Giancarlo González facts for kids
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González with Costa Rica at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 8 February 1988 | ||
| Place of birth | Desamparados, San José, Costa Rica | ||
| Height | 1.86 m | ||
| Playing position | Centre-back | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Sporting San José | ||
| Number | 26 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2004–2006 | Alajuelense | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2009–2012 | Alajuelense | 91 | (6) |
| 2012–2013 | Vålerenga | 37 | (2) |
| 2014 | Columbus Crew | 17 | (1) |
| 2014–2017 | Palermo | 84 | (4) |
| 2017–2019 | Bologna | 34 | (0) |
| 2019–2021 | LA Galaxy | 30 | (2) |
| 2021 | Alajuelense (loan) | 17 | (1) |
| 2022–2023 | → Alajuelense | 12 | (1) |
| 2024– | Sporting San José | 9 | (1) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2007–2008 | Costa Rica U20 | 2 | (0) |
| 2010– | Costa Rica | 90 | (2) |
† Appearances (Goals). |
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Giancarlo "Pipo" González Castro (born on February 8, 1988) is a professional football player from Costa Rica. He plays as a centre-back, which is a defensive position, for Liga FPD club Sporting San José. He is also the captain of this team. Giancarlo also plays for the Costa Rica national team.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Starting Out in Football
Giancarlo González spent his younger years playing for Alajuelense. He also played for Saprissa when he was about 12 to 14 years old. He started his professional career with Alajuelense in 2007. He was a very important player for his team. He helped them win three league titles.
After his contract ended in 2012, González moved to a Norwegian club called Vålerenga. He played in 37 league games there and scored two goals.
Playing in the United States
On February 21, 2014, González joined the Major League Soccer team Columbus Crew in the United States. During his time there, he was once fined for exaggerating a fall during a game. This incident even led to him being nominated for a funny award called the "Fallon d'Floor."
Moving to Italy
After showing his skills at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, many European clubs were interested in González. On August 26, 2014, he signed a three-year deal with Palermo, a team in Italy's top league, Serie A. The transfer cost about $5 million.
He played his first game for Palermo on October 19, 2014. It was a home game against Cesena. He played the whole game and even scored the winning goal right at the end! In the 2016–17 season, Palermo's team was moved down from Serie A to a lower league. González played in 21 games that season.
Later Club Teams
On June 22, 2017, Bologna announced that they had signed González. He then moved to the LA Galaxy team on April 11, 2019.
International Career Highlights
Giancarlo González played for the Costa Rica U20 team in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada.
His nickname is Pipo. He played his first game for the senior Costa Rica in a friendly match against Slovakia on June 5, 2010. In January 2013, he scored the only goal in a 1–0 win against Honduras. This win helped Costa Rica win the 2013 Copa Centroamericana final.
2014 FIFA World Cup
In June 2014, González was chosen to be part of Costa Rica's team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He played a very important role in defense. Along with his teammates Michael Umaña and Óscar Duarte, they only let in one goal in the first two group matches. This helped Costa Rica beat Uruguay (3–1) and Italy (1–0). These wins helped them move on to the knockout stage of the tournament.
Costa Rica finished the group stage without losing any games. They also kept a clean sheet (meaning they didn't let the other team score) in a 0–0 draw with England. Many people said that González's strong defense was key to the team's success. He made many interceptions and tackles. Because of his great play, he was named to the ESPN Best XI team for the group stage.
In the Round of 16, Costa Rica played against Greece. The game went to a penalty shootout. González was the third player for Costa Rica to successfully score his penalty kick. Costa Rica won the shootout 5–3. He was even included in the BBC's team of the tournament.
2018 FIFA World Cup
In May 2018, Giancarlo González was again selected for Costa Rica's 23-man team for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Personal Life
Giancarlo González has Spanish family roots. His parents are Roberto González and Elsa Castro. He also has a sister and a brother. Giancarlo has a son.
Honours and Achievements
Giancarlo González has won several awards and titles throughout his career:
With Alajuelense
- Liga FPD: Apertura 2010, Clausura 2011, Apertura 2011
With Costa Rica National Team
- Copa Centroamericana: 2013
Individual Awards
- CONCACAF Best XI: 2015
