Claudio Caniggia facts for kids
Caniggia in 1988
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Claudio Paul Caniggia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 9 January 1967 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Henderson, Buenos Aires, Argentina | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Forward, winger | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1985–1988 | River Plate | 53 | (8) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1988–1989 | Hellas Verona | 21 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1989–1992 | Atalanta | 85 | (26) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1994 | Roma | 15 | (4) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–1995 | Benfica | 24 | (8) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1998 | Boca Juniors | 58 | (22) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2000 | Atalanta | 17 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2001 | Dundee | 21 | (7) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2003 | Rangers | 50 | (13) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2004 | Qatar SC | 15 | (5) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 359 | (97) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1987–2002 | Argentina | 50 | (16) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Claudio Paul Caniggia (born 9 January 1967) is a famous Argentine former footballer. He played as a forward or winger. Caniggia played 50 times for the Argentina national team.
He was part of three World Cup teams. He also played for rival clubs River Plate and Boca Juniors. At the 1990 FIFA World Cup, Caniggia scored two goals. These goals helped Argentina reach the final. However, he could not play in the final match against West Germany.
Caniggia also scored two goals at the 1994 FIFA World Cup. These goals came in a first-round match against Nigeria. Besides River Plate and Boca Juniors, he played for clubs like Atalanta, Benfica, Dundee, and Rangers. He played football in Argentina, Italy, Portugal, Scotland, and Qatar.
Contents
Claudio Caniggia's Club Career
Claudio Caniggia played for many clubs. He started with River Plate (1985–88). Then he moved to Hellas Verona (1988–89). He also played for Atalanta twice (1989–92 and 1999–2000). Other clubs include Roma (1992–93) and S.L. Benfica (1994–95). He returned to Argentina to play for Boca Juniors (1995–98). Later, he joined Dundee (2000–01) and Rangers (2001–03).
He became a favorite player at many clubs. For example, he scored against Dunfermline in 2003. This goal helped Rangers win a title. In 1988, Caniggia joined Hellas Verona in Italy. He had played 53 games and scored 8 goals for River Plate.
He then moved to Atalanta in 1989. He stayed there for three years. He scored 26 goals in 85 league games. With Atalanta, he played in the UEFA Cup twice. He helped the club reach the quarter-finals in 1990–91. Caniggia later said his time with Atalanta was "the best years in his career."
Caniggia joined Roma in 1992. He later moved to Benfica on a loan. After playing for Benfica, he returned to Argentina. He joined Boca Juniors. He played for Boca until 1998. He then rejoined Atalanta in Italy. He helped them get promoted to Serie A.
After one season, he left Atalanta. He then signed for Scottish club Dundee. He quickly became Dundee's star player. In 2001, he was nominated for an award. He then moved to Rangers. He became a fan favorite there. He scored against their rivals Celtic in a cup final.
In June 2012, Caniggia joined Wembley. This was for their FA Cup campaign. He played alongside other former international players. These included Ray Parlour and Martin Keown. On 12 August 2012, he played in an early FA Cup round. At 45 years old, he scored the first goal. Wembley won the game 3–2.
Claudio Caniggia's International Career
Caniggia was a very important player for Argentina. He played in the 1990 and 1994 World Cups. However, he was not chosen for the 1998 World Cup. This was due to the coach Daniel Passarella's strict rules.
He played 50 games for Argentina. He scored 16 goals in total. In Argentina, he was known for playing well for the national team. This was true even if his club career was not always high-profile. Caniggia was not just a striker. He was also a playmaker or creative forward. He was good friends with Diego Maradona. They once celebrated a goal with a kiss.
1990 World Cup Highlights
At the 1990 World Cup, Caniggia scored two important goals. These helped Argentina reach the final. In the first match against Cameroon, he was fouled three times. The last foul earned a red card for the opponent. Caniggia then started in the next matches.
In the second round, Argentina played Brazil. The score was 0–0 with 10 minutes left. Diego Maradona passed the ball to Caniggia. Caniggia went past the Brazilian goalkeeper Taffarel. He scored into an empty net. This gave Argentina the win. It also knocked Brazil out of the tournament. This goal made him a legend among Argentine fans.
Argentina then beat Yugoslavia in a penalty shootout. They moved to the semi-finals. There, they played against Italy. Italy had not let in any goals in five matches. Italy was leading 1–0 at half-time. In the second half, Caniggia headed a cross into the net. He scored against goalkeeper Walter Zenga. This ended Zenga's record of 517 minutes without letting in a goal. The match went to extra time. Argentina won again by penalty kicks. They reached the final. Caniggia received a yellow card earlier in the tournament. He got another yellow card against Italy. This meant he was suspended for the final. He watched the final from the stands. Argentina lost 1–0 to Germany.
Winning Titles with Argentina
In the 1991 Copa América, Caniggia was a key player. He scored two goals and made four assists. Argentina won the title that year. He also helped Argentina win the 1992 Confederations Cup. He scored a goal in the final match. In February 1993, he scored a goal against Denmark. This was in the CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions. Argentina won by penalties and became intercontinental champions.
1994 World Cup Goals
Caniggia scored two goals in the 1994 World Cup. Both goals were in the first-round match against Nigeria. The first came from a rebound after a Gabriel Batistuta free kick. The second was from a free kick by Diego Maradona. Caniggia put the ball into the top right corner. He was taken out of Argentina's third game against Bulgaria. Argentina lost their next match to Romania. They were out of the tournament.
2002 World Cup Appearance
Caniggia returned to the national team for the 2002 World Cup. He did not play in any matches. In Argentina's last match against Sweden, he received a red card. This happened while he was on the bench. He became the first player to be sent off from the bench in a World Cup.
Claudio Caniggia's Playing Style
Caniggia was a fast and strong striker. He had good technique and dribbling skills. He was known for his amazing speed. Before playing football, he competed in athletics. He ran the 100 meters at a high level. He could score goals often. He was also good at setting up chances for his teammates.
Because of this, he often played as an advanced playmaker. He also played as a creative forward or a winger. His explosive running helped him get past defenders. He was nicknamed El Hijo del Viento ("Son of the Wind"). He was also called El Pájaro ("The Bird"). Caniggia was known for his long blonde hair.
Personal Life
Claudio Caniggia was married to Mariana Nannis. They have three children: Kevin Axel, Álex Dimitri, and Charlotte Chantal. He later married Sofia Bonelli.
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Continental | Other1 | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| River Plate | 1985–86 | Argentine Primera División | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | 1 | 0 | |||
| 1986–87 | 24 | 3 | – | – | – | 24 | 3 | |||||
| 1987–88 | 28 | 5 | – | – | – | 28 | 5 | |||||
| Total | 53 | 8 | – | – | – | 53 | 8 | |||||
| Verona | 1988–89 | Serie A | 21 | 3 | 9 | 3 | – | – | 30 | 6 | ||
| Atalanta | 1989–90 | Serie A | 31 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 0 | – | 36 | 10 | |
| 1990–91 | 23 | 10 | – | 5 | 0 | – | 28 | 10 | ||||
| 1991–92 | 31 | 8 | 4 | 1 | – | – | 35 | 9 | ||||
| Total | 85 | 26 | 7 | 3 | 7 | 0 | – | 99 | 29 | |||
| Roma | 1992–93 | Serie A | 15 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 3 | – | 25 | 9 | |
| 1993–94 | – | – | – | – | – | |||||||
| Total | 15 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 3 | – | 25 | 9 | |||
| Benfica | 1994–95 | Primeira Divisão | 24 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 3 | – | 34 | 16 | |
| Boca Juniors | 1995–96 | Argentine Primera División | 29 | 12 | – | – | – | 29 | 12 | |||
| 1996–97 | – | – | – | – | – | |||||||
| 1997–98 | 17 | 5 | – | – | – | 17 | 5 | |||||
| 1998–99 | 12 | 5 | – | – | – | 12 | 5 | |||||
| Total | 58 | 22 | – | – | – | 58 | 22 | |||||
| Atalanta | 1999–2000 | Serie B | 17 | 1 | 3 | 1 | – | – | 20 | 2 | ||
| Dundee | 2000–01 | Scottish Premier League | 21 | 7 | – | – | – | 21 | 7 | |||
| Rangers | 2001–02 | Scottish Premier League | 24 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 42 | 9 |
| 2002–03 | 26 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 36 | 12 | ||
| Total | 50 | 13 | 7 | 1 | 13 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 78 | 21 | ||
| Qatar SC | 2003–04 | Qatar Stars League | 15 | 5 | – | – | – | 15 | 5 | |||
| Career total | 359 | 97 | 35 | 15 | 31 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 433 | 125 | ||
Honours and Achievements
Claudio Caniggia won many titles with his clubs and country.
River Plate
- Primera División Argentina: 1985–86
- Copa Interamericana: 1986
Rangers
- Scottish Premier League: 2002–03
- Scottish Cup: 2001–02, 2002–03
- Scottish League Cup: 2001–02, 2002–03
Argentina National Team
- Copa América: 1991
- FIFA Confederations Cup: 1992
- Artemio Franchi Cup: 1993
- Kirin Cup: 1992
- FIFA World Cup runner-up: 1990
See also
In Spanish: Claudio Caniggia para niños
