Gary Medel facts for kids
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Medel with Chile in 2013
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Gary Alexis Medel Soto | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 3 August 1987 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Santiago, Chile | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Defensive midfielder, defender | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Current team
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Universidad Católica | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 17 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–2006 | Universidad Católica | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2009 | Universidad Católica | 68 | (10) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2011 | Boca Juniors | 46 | (7) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2013 | Sevilla | 78 | (8) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | Cardiff City | 34 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2017 | Inter Milan | 91 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2019 | Beşiktaş | 51 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2023 | Bologna | 96 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | Vasco da Gama | 30 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024–2025 | Boca Juniors | 9 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2025– | Universidad Católica | 6 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007 | Chile U20 | 15 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008 | Chile U23 | 8 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007– | Chile | 161 | (7) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 3 May 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 08:23, 18 November 2023 (UTC) |
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Gary Alexis Medel Soto (born August 3, 1987) is a Chilean professional footballer. He plays for Chilean Primera División club Universidad Católica. He is known for playing as a centre-back or a defensive midfielder.
Medel has played for many teams in different countries. He started with Universidad Católica in Chile. Later, he played for Boca Juniors in Argentina and Sevilla in Spain. He also played for Cardiff City in England and Inter Milan in Italy. In 2017, he moved to Beşiktaş in Turkey. He then returned to Italy to play for Bologna in 2019. In 2023, he joined Vasco da Gama in Brazil, and in 2024, he returned to Boca Juniors. In January 2025, he made a comeback to Universidad Católica.
Gary Medel has played for the Chile national team over 160 times since 2007. He has played in two FIFA World Cups and five Copa América tournaments. He was part of the team that won the 2015 Copa América and the Copa América Centenario in 2016. He was also named in the "Team of the Tournament" for the 2015 Copa América.
Club Career
Starting in South America
Medel joined Universidad Católica when he was 12 years old. His youth coach, Mario Lepe, helped him join the main team.
On July 20, 2009, Medel joined Boca Juniors in Argentina. He first joined on a loan deal. Medel was very happy about the move. He said it was a dream come true to play for such an important club. He admired players like Juan Román Riquelme and Martín Palermo. On March 25, 2010, Medel scored both goals in a 2–0 win against River Plate. This was a big match known as the Superclásico.
Playing in Spain with Sevilla
Medel moved to Sevilla in Spain on January 28, 2011. He signed a contract for four and a half years. He said he was happy to be there and hoped to help Sevilla with his playing style.
He played his first game in La Liga on February 12, 2011. He played the whole game in a 3–2 loss against Racing Santander. On March 12, he helped Sevilla get a 1–1 draw against FC Barcelona. He famously cleared the ball off the goal line twice in that game.
Time in England with Cardiff City
On August 11, 2013, Cardiff City in England signed Medel from Sevilla. This was a club record deal for Cardiff City at the time. He signed a four-year contract.
He played his first game for Cardiff on August 17, 2013, in a 2–0 loss to West Ham United. His first home game was on August 25 at the Cardiff City Stadium. Cardiff won 3–2 against Manchester City. Medel played the entire game and was chosen as the fans' best player.
Moving to Italy with Inter Milan
After Cardiff City was relegated, Medel joined Italian club Inter Milan on August 9, 2014. He made his Serie A debut for Inter on August 31. The game was a 0–0 draw against Torino.
On October 31, 2015, Medel scored his first goal for Inter. This goal gave Inter a 1–0 win over Roma. On October 23, 2016, Medel was banned for three league games. This happened after an incident during a match against Atalanta. On November 20, 2016, Medel got a knee injury during a match against A.C. Milan. He was out of action until January 2017.
Medel returned to play on January 28, 2017. He played in Inter's 3–0 win against Pescara. On March 12, he played his 100th game for Inter. Inter won that game 7–1 against Atalanta.
Playing in Turkey and Back to Italy
On August 11, 2017, Medel signed with Süper Lig champions Beşiktaş in Turkey. He signed a three-year contract.
On August 29, 2019, Medel signed a three-year contract with Bologna in Italy. He played his first game for Bologna against SPAL on August 30, 2019.
Return to South America
In July 2023, Medel returned to South America. He signed with Brazilian Série A team Vasco da Gama. In June 2024, he made another return to Boca Juniors.
While still playing for Boca Juniors, Medel also completed his studies to become a football manager. He graduated in December 2024 from the National Institute of Football, Sports and Physical Activity of Chile.
On January 9, 2025, Universidad Católica announced that Medel was returning to the club. He signed a one-year deal.
International Career
Youth and Early Senior Career
In March 2007, Medel played his first international game for Chile. It was a friendly match against Argentina. Later that year, he helped Chile finish third in the 2007 U-20 World Cup in Canada.
He played his first important game for Chile in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification. This was against Bolivia. Chile won 2–0, and Medel scored both goals. He played a big part in Chile qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He played as a central defender or right back. He started in all three group games at the World Cup in South Africa.
He was part of Chile's team for the 2011 Copa América. He played in all three group matches. In the quarter-final against Venezuela, he was sent off. Chile lost that game 2–1.
2014 FIFA World Cup
Medel was very important in Chile's qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He scored the goal that secured their spot in the tournament. This was a header against Ecuador. He was one of 23 players chosen for the World Cup in Brazil.
Medel started as a central defender for Chile. They beat Australia 3–1 in their first game. He also played the full 90 minutes in the second match against Spain. Chile won 2–0 in a historic victory. This win meant both Chile and the Netherlands moved to the next stage. Spain and Australia were eliminated. Chile finished second in their group. Chile was eliminated in the round of 16 by Brazil after a penalty shootout.
2015 Copa América Victory
At the 2015 Copa América, which was held in Chile, Medel scored in a 5–0 win against Bolivia. This win helped Chile move to the knockout stage. In the semi-final against Peru, he scored an own goal. However, Chile still won 2–1 and reached the final.
In the final against Argentina, Medel started the game. He helped the team win the trophy after a penalty shootout. The game ended in a 0–0 draw after regular time. This was Medel's first major trophy with Chile. Because of his great performances, he was named in the "Team of the Tournament."
2017 FIFA Confederations Cup
In June 2017, Medel was part of the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup squad. This was Chile's first time in this tournament. On June 13, in a friendly against Romania, Medel received a red card. It was his fourth red card for the national team.
He was the captain for Chile's first two group matches against Cameroon and Germany. This was because Claudio Bravo was injured. He also played his 100th game for Chile during this tournament. Chile finished second in their group and moved to the knockout stage.
2019 Copa América
In the third-place match of the 2019 Copa América against Argentina on July 6, Medel was sent off. This happened along with Lionel Messi after an argument. Chile lost the match 2–1.
Playing Style
Medel usually plays as a defensive midfielder. However, he can also play as a defender, often as a centre-back. He can also play in other midfield roles or as a right-back. He is known for his hard work, strength, and smart play. He is also a leader on the field. Because of his tough and aggressive style, he is nicknamed Pitbull. In 2015, his manager Roberto Mancini called Medel a warrior.
Career Statistics
Club Appearances
| Club | Season | League Apps | League Goals | National Cup Apps | National Cup Goals | State League Apps | State League Goals | Continental Apps | Continental Goals | Total Apps | Total Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Universidad Católica | 2008 | 28 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 28 | 4 | |
| Universidad Católica | 2009 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | 19 | 1 | |
| Boca Juniors | 2009–10 | 29 | 7 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 31 | 7 | |
| Boca Juniors | 2010–11 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0 | |
| Sevilla | 2010–11 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 18 | 0 | |
| Sevilla | 2011–12 | 31 | 2 | 4 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 37 | 2 | |
| Sevilla | 2012–13 | 32 | 6 | 7 | 1 | — | — | 39 | 7 | ||
| Cardiff City | 2013–14 | 34 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 35 | 0 | ||
| Inter Milan | 2014–15 | 35 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 7 | 0 | 44 | 0 | |
| Inter Milan | 2015–16 | 30 | 1 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 1 | ||
| Inter Milan | 2016–17 | 26 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 3 | 0 | 31 | 0 | |
| Beşiktaş | 2017–18 | 25 | 1 | 7 | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | 40 | 1 | |
| Beşiktaş | 2018–19 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 11 | 0 | 35 | 0 | |
| Beşiktaş | 2019–20 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Bologna | 2019–20 | 23 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 24 | 0 | ||
| Bologna | 2020–21 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 12 | 0 | ||
| Bologna | 2021–22 | 33 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 0 | ||
| Bologna | 2022–23 | 29 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 0 | ||
| Vasco da Gama | 2023 | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 20 | 0 | ||
| Vasco da Gama | 2024 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | 12 | 0 | |
| Boca Juniors | 2024 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 11 | 0 | |
| Universidad Católica | 2025 | 6 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | |
International Appearances
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chile | 2007 | 2 | 0 |
| 2008 | 10 | 2 | |
| 2009 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2010 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 13 | 1 | |
| 2012 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 12 | 1 | |
| 2014 | 13 | 1 | |
| 2015 | 14 | 1 | |
| 2016 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 12 | 0 | |
| 2018 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2019 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2020 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 15 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 11 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 9 | 0 | |
| Total | 161 | 7 | |
Honours
Chile
Individual Awards
- Chilean Footballer of the Year: 2008
- Universidad Católica Footballer of the year: 2008
- Team of Copa Libertadores: 2008
- Team of the Year in South America: 2009
- Copa América Team of the Tournament: 2015, 2016
See also
In Spanish: Gary Medel para niños
