Giovanny Espinoza facts for kids
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Giovanny Patricio Espinoza Pabón | ||
| Date of birth | 12 April 1977 | ||
| Place of birth | Ibarra, Ecuador | ||
| Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Aucas | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1997–2001 | Aucas | 137 | (3) |
| 2001–2002 | Monterrey | 6 | (0) |
| 2002 | Aucas | 24 | (3) |
| 2003–2006 | LDU Quito | 144 | (9) |
| 2007–2008 | Vitesse | 27 | (0) |
| 2008–2009 | Cruzeiro | 25 | (1) |
| 2009 | Barcelona SC | 15 | (0) |
| 2009–2010 | Birmingham City | 0 | (0) |
| 2010–2011 | Unión Española | 32 | (0) |
| 2012–2013 | Deportivo Quito | 42 | (0) |
| Total | 452 | (16) | |
| International career | |||
| 2000–2009 | Ecuador | 90 | (3) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Giovanny Patricio Espinoza Pabón (born 12 April 1977) is a famous Ecuadorian former professional footballer. He played as a centre-back, which is a defensive position in football.
Contents
Giovanny Espinoza's Club Career
Giovanny Espinoza was known for his strong body and speed on the field. These skills helped his team, LDU Quito, win two league championships. They won in 2001 and again in 2004. His nickname was La Sombra, which means "the shadow" in Spanish.
In 2006, Giovanny was recognized as one of the best players in the world. He was nominated for a spot in FIFA's "ideal 11" team during the 2006 FIFA World Cup. This award celebrates the top players in each position.
Playing in Europe: Vitesse
On 25 January 2007, Giovanny Espinoza moved from LDU Quito to a Dutch club called Vitesse. He signed a contract to play there for one and a half years. He made his first game in the Eredivisie (the top Dutch league) on 10 February 2007. This was against SC Heerenveen. In the next game, he played at home for Vitesse. He came into the game as a substitute. The following season, he became a regular player, starting most matches.
Moving to Brazil: Cruzeiro
On 14 January 2008, Espinoza joined the Brazilian club Cruzeiro. He became the captain of the team. He showed great leadership and played very well in many games.
Playing in Ecuador and England
After his time in Brazil, Giovanny Espinoza returned to Ecuador. On 15 January 2009, it was confirmed that he would play for Barcelona Sporting Club. The team's coach, Benito Floro, specifically asked for him to join.
Time at Birmingham City
In June 2009, Espinoza's agent announced that he would move to an English team. This team was Birmingham City F.C. in the Premier League. The deal was confirmed on 24 June 2009. He was set to play alongside another Ecuadorian player, Christian Benítez.
Giovanny was a substitute in a league game against Stoke City F.C. on 22 August 2009. He made his first game for Birmingham three days later. This was in a League Cup match against Southampton F.C., which Birmingham won 2–1. However, on 12 January 2010, his contract with Birmingham was ended. He had only played in two League Cup games for the club.
Later Clubs
In 2010, Giovanny Espinoza signed a three-year contract with Unión Española in Chile. Later, in January 2012, he signed with Deportivo Quito for the 2012 season. Deportivo Quito was his final club before he retired.
Giovanny Espinoza's International Career
Giovanny Espinoza was a very important player for the Ecuador national side. He played in two FIFA World Cup tournaments: in 2002 and 2006. He is one of the players with the most appearances for his country. He has played 90 games for Ecuador.
He made his first international game in 1996. This was just a week after his 19th birthday. It was a World Cup qualification match where Ecuador beat Peru 4–1.
Espinoza and another player, Iván Hurtado, formed a strong defensive pair. They played together in the centre-half position for 65 games in a row. This record started in 1999. This is partly because South American countries play many international qualification matches.
Besides the World Cup, Giovanny also played for Ecuador in the Copa América tournaments. He was part of the squad in 2001, 2004, and 2007.
See also
In Spanish: Giovanny Espinoza para niños
