, 1998, 2005 (This is a famous Brazilian football award)

See also

In Spanish: Carlos Gamarra para niños

• List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps
• Players and Records in Paraguayan Football