Esteban Cambiasso facts for kids
Cambiasso with Inter Milan in 2011
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Esteban Matías Cambiasso Deleau | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 18 August 1980 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Buenos Aires, Argentina | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1996 | Argentinos Juniors | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–1997 | Real Madrid | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–1998 | Real Madrid B | 42 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2001 | Independiente | 98 | (14) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2002 | River Plate | 37 | (14) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2004 | Real Madrid | 41 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2014 | Inter Milan | 315 | (50) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2015 | Leicester City | 31 | (5) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2017 | Olympiacos | 28 | (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 592 | (78) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995 | Argentina U17 | 6 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–1999 | Argentina U20 | 11 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2011 | Argentina | 52 | (5) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Esteban Matías Cambiasso Deleau (born August 18, 1980) is a famous former football player from Argentina. People often called him "Cuchu." He played as a midfielder, which is a player who helps both attack and defend.
During his amazing career, Cambiasso won 21 official titles. Most of these wins happened during his ten years playing for Inter Milan in Italy. With Inter, he won five Italian league titles, called Scudetti, and the important 2009–10 UEFA Champions League trophy.
Cambiasso also played for the Argentina national team from 2000 to 2011. He played in 52 international matches. He represented Argentina in the 2006 World Cup, the 2005 Confederations Cup, and the Copa América in 2007 and 2011.
Contents
Club Football Journey
Starting Out in Football
Cambiasso started his professional football journey with Argentinos Juniors in 1995. A year later, in 1996, he moved to Real Madrid in Spain with his brother, Nicolás Cambiasso.
In 1998, he went back to Argentina. He played for Independiente for three years and then for River Plate for one year. These experiences helped him become a better player.
Returning to Real Madrid
With more experience, Cambiasso returned to Real Madrid in 2002. He helped his team, known as Los Blancos, win several big trophies. They won the UEFA Super Cup and the Intercontinental Cup in 2002. In 2003, they won the Spanish league, La Liga, and the Supercopa de España. Real Madrid also reached the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League that season.
Success with Inter Milan
In July 2004, Cambiasso joined the Italian club Inter Milan after his contract with Real Madrid ended. He quickly became a key player for Inter. In his first season, he helped them win the Coppa Italia (Italian Cup). He played as a defensive midfielder, often alongside another Argentine player, Juan Sebastián Verón. People in Italy saw him as one of the best players in the 2004–05 season.
Cambiasso scored an amazing goal in the 2006 Coppa Italia Final against Roma, helping Inter win 3–1. On September 9, 2006, he scored two goals in the first game of the new season, as Inter beat Fiorentina 3–2. In the Champions League on November 7, 2007, he scored twice against CSKA Moscow, leading to a 4–2 victory. On December 23, he scored the winning goal in the exciting Derby della Madonnina against city rivals Milan, with Inter winning 2–1.
In March 2009, Cambiasso signed a new contract with Inter until 2014. He played a very important role in Inter winning the 2009–10 UEFA Champions League title. He scored a crucial goal against Chelsea in a 2–1 win, which helped Inter reach the final. Inter then won the final 2–0 against Bayern Munich on May 22, 2010.
In a Champions League match on November 24, Cambiasso scored the only goal against Twente. This win secured Inter's spot in the next round of the competition. On January 9, 2011, he scored two goals as Inter came back to beat Catania 2–1.
Cambiasso received his first red card for Inter on March 30, 2013, for a tackle. On September 22, 2013, he scored Inter's sixth goal in a huge 7–0 win against Sassuolo. Four days later, he scored Inter's first goal in a 2–1 comeback win against Fiorentina.
At the end of the 2013–14 season, Cambiasso left Inter because his contract ended and he wasn't offered a new one.
Time with Leicester City
On August 28, 2014, Cambiasso signed a one-year deal with Leicester City, a team that had just been promoted to the Premier League in England. He joined them for free. He said he chose Leicester because they really wanted him and he was excited to play in the Premier League.
Cambiasso made his debut for Leicester on September 13 against Stoke City. He came on as a substitute and played very well, helping his team win 1–0. His first goal for Leicester was an equalizer in a thrilling 5–3 home win against Manchester United. Leicester had been losing 1–3 in that game.
On April 4, 2015, Cambiasso scored early in a game against West Ham United. Leicester won that match 2–1, which was their first league victory in eight games. This win started a great run for Leicester, as they won seven and drew one of their last nine Premier League matches. They finished the season in 14th place.
In May 2015, Leicester City fans voted Cambiasso as their Player of the Year because of his excellent performances. On May 24, he scored in Leicester's final match of the season, a 5–1 win against Queens Park Rangers.
On July 21, 2015, it was announced that Cambiasso would be leaving Leicester City. He had been offered a new contract but decided not to accept it.
Playing for Olympiacos
On August 7, 2015, Cambiasso signed a two-year contract with Olympiacos, a big club in Greece. He scored his first goal for them on December 2 in a 4–0 away win in the Greek Cup. He scored two goals in 14 league games as Olympiacos won the Greek title again. One of his goals was an equalizer in a 3–1 home win against Panathinaikos in a big derby match on March 13, 2016.
Cambiasso renewed his contract on July 11, 2016. On March 9, 2017, he started a game against Beşiktaş in the UEFA Europa League and scored the first goal in a 1–1 draw. He was named the best player of that match.
Retirement from Football
On September 8, 2017, Cambiasso announced that he was retiring from professional football. This was two months after his contract with Olympiacos ended. He decided to retire because he had passed his coaching exams in Italy. This allowed him to become an assistant coach or a head coach in lower leagues in the future.
International Career for Argentina
Cambiasso first played for Argentina in their youth teams. He played alongside future stars like Juan Román Riquelme and Pablo Aimar. He was part of the team that won the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship. He even scored the first goal in the final, even though he was the youngest player on the team. He was also the captain for the 1999 tournament.
Cambiasso made his debut for the senior Argentina national team in 2000. He played in the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup, where Argentina reached the final. On May 15, 2006, he was chosen for Argentina's team for the 2006 World Cup. On June 16, he scored a fantastic goal after 24 passes by his teammates in a 6–0 victory against Serbia and Montenegro.
In the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup, Argentina played against Germany. The game went to a penalty shootout, and Cambiasso's penalty kick was saved. Argentina lost 4–2 and was knocked out of the tournament. The next year, he played for Argentina in the 2007 Copa América, where they reached the final but lost to their rivals, Brazil.
After Diego Maradona became Argentina's coach, Cambiasso was not called up to the national team very often. However, he was recalled for a friendly game against Spain on November 14, 2009. Even though he was playing a very important role for Inter Milan, helping them win many trophies, he was surprisingly left out of the 2010 World Cup squad.
On August 20, 2010, the new Argentina coach, Sergio Batista, called Cambiasso back to the national team. Argentina then beat the world champions Spain 4–1 in a friendly match. Cambiasso also played for Argentina in the 2011 Copa América held in Argentina. They were knocked out by Uruguay in the quarter-finals after a penalty shootout.
How Cambiasso Played
Cambiasso was a very complete and smart football player. He could play in many different midfield and defensive positions. He was mostly a central midfielder, meaning he played in the middle of the field, helping both attack and defense. He was also strong with his left foot and had great energy.
He was good at passing the ball and seeing where his teammates were, which helped him create chances for goals. He was also a strong defender, good at tackling and understanding the game. After winning the ball back, he could start attacks or even score goals himself.
Eurosport once said that Cambiasso was "the heartbeat of the Inter side." They described him as a determined and hard-working midfielder who was very important to his team's success.
Personal Life
Esteban Cambiasso has a daughter and a son. On November 22, 2008, his wife Claudia gave birth to their daughter, Victoria. This happened before Cambiasso's match for Inter against Juventus. After Inter won the game, Cambiasso dedicated the victory to his new daughter. His son, Dante, was born on September 24, 2013. Two days later, Cambiasso scored a goal against Fiorentina and dedicated it to his family.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Independiente | 1998–99 | Argentine Primera División | 27 | 3 | — | — | — | 27 | 3 | |||
| 1999–2000 | Argentine Primera División | 36 | 6 | — | — | — | 36 | 6 | ||||
| 2000–01 | Argentine Primera División | 35 | 5 | — | — | — | 35 | 5 | ||||
| Total | 98 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 98 | 14 | ||
| River Plate | 2001–02 | Argentine Primera División | 37 | 12 | — | — | — | 37 | 12 | |||
| Real Madrid | 2002–03 | La Liga | 24 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 39 | 0 |
| 2003–04 | La Liga | 17 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 1 | |
| Total | 41 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 14 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 67 | 1 | ||
| Inter Milan | 2004–05 | Serie A | 30 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 0 | — | 44 | 2 | |
| 2005–06 | Serie A | 34 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 48 | 6 | |
| 2006–07 | Serie A | 21 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 28 | 5 | |
| 2007–08 | Serie A | 33 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 44 | 8 | |
| 2008–09 | Serie A | 35 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 5 | |
| 2009–10 | Serie A | 30 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 4 | |
| 2010–11 | Serie A | 30 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 45 | 8 | |
| 2011–12 | Serie A | 37 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 47 | 5 | |
| 2012–13 | Serie A | 33 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 1 | — | 48 | 4 | ||
| 2013–14 | Serie A | 32 | 4 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 4 | |||
| Total | 315 | 41 | 28 | 3 | 79 | 7 | 9 | 0 | 431 | 51 | ||
| Leicester City | 2014–15 | Premier League | 31 | 5 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 33 | 5 | ||
| Olympiacos | 2015–16 | Super League Greece | 14 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 0 | — | 21 | 4 | |
| 2016–17 | Super League Greece | 14 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 9 | 2 | — | 28 | 3 | ||
| Total | 28 | 2 | 8 | 3 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 49 | 7 | ||
| Career total | 550 | 74 | 46 | 7 | 106 | 9 | 13 | 0 | 715 | 90 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 2000 | 1 | 0 |
| 2001 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2002 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2003 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2004 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2005 | 10 | 1 | |
| 2006 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2007 | 13 | 1 | |
| 2008 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2009 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 4 | 1 | |
| Total | 52 | 5 | |
- Scores and results list Argentina's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Cambiasso goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 21 June 2005 | Frankenstadion, Nuremberg, Germany |  Germany |
2–2 | 2–2 | 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup |
| 2. | 16 June 2006 | WM Stadion Gelsenkirchen, Gelsenkirchen, Germany |  Serbia and Montenegro |
2–0 | 6–0 | 2006 FIFA World Cup |
| 3. | 5 June 2007 | Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain |  Algeria |
3–2 | 4–3 | Friendly |
| 4. | 10 September 2008 | Estadio Monumental "U", Lima, Peru |  Peru |
1–0 | 1–1 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying |
| 5. | 26 March 2011 | New Meadowlands Stadium, East Rutherford, United States |  United States |
1–0 | 1–1 | Friendly |
Honours and Awards
River Plate
- Argentine Primera División: Clausura 2002 (a league title)
Real Madrid
- La Liga: 2002–03 (Spanish league title)
- Supercopa de España: 2003 (Spanish Super Cup)
- UEFA Super Cup: 2002 (European Super Cup)
- Intercontinental Cup: 2002 (a global club competition)
Inter Milan
- Serie A: 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2009–10 (Italian league titles)
- Coppa Italia: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10, 2010–11 (Italian Cup)
- Supercoppa Italiana: 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010 (Italian Super Cup)
- UEFA Champions League: 2009–10 (Europe's top club competition)
- FIFA Club World Cup: 2010 (World club competition)
Olympiacos
- Super League Greece: 2015–16, 2016–17 (Greek league titles)
Argentina U20
- South American Youth Championship: 1997, 1999
- FIFA World Youth Championship: 1997
Argentina National Team
- Copa América runner-up: 2007
- FIFA Confederations Cup Runner-up: 2005
Individual Awards
- ESM Team of the Year: 2005–06
- Pirata d'Oro (Inter Milan Player of the Year): 2005
- FIFA FIFPro World XI nominee: 2010
- Leicester City Player of the Year: 2014–15
- Inter Milan Hall of Fame: 2020
See also
In Spanish: Esteban Cambiasso para niños
