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Cristian Rodríguez
Cebolla Rodriguez - Copa Libertadores - Premio Bridgestone (cropped).jpg
Rodríguez with Peñarol in 2018
Personal information
Date of birth (1985-09-30) 30 September 1985 (age 38)
Place of birth Juan Lacaze, Uruguay
Height 1.78 m
Playing position Winger
Youth career
Peñarol
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2005 Peñarol 40 (4)
2005–2008 Paris Saint-Germain 36 (1)
2007–2008 Benfica (loan) 24 (6)
2008–2012 Porto 70 (12)
2012–2015 Atlético Madrid 59 (2)
2015 Parma (loan) 5 (0)
2015 Grêmio (loan) 0 (0)
2015–2016 Independiente 26 (3)
2017–2021 Peñarol 98 (31)
2021–2022 Plaza Colonia 37 (4)
Total 395 (63)
National team
2003–2005 Uruguay U20 13 (5)
2003–2018 Uruguay 110 (11)
  • Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Cristian Gabriel Rodríguez Barotti (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈkɾistjan roˈðɾiɣes]; born 30 September 1985) is a Uruguayan former footballer who played as a left winger.

Having received the nickname Cebolla (onion) from his Peñarol days, from his father, he was well known for his speed and technical ability. He spent several seasons in Portugal with Benfica and Porto, and also competed professionally in France, Spain, Italy, Brazil and Argentina.

Rodríguez earned 110 caps for Uruguay, representing the country in two World Cups and four Copa América tournaments and winning the 2011 edition of the latter.

Club career

Peñarol and PSG

Cristian Rodriguez
Rodríguez whilst at Paris Saint-Germain

Born in Juan Lacaze, Rodríguez started playing professionally, still a youngster, for local Peñarol in the Uruguayan Primera División, where he helped the side to the 2003 title. After an injury ruled him out for some games in late 2004, he was spotted by television cameras jumping in the stands alongside the supporters, but he eventually escaped a fine or suspension.

In 2005, Rodríguez was transferred to French club Paris Saint-Germain F.C. on a free transfer, along with Carlos Bueno. After appearing scarcely in his first season in Ligue 1, he was important in helping the capital team barely avoid relegation, scoring his only goal in a 4–2 home win against AS Monaco FC.

Porto

In late August 2007, Rodríguez moved to Portugal's S.L. Benfica in a season-long loan, together with compatriot Maxi Pereira who arrived from Defensor Sporting. After being one of their most important players through 2007–08, he was bought by fellow Primeira Liga club FC Porto in June 2008 (but part of the transfer fee was paid to Play International B.V.). During the two teams' match in Lisbon, on 30 August 2008, he was subjected to vitriolic abuse from the stands in a 1–1 final draw. He eventually settled nonetheless, forming an attacking trio with Argentine Lisandro López and Brazilian Hulk and also scoring occasionally through unsuspecting headers.

After Silvestre Varela was bought by Porto in the 2009 off-season, Rodríguez was relegated to a substitute role. He still made 32 competitive appearances in the 2010–11 campaign (two goals, including one in 11 matches in a victorious run in the UEFA Europa League).

On 17 February 2014, Rodríguez was condemned to pay a €45,000 fine for assaulting two stewards at the Estádio da Luz, following a tunnel brawl during the 0–1 away league loss against Benfica on 20 December 2009.

Atlético Madrid

Кристиан Родригес
Rodríguez playing for Atlético Madrid in 2013

On 28 May 2012, Rodríguez signed a four-year contract with Atlético Madrid after being released by Porto. He scored his first two goals for his new team in the Europa League group stage, against Hapoel Tel Aviv FC (3–0 away victory) and FC Viktoria Plzeň (home); in the latter, he netted the game's only goal through a thunderous left-foot shot in the 93rd minute.

On 20 January 2015, Rodríguez joined Parma F.C. until the end of the season. Less than two months later, however, due to the Italian club's precarious financial situation, he joined Brazil's Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense also on loan.

Rodríguez left Grêmio on 8 May 2015, after struggling with injuries and totalling less than 80 minutes of action.

Independiente

On 24 July 2015, Rodríguez agreed to a two-year deal at Club Atlético Independiente as a free agent. After suffering from several injury problems, his contract was terminated on 19 December 2016.

Return to Uruguay

On 3 February 2017, Rodríguez announced his return to Peñarol. He went on to win the 2017 and 2018 national championships as well as the 2018 Supercopa Uruguaya, ending his second stint in April 2021 with 126 appearances and 39 goals in all competitions.

Rodríguez joined Club Plaza Colonia de Deportes on 20 April 2021. On 17 January 2023, he announced his retirement at the age of 37.

International career

Go Uruguay! - Arriba Uruguay! - 140619-6398-jikatu (14307280607)
Rodríguez (bottom row, first left) lining up for Uruguay during the 2014 World Cup

Rodríguez made his Uruguay national team debut at age 18 in a friendly against Mexico, and represented the nation in two Copa América tournaments, scoring in the 2007 edition in a 4–1 quarter-final win over Venezuela, the hosts. After assaulting Argentina's Gabriel Heinze during the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying stage (0–1 home loss) he received a four-match ban, and coach Oscar Tabárez opted to not select him for the final stages in South Africa.

Rodríguez was included in the 2015 Copa América squad, scoring the only goal in the tournament opener against Jamaica in Antofagasta. The 32-year-old was also selected for the 2018 World Cup.

Career statistics

Club

Club Season League National cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Peñarol 2003 Primera División 12 1 0 0 12 1
2004 28 3 8 1 36 4
2005 0 0 1 0 1 0
Total 40 4 9 1 49 5
Paris Saint-Germain 2005–06 Ligue 1 11 0 4 1 0 0 15 1
2006–07 25 1 4 1 6 0 0 0 35 2
2007–08 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 36 1 8 2 6 0 0 0 50 3
Benfica (loan) 2007–08 Primeira Liga 24 6 4 1 8 0 0 0 36 7
Total 24 6 4 1 8 0 0 0 36 7
Porto 2008–09 Primeira Liga 29 6 0 0 10 1 1 0 40 7
2009–10 18 4 2 1 6 0 2 0 28 5
2010–11 13 1 2 0 11 1 2 0 28 2
2011–12 10 1 0 0 2 0 4 1 16 2
Total 70 12 4 1 29 2 9 1 112 16
Atlético Madrid 2012–13 La Liga 33 1 8 0 6 2 1 0 48 3
2013–14 20 1 7 0 10 0 2 0 39 1
2014–15 6 0 2 1 2 0 1 0 11 1
Total 59 2 17 1 18 2 4 0 98 5
Parma (loan) 2014–15 Serie A 5 0 1 0 6 0
Grêmio (loan) 2015 Série A 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 0
Independiente 2015 Primera División 8 3 0 0 5 0 13 3
2016 9 0 0 0 3 0 12 0
2016–17 9 0 0 0 0 0 9 0
Total 26 3 0 0 8 0 34 3
Peñarol 2017 Primera División 29 15 6 0 35 15
2018 20 10 8 4 1 1 29 15
2019 23 5 8 1 1 1 32 7
2020 26 1 4 1 30 2
Total 98 31 26 6 2 2 126 39
Plaza Colonia 2021 Primera División 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Career total 358 59 34 5 104 11 17 3 513 78

International

Uruguay
Year Apps Goals
2003 1 0
2004 7 1
2005 0 0
2006 0 0
2007 12 1
2008 9 1
2009 7 0
2010 4 1
2011 7 0
2012 7 1
2013 16 3
2014 13 0
2015 6 1
2016 6 2
2017 7 0
2018 8 0
Total 110 11
Uruguay score listed first, score column indicates score after each Rodríguez goal.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 9 October 2004 Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina  Argentina 4–1 4–2 2006 World Cup qualification
2. 7 July 2007 Polideportivo Pueblo Nuevo, San Cristóbal, Venezuela  Venezuela 1–3 1–4 2007 Copa América
3. 25 May 2008 RewirpowerSTADION, Bochum, Germany  Turkey 2–3 2–3 Friendly
4. 12 October 2010 Wuhan Sports Center, Wuhan, China  China 0–3 0–4
5. 10 June 2012 Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay  Peru 3–2 4–2 2014 World Cup qualification
6. 6 February 2013 Khalifa International Stadium, Doha, Qatar  Spain 1–1 3–1 Friendly
7. 15 October 2013 Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay  Argentina 1–0 3–2 2014 World Cup qualification
8. 13 November 2013 Amman International Stadium, Amman, Jordan  Jordan 0–4 0–5 2014 World Cup qualification
9. 13 June 2015 Estadio Regional, Antofagasta, Chile  Jamaica 1–0 1–0 2015 Copa América
10. 6 September 2016 Estadio Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay  Paraguay 2–0 2–0 2018 World Cup qualification
11. 11 October 2016 Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez, Barranquilla, Colombia  Colombia 1–1 2–2

Honours

Cebolla Rodriguez with CA trophy
Rodríguez with the 2011 Copa América trophy

Peñarol

  • Uruguayan Primera División: 2003, 2017, 2018
  • Supercopa Uruguaya: 2018

Paris Saint-Germain

Porto

Atlético Madrid

Uruguay

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Cristian Rodríguez para niños

  • List of footballers with 100 or more caps
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