Germán Burgos facts for kids
Germán Adrián Ramón Burgos, often called El Mono (which means "The Monkey"), is a famous Argentine former football player and coach. He was a fantastic goalkeeper known for his strong personality and unique style.
Burgos played football for 15 years, starting in Argentina with teams like Ferro Carril Oeste and River Plate. Later, he moved to Spain to play for Mallorca and Atlético Madrid. He also played for the Argentine national team for several years.
After he stopped playing, Burgos became a coach. He worked as an assistant coach for many years, especially alongside his friend Diego Simeone at Atlético Madrid. He then became a head coach himself.
Burgos with Atlético Madrid in 2013
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Germán Adrián Ramón Burgos | ||
| Date of birth | 16 April 1969 | ||
| Place of birth | Mar del Plata, Argentina | ||
| Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Almagro de Florida | |||
| 1985–1989 | Ferro Carril Oeste | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1989–1994 | Ferro Carril Oeste | 104 | (0) |
| 1994–1999 | River Plate | 94 | (0) |
| 1999–2001 | Mallorca | 12 | (0) |
| 2001–2004 | Atlético Madrid | 63 | (0) |
| Total | 273 | (0) | |
| International career | |||
| 1995–2002 | Argentina | 35 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2010 | Carabanchel | ||
| 2011 | Catania (assistant) | ||
| Racing Club (assistant) | |||
| 2011–2020 | Atlético Madrid (assistant) | ||
| 2018 | Atlético Madrid (caretaker) | ||
| 2021 | Newell's Old Boys | ||
| 2022 | Aris | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Contents
Playing Career: A Goalkeeper's Journey
Germán Burgos was born in Mar del Plata, Argentina, on April 16, 1969. He started his professional football career with Ferro Carril Oeste.
Club Football: From Argentina to Spain
In 1994, Burgos joined one of Argentina's biggest clubs, River Plate. Here, he earned his famous nickname, Mono (Monkey). People called him this because of his height and his wild, messy hair. He helped River Plate win many titles, including the 1994 Apertura league, where his team didn't lose a single game!
In July 1999, Burgos moved to Spain to play for Mallorca. He was a backup goalkeeper there. During his time at Mallorca, he was once suspended for eleven games for hitting an opponent during a match.
In the 2001–02 season, Burgos joined Atlético Madrid. The team was in the second division at the time. He had a great year, helping Atlético get promoted back to La Liga, Spain's top league. He played less in the next two seasons and retired in 2004 when he was 35 years old.
One of his most memorable moments was in a game against Real Madrid. He famously saved a penalty kick with his nose, which caused a bloody injury. But he kept playing! His team managed to score later, and the game ended in a 2–2 draw. This showed how tough and dedicated he was.
International Football: Playing for Argentina
Burgos played 35 games for the Argentine national team over seven years. He was part of the squad for both the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cup. He was usually the second-choice goalkeeper in these tournaments.
He was the main goalkeeper for Argentina during the second half of the qualifying games for the 2002 World Cup. Many expected him to be the starting goalkeeper in the World Cup itself, but the coach chose another player.
Coaching Career: From Assistant to Head Coach
After retiring as a player, Burgos started his coaching career. In 2010, he began coaching an amateur team in Spain called Carabanchel.
Working with Diego Simeone
For many years, Burgos worked as an assistant coach for his former teammate, Diego Simeone. They worked together at several clubs, including Catania, Racing Club de Avellaneda, and most notably, Atlético Madrid. They joined Atlético in 2011 and formed a very successful coaching team.
In April 2014, Burgos became the first coach in the world to use Google Glass during a real game. This was a cool new technology at the time!
When Simeone was suspended from coaching during important matches, Burgos stepped in as the main coach. He led Atlético Madrid to victory in the 2018 UEFA Europa League final and the 2018 UEFA Super Cup.
Burgos decided to leave Atlético Madrid at the end of the 2019–20 season to become a head coach himself.
Becoming a Head Coach
On March 14, 2021, Burgos got his first job as a head coach for a professional team, Newell's Old Boys in Argentina. He joined them partway through a season. His team earned some points, but they didn't advance far in the tournaments they were playing. After a few months, he left the club.
On February 22, 2022, Burgos became the head coach of Aris in Greece. He coached them until August 2022.
Personal Life
Outside of football, Germán Burgos is also a talented musician. He started his music career while he was still playing football. He is the lead singer of a rock band called The Garb.
In 2003, Burgos received treatment for cancer and successfully recovered.
Managerial Statistics
| Team | Nat | From | To | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | ||||
| Atlético Madrid (caretaker) |  |
3 May 2018 | 15 August 2018 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 | +6 | 100.00 |
| Newell's Old Boys |  |
14 March 2021 | 8 June 2021 | 15 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 17 | 18 | −1 | 26.67 |
| Aris |  |
17 February 2022 | 29 August 2022 | 19 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 31 | 16 | +15 | 63.16 |
| Total | 37 | 19 | 8 | 10 | 56 | 36 | +20 | 51.35 | |||
Honours: Trophies and Achievements
Germán Burgos won many important titles during his playing career:
River Plate
- Argentine Primera División: Apertura 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999; Clausura 1997
- Copa Libertadores: 1996 (a major South American club competition)
- Supercopa Sudamericana: 1997
Atlético Madrid
- Segunda División: 2001–02 (won the second division title)
See also
In Spanish: Germán Burgos para niños
