Ezequiel Lavezzi facts for kids
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Lavezzi in action for Paris Saint-Germain in 2013
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 3 May 1985 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Villa Gobernador Gálvez, Argentina | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.73 m | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Forward, winger | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–2000 | Coronel Aguirre | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2001 | Boca Juniors | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2003 | Estudiantes | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2004 | Estudiantes | 39 | (17) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2007 | San Lorenzo | 84 | (25) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2012 | Napoli | 156 | (38) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2016 | Paris Saint-Germain | 107 | (22) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2019 | Hebei China Fortune | 74 | (35) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 460 | (137) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | Argentina U20 | 7 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008 | Argentina Olympic | 10 | (9) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2017 | Argentina | 51 | (9) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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Ezequiel Iván Lavezzi (born May 3, 1985) is a former professional footballer from Argentina. People often called him "Pocho," which means "the Chubby One." He played as a forward or winger.
Lavezzi was known for his speed and hard work on the field. He was also very good at dribbling the ball. He could play in different attacking roles.
He started his career at Estudiantes (BA) in Argentina. Later, he moved to Italy to play for Napoli. There, he helped them win the Coppa Italia in 2012. After that, he joined Paris Saint-Germain in France. With PSG, he won many titles, including three Ligue 1 championships. He finished his career playing in China for Hebei China Fortune.
Lavezzi also played for the Argentina national team from 2007 to 2016. He won an Olympic gold medal in 2008. He also helped Argentina reach the finals of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and two Copa América tournaments.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Early Days at Estudiantes (BA)
Ezequiel Lavezzi joined the youth team of Estudiantes (BA) in 2003. He played for one season with the senior team. During that time, he played 39 games and scored 17 goals.
Playing for San Lorenzo
In 2004, Lavezzi was bought by an Italian club, Genoa. However, he was immediately loaned to San Lorenzo in Argentina. At just 19 years old, he quickly made an impact. He scored eight goals in his first season there.
One of his most famous goals was against River Plate. He scored in the 69th minute, helping San Lorenzo win. This important goal earned him the nickname la Bestia ("the Beast") from the media.
Lavezzi was supposed to return to Genoa. But Genoa faced financial issues and was moved to a lower league. So, Lavezzi was sold permanently to San Lorenzo. He helped the club win the Clausura 2007 title.
Time with Napoli in Italy
In 2007, Lavezzi moved to Italy to play for Napoli. Napoli had just been promoted back to Serie A, Italy's top league. Lavezzi signed a five-year contract. He was given the number seven shirt.
He quickly showed his talent. In a Coppa Italia match, he scored a hat-trick against Pisa. This was the first hat-trick by a Napoli player in 14 years. He also scored his first league goal in a big 5–0 win against Udinese. The media called him "inspirational."
Some people even compared him to the legendary Diego Maradona. But Lavezzi said he was more like another Argentine player, Carlos Tevez. He became a favorite among the fans because of his quick moves.
In the 2008–09 season, he scored seven goals. The next season, he scored eight goals but missed some games due to injuries. For the 2010–11 season, he gave his number seven jersey to new teammate Edinson Cavani. Lavezzi then wore number 22.
He continued to score important goals for Napoli. In the 2011–12 season, he scored against teams like Cesena and Udinese. He also scored his first two Champions League goals against Chelsea.
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Lavezzi helped Napoli win their first trophy in over 20 years. This happened on May 20, 2012, when they beat Juventus 2–0 in the Coppa Italia final. Lavezzi won a penalty, which Cavani scored.
Moving to Paris Saint-Germain
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On July 2, 2012, Lavezzi joined Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in France. He signed a four-year deal. He made his PSG debut on August 11 in a 2–2 draw.
His first goals for PSG came in the Champions League. He scored twice against Dynamo Kyiv, helping PSG qualify for the next round. He also scored his first league goal against Evian.
In February 2013, Lavezzi scored a key goal against Valencia CF in the Champions League. This helped PSG win the first leg. He then scored again in the second leg, helping PSG reach the quarter-finals for the first time since 1995.
In November 2014, Lavezzi scored a late winning goal against Metz. This put PSG in first place in Ligue 1. In January 2015, he and teammate Edinson Cavani were fined and suspended. This was because they missed a training camp.
On April 25, 2015, Lavezzi scored three goals (a hat-trick) in a 6–1 win against Lille. On May 16, he scored the winning goal against Montpellier. This secured PSG's third straight French league title.
Playing in China with Hebei China Fortune
In February 2016, Lavezzi moved to China. He signed a two-year deal with Hebei China Fortune. He reportedly earned a large salary there. However, he got an injury in June 2016 while playing for Argentina. This limited him to only 10 games in his first season.
In May 2017, Lavezzi was in a photo session for the Chinese Super League. In one photo, he pulled his eyes back. This caused a lot of anger on social media, with people calling it racist. Lavezzi later apologized for the incident.
He scored his last goal for the club in November 2019. Shortly after that match, he announced his retirement from football.
International Career for Argentina
Lavezzi played his first game for the Argentina national football team in April 2007. In 2008, he was chosen for the Olympic football team. Argentina won the gold medal at the 2008 Olympics. Lavezzi scored two goals during the tournament.
He was surprisingly not chosen for the 2010 FIFA World Cup squad. In November 2010, he played in a friendly match against Brazil. Argentina won 1–0 with a goal from Lionel Messi, which Lavezzi helped set up.
Lavezzi was part of Argentina's squad for the 2011 Copa América. He scored his first goal for the national team in a warm-up game against Albania. In the tournament, he played three games.
He was also in Argentina's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He played in six matches. He helped set up goals for Messi and Marcos Rojo. In the final against Germany, he set up a goal that was ruled offside. Argentina lost the final 1–0.
Lavezzi was part of the Argentina team that reached the final of the 2015 Copa América. They lost to Chile on penalties. In May 2016, he was selected for the Copa América Centenario. He scored a goal and assisted another in a 3–0 win against Bolivia.
In the semi-finals against the United States, Lavezzi scored the first goal. He also helped set up another goal. However, he broke his left elbow during the game. This injury meant he could not play in the final. Argentina lost the final to Chile on penalties.
How He Played
Lavezzi was known for his speed and quickness. He was also very strong and worked hard on the field. He had great technique and was creative with the ball. His dribbling skills were excellent. He was also good at shooting.
ESPN described him as "excellent at roaming and finding space." He had great pace and could cross the ball well. He was also good at beating defenders or getting fouls in dangerous areas. He was a strong player both physically and mentally.
Lavezzi was a versatile forward. He could play as a winger on either side. He could also play as a second striker or an attacking midfielder. This was because he could both score goals and create chances for his teammates. Sometimes, he played as a centre-forward, dropping deep to open up space for others. Even with all his skills, he was sometimes criticized for arguing with referees.
Personal Life
Ezequiel Lavezzi has Italian family roots from Pavia. He is Catholic. He has several tattoos, including one of Jesus on his chest. He also has tattoos of the Virgin Mary and rosary beads. His nephew, Agustín, is also a professional footballer.
Honours
San Lorenzo
- Argentine Primera División: 2007 Clausura
Napoli
- Coppa Italia: 2011–12
Paris Saint-Germain
- Ligue 1: 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15
- Coupe de France: 2014–15
- Coupe de la Ligue: 2013–14, 2014–15
- Trophée des Champions: 2013
Argentina
- Summer Olympics Gold Medal: 2008
- FIFA World Cup runner-up: 2014
- Copa América runner-up: 2015, 2016
Images for kids
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Lavezzi in 2009, during his spell with Napoli
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Lavezzi in 2009, during his spell with Napoli
See also
In Spanish: Ezequiel Lavezzi para niños
