Fabián Balbuena facts for kids
Balbuena with Dynamo Moscow in 2021
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Fabián Cornelio Balbuena González | ||
| Date of birth | 23 August 1991 | ||
| Place of birth | Ciudad del Este, Paraguay | ||
| Height | 1.88 m | ||
| Playing position | Centre-back | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Dynamo Moscow | ||
| Number | 3 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Cerro Porteño PF | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2010–2012 | Cerro Porteño PF | 76 | (5) |
| 2013 | Rubio Ñu | 17 | (1) |
| 2013–2014 | Nacional | 30 | (1) |
| 2014–2016 | Libertad | 43 | (3) |
| 2016–2018 | Corinthians | 69 | (4) |
| 2018–2021 | West Ham United | 54 | (3) |
| 2021– | Dynamo Moscow | 65 | (6) |
| 2022–2023 | → Corinthians (loan) | 20 | (3) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2015– | Paraguay | 45 | (2) |
| 2024 | Paraguay Olympic (O.P.) | 3 | (0) |
† Appearances (Goals). |
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Fabián Cornelio Balbuena González (born August 23, 1991) is a professional football player from Paraguay. He plays as a centre-back, which is a defensive position. Fabián currently plays for Russian Premier League club Dynamo Moscow. He also plays for the Paraguay national team.
Fabián started his career in Paraguay. He played for clubs like Cerro Porteño PF and Libertad. Later, he moved to Brazil to play for Corinthians. There, he won important championships. After that, he played for West Ham United in England's Premier League. In 2021, he joined Dynamo Moscow. He has also played for Paraguay in several big tournaments, like the Copa América.
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Fabián Balbuena's Football Journey
Starting in Paraguay
Fabián Balbuena was born in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay. He began his professional football career in 2010. His first team was Cerro Porteño PF. He quickly became a key player for them. In 2011, he even became the team captain. His leadership helped the club get promoted to a higher league.
After Cerro Porteño PF, Fabián played for Rubio Ñu. He then joined Club Nacional. With Nacional, he reached the final of the 2014 Copa Libertadores Finals. This is a very important club tournament in South America. In 2014, he moved to Libertad. He helped them win the 2014 Clausura tournament.
Playing for Corinthians in Brazil
In 2016, Fabián moved to Brazil. He joined Corinthians, a big club in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A. He quickly became a strong defender for the team. He helped Corinthians win the 2017 Campeonato Paulista and the 2017 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A. These are major titles in Brazilian football. He also won the 2018 Campeonato Paulista again. His great performance led him to be named in the league's team of the year in 2017.
Time with West Ham United in England
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In 2018, Fabián moved to England. He signed a three-year contract with Premier League club West Ham United. He made his debut in August 2018. In October, he scored his first goal for West Ham. He was the first Paraguayan player to score in the Premier League since 2012.
In 2020, he scored a goal that helped West Ham make an amazing comeback. They were losing 3-0 but managed to draw 3-3 against Tottenham Hotspur. His time at West Ham ended in May 2021.
Moving to Dynamo Moscow
On July 9, 2021, Fabián signed a four-year contract with FC Dynamo Moscow. This is a club in the Russian Premier League.
In 2022, he temporarily left Dynamo Moscow. He went back to Corinthians on a loan deal. This was due to a special rule from FIFA. He played for Corinthians until June 2023. After his loan ended, he returned to Dynamo Moscow. When he came back, he was chosen as the team captain.
Playing for Paraguay
Fabián Balbuena first played for the Paraguay national team in 2015. His first game was a friendly match against Mexico. He has represented his country in several important tournaments. These include the 2015 Copa América and the Copa América Centenario. In 2015, Paraguay finished fourth in the Copa América.
He also played in the 2019 Copa América. During a quarter-final match against Brazil, he received a red card. In September 2022, Fabián scored his first goal for Paraguay. It was a late header in a friendly win against the United Arab Emirates.
Awards and Achievements
Fabián Balbuena has won many awards and titles throughout his career.
Club Honours
- Cerro Porteño PF
- División Intermedia: 2011 (This means his team won their league in 2011)
- Libertad
- Primera División: Clausura 2014 (His team won the second half of the league season in 2014)
- Corinthians
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 2017 (His team won the top Brazilian league in 2017)
- Campeonato Paulista: 2017, 2018 (His team won the São Paulo state championship twice)
International Honours
- Paraguay
- Copa America copper medals: 2015 (Paraguay finished fourth in this big South American tournament)
Individual Awards
- Bola de Prata: 2017 (This is an award for one of the best players in the Brazilian league)
- Campeonato Brasileiro Team of the Year: 2017 (He was chosen as one of the best players in his position in the Brazilian league)
- Best Centre-back in Brazil: 2017 (He was recognized as the best central defender in Brazil)
- Campeonato Paulista Team of the Year: 2018 (He was chosen as one of the best players in the São Paulo state championship)
- Russian Premier League Centre-back of the Season: 2021–22 (He was recognized as the best central defender in the Russian league)
Images for kids
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Balbuena with Dynamo Moscow in 2021
See also
In Spanish: Fabián Balbuena para niños
