Gonzalo Higuaín facts for kids

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Gonzalo Higuaín

Higuaín with Juventus in 2019
Personal information
Full name	Gonzalo Gerardo Higuaín
Date of birth	(1987-12-10) 10 December 1987 (age 37)
Place of birth	Brest, France
Height	1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Striker
Youth career
	Club Palermo
1997–2005	River Plate
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2005–2007	River Plate	35	(13)
2007–2013	Real Madrid	190	(107)
2013–2016	Napoli	104	(71)
2016–2020	Juventus	105	(48)
2018–2019	→ AC Milan (loan)	15	(6)
2019	→ Chelsea (loan)	14	(5)
2020–2022	Inter Miami	67	(29)
Total		530	(279)
International career
2008	Argentina U23	1	(2)
2009–2018	Argentina	75	(31)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Argentina FIFA World Cup Runner-up 2014 Brazil Copa América Runner-up 2015 Chile Runner-up 2016 United States
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Gonzalo Gerardo Higuaín (born 10 December 1987) is a former professional footballer from Argentina. He played as a striker, which is a player who focuses on scoring goals. People often called him El Pipita or Pipa. He was known for being a great goal scorer. He was also strong and good at moving around the field to find chances to score.

Higuaín started his football journey with an Argentine club called River Plate. In January 2007, he moved to the Spanish club Real Madrid. During his time in Spain, he won three La Liga titles. He became one of the best strikers in Europe. In 2013, he joined the Italian team Napoli. There, he won the Coppa Italia in his first season. In the 2015–16 season, he scored an amazing 36 goals in the league. This won him the Capocannoniere title, which is given to the top scorer in Italy. He also tied the record for most goals in an Italian top-flight season.

In 2016, the Italian champions Juventus signed Higuaín. This was a very expensive transfer at the time. He won two domestic titles (league and cup) in his first two seasons with Juventus. He also helped the team reach the Champions League final in 2017. Later, he played on loan for AC Milan and Chelsea. With Chelsea, he won the UEFA Europa League. In 2020, he moved to the American team Inter Miami. He retired from playing football in 2022.

Gonzalo Higuaín was born in France to Argentine parents. He became an Argentine citizen in 2007. He played for the Argentine national team starting in 2009. He played in three FIFA World Cups and three Copa América tournaments. He helped Argentina finish second in the 2014 World Cup, the 2015 Copa América, and the Copa América Centenario in 2016. He retired from international football in March 2019. He played 75 games for Argentina and scored 31 goals.

Early Life and Family

Gonzalo Higuaín was born on 10 December 1987 in Brest, France. His father, Jorge Higuaín, was also a professional footballer. At the time, his father was playing for a French team. Gonzalo left France when he was only ten months old. He does not speak French, but he kept his French citizenship. In January 2007, he also became an Argentine citizen.

Higuaín has two older brothers, Nicolas and Federico. Federico also played professional football. He also has a younger brother named Lautaro.

Club Football Career

Playing for River Plate

Higuaín started his football journey in the youth teams of River Plate. He made his first team debut on 29 May 2005. This was in a game where River Plate lost 2–1. On 12 February 2006, he scored his first league goal. This helped his team win 3–1. In the 2005–06 season, he scored 5 goals in 12 games.

In October 2006, he scored two goals in a big derby match against Boca Juniors. After this, his coach said Higuaín had a "huge future." By the end of that season, he had scored 10 goals in 17 league matches.

Playing for Real Madrid

Starting in Spain (2006–2008)

In December 2006, the famous Spanish club Real Madrid signed Higuaín. He joined them for €12 million. He played his first game for Real Madrid on 11 January 2007. His first league game was three days later. He helped Real Madrid score the winning goal in that game. On 24 February, he scored his first goal for Real Madrid. This was an equalizer in a derby match against Atlético Madrid. In his first season, some people wondered if he would score enough goals.

In the 2007–08 season, Higuaín played well at times. He scored a last-minute goal against Osasuna. This goal helped Real Madrid win the league title for the second year in a row. A few days later, he scored against Barcelona in El Clásico. He scored just 57 seconds after coming onto the field.

Becoming a Key Player (2008–2010)

In the 2008–09 season, Higuaín got more chances to play. This was because another striker, Ruud van Nistelrooy, was injured. In August 2008, Higuaín scored the winning goal in the Supercopa de España. Soon after, he scored all four goals in a 4–3 win against Málaga. This made him well-known internationally. He became one of the top goal scorers in La Liga. On 21 April 2009, he scored a very important goal in the last minute against Getafe. This gave Real Madrid a 3–2 win. He ended the season with 22 league goals and 24 goals in all competitions.

Higuaín during a match in the Champions League group stage against AC Milan in October 2010

The 2009–10 season was great for Higuaín. He became Real Madrid's top scorer with 27 league goals. He scored 29 goals in total. He was the second-highest scorer in La Liga, just behind Lionel Messi. He also scored his first two goals in the UEFA Champions League that season.

Later Years at Real Madrid (2010–2013)

In June 2010, Real Madrid extended Higuaín's contract until 2016. On 23 October 2010, he scored Real Madrid's 5,200th league goal. This was in a big 6–1 win. On 4 November, he scored the club's 700th goal in the Champions League.

In December 2010, Higuaín had a back injury. He needed surgery in January 2011. He was expected to be out for several months. However, he came back earlier than expected. On 23 April 2011, Higuaín scored three goals against Valencia. This was in a 6–3 away win. He also helped set up two other goals in that game.

Higuaín in a Champions League game against CSKA Moscow in February 2012

On 2 October 2011, Higuaín scored his first three goals of the season against Espanyol. He scored another three goals 13 days later against Betis. On 31 March 2012, he scored his 100th Real Madrid goal. He scored 22 goals in the league that season. He was a very important player for his team as they won the league title.

Higuaín attempting to dribble past Emir Spahić of Sevilla in February 2013

On 29 August 2012, Higuaín scored the first goal in a 2–1 win against Barcelona. This helped Real Madrid win the 2012 Supercopa de España. He scored his first league goal of the season against Valencia. On 28 October 2012, he scored two goals and helped with two assists in a 5–0 win against Mallorca. On 23 February 2013, he scored his 100th La Liga goal. This was a winning goal in the 88th minute. On 1 June 2013, Higuaín announced he would leave Real Madrid. He had played for the club for six and a half years.

Moving to Napoli

In the summer of 2013, many big clubs wanted to sign Higuaín. He joined the Italian club Napoli for €40 million. On 27 July, Napoli confirmed his signing. He was given the number 9 shirt.

First Seasons in Italy (2013–2015)

On 10 August 2013, Higuaín played his first game for Napoli. He scored his first goal for the club in a 2–1 win. On 25 August, he played his first Serie A game. A week later, he scored his first league goal in a 4–2 win. He also scored in Napoli's next two games.

On 18 September, Higuaín scored in Napoli's first Champions League game. This was a 2–1 win. He scored again in home wins against Marseille and Arsenal. On 12 February 2014, Higuaín scored two goals against Roma. This helped Napoli reach the Coppa Italia final. On 13 April, he scored three goals against Lazio. He won his first trophy with Napoli on 3 May. This was the Coppa Italia, where Napoli won 3–1. He scored 24 goals in 46 games in his first season in Italy.

Higuaín in action against Dnipro in May 2015

On 26 October 2014, Higuaín scored three goals against Hellas Verona. This was his first three league goals of the season. In the 2014 Supercoppa Italiana against Juventus, Higuaín scored two goals. He also scored in the penalty shootout, which Napoli won. On 12 March 2015, Higuaín scored three goals against Dynamo Moscow. This was in the UEFA Europa League.

Record-Breaking Season (2015–2016)

On 8 November 2015, Higuaín scored his 200th club career goal. This was the only goal in a win against Udinese. Three weeks later, he scored both goals in a 2–1 win against Inter. This put Napoli in first place in the league for the first time in 25 years.

On 16 January 2016, Higuaín scored two goals against Sassuolo. This extended Napoli's lead in the league. His second goal was his 20th of the season. On 3 April, he scored his 30th Serie A goal. This was in a 3–1 loss to Udinese. He was sent off later in that match. He received a three-match ban after an appeal.

On 14 May, Higuaín scored three goals against Frosinone. This was in the final match of the season. He won the Capocannoniere award with 36 goals. This tied a record set in 1928–29. No other player in the league scored more than 20 goals that season.

Joining Juventus

Winning Titles (2016–2018)

Higuaín playing for Juventus in 2017

On 26 July 2016, Higuaín moved to rival club Juventus. The transfer fee was €90 million. This made him one of the most expensive South American footballers ever at the time. It was also the highest fee paid by an Italian team. Higuaín said he moved because of his relationship with Napoli's chairman.

On 20 August, Higuaín scored the winning goal in his Juventus debut. This was a 2–1 home win. On 10 September, he scored two goals in a 3–1 win. On 29 October, he scored the winning goal against his former team, Napoli. He did not celebrate the goal. On 5 April 2017, Higuaín scored twice against Napoli in the Coppa Italia semi-final. This helped Juventus reach the final. He became the first player to score more than 20 goals in his first season for Juventus since 1958. On 15 April, Higuaín scored two goals against Pescara. This included his 200th league goal in Europe. On 3 June, Higuaín played in the Champions League Final. Juventus lost 4–1 to Real Madrid.

On 28 October 2017, Higuaín scored two goals against Milan. His first goal was his 100th goal in Serie A. This made him only the second player to score over 100 goals in two top European leagues in 20 years.

Higuaín played a key role in Juventus's win over Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League round of 16. In the first game, he scored two goals in the first ten minutes. In the second game, he scored the equalizer. He then helped set up the winning goal. This secured Juventus's place in the quarter-finals.

Loan Spells and Return (2018–2020)

Higuaín on loan at Chelsea in 2019

On 2 August 2018, Higuaín joined AC Milan on a season-long loan. Milan paid a loan fee to Juventus. They also had an option to buy him later.

On 23 January 2019, the English club Chelsea signed Higuaín on loan. He reunited with his former coach, Maurizio Sarri. Five days later, he made his debut in a 3–0 win. On 2 February, he scored his first goals for Chelsea. He scored two goals in a 5–0 win against Huddersfield Town.

On 1 July 2019, Higuaín returned to Juventus. Chelsea did not extend his loan. He was reunited with Maurizio Sarri again, who had also joined Juventus. He scored his first goal of the season in a 4–3 win against Napoli. On 17 September 2020, he left Juventus by mutual agreement.

Playing for Inter Miami

On 18 September 2020, Higuaín signed with the Major League Soccer club Inter Miami. In his first game, he missed a penalty. He then got into a fight as Miami lost 3–0. On 7 October, Higuaín scored his first goal for Miami. This was a late free kick in a 2–1 win. On 31 July 2022, Higuaín scored another free-kick. He then scored two more goals to complete three goals in 27 minutes. This was in a 4–4 draw. Higuaín retired at the end of Inter Miami's 2022 MLS season. His last game was a 3–0 loss in the playoffs.

International Career for Argentina

Early Years and First World Cup (2008–2010)

Higuaín is one of only three foreign-born players to have played for Argentina in a FIFA World Cup. He first turned down offers from both Argentina and France. He later chose to play for Argentina. In February 2008, he was called up for the Argentina Olympic squad. He scored two goals in his debut, a 5–0 win.

Higuaín (#9) celebrates his hat-trick against South Korea with teammates during the World Cup on 17 June 2010.

Higuaín was chosen for Argentina's World Cup qualification games. He scored his first goal on his full debut on 10 October 2009. This was in a 2–1 win against Peru. After Argentina qualified, Higuaín was in the squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. He scored three goals in Argentina's 4–1 win over South Korea. This made him the third Argentinian to score a hat-trick in the World Cup finals. He also scored in the 3–1 win over Mexico. This brought his total to four goals in the tournament.

Copa América and World Cup Qualifying (2011–2014)

Higuaín was part of Argentina's squad for the 2011 Copa América. He started against Uruguay in the quarter-finals. He scored to make it 1–1. Argentina later lost in a penalty shootout.

On 8 October 2011, Higuaín scored three goals and assisted one in a 4–1 win against Chile. On 2 June 2012, he scored and assisted in Argentina's 4–0 win over Ecuador. On 7 September 2012, Higuaín scored and assisted in a 3–1 win against Paraguay. On 11 September, he scored the equalizer in a 1–1 draw with Peru. On 22 March 2013, Higuaín scored two goals as Argentina beat Venezuela 3–0. He ended the 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign as one of the top scorers.

2014 World Cup and Copa América Finals

Higuaín challenging Germany's Mats Hummels and Manuel Neuer in the 2014 World Cup Final

Higuaín was chosen for Argentina's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He helped set up Lionel Messi's winning goal in the first match. On 5 July, he scored the only goal in a 1–0 win over Belgium in the quarter-finals. In the final against Germany, Higuaín had a chance to score but missed. He also had a goal disallowed for offside. Germany eventually won the match 1–0.

In the 2015 Copa América, Higuaín made his first start against Jamaica. He scored the only goal in the 11th minute. On 30 June, he scored the final goal in Argentina's 6–1 win over Paraguay in the semi-finals. In the final, Higuaín missed a penalty in the shootout. Argentina lost to Chile.

Higuaín with Argentina at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

At the Copa América Centenario in 2016, Higuaín was a starting player. On 18 June, he scored two goals in a 4–1 win over Venezuela. Three days later, he scored two more goals as Argentina beat the United States 4–0 in the semi-final. He played in the final against Chile. Argentina lost again in a penalty shootout after a 0–0 draw.

Final World Cup and Retirement (2018–2019)

During Argentina's qualifying campaign for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Higuaín scored only one goal in nine games. He lost his starting spot. In May 2018, he was included in Argentina's squad for the tournament. He played in all three group matches but did not score. He did not play in the round of 16 match against France, which Argentina lost 4–3.

On 28 March 2019, Higuaín announced his retirement from international football. He said he wanted to spend more time with his family. He played 75 games for Argentina and scored 31 goals. His last international game was on 26 June 2018.

How Higuaín Played

Gonzalo Higuaín was known as a hardworking and skilled striker. He was very good at scoring goals. He could shoot well with both feet. He was also good at finding chances to score inside the penalty area. Because he was tall and strong, he was a threat when the ball was in the air. He also had good technical skills. He could drop back, connect with teammates, and pass the ball. His smart movement without the ball and his speed made him dangerous during counter-attacks. He could lose defenders and create space for his teammates.

Even though he scored many goals, some people criticized Higuaín. They felt he sometimes struggled in very important matches. This included cup finals and big Champions League games. He also missed important chances for Argentina in the 2014 World Cup Final and two Copa América finals. His ability to score from penalty kicks was also not always consistent.

Endorsements

Higuaín was featured on the Italian cover of the video game FIFA 15. He was alongside global cover star Lionel Messi.

Career Statistics

Club

International

Higuaín in Argentine colours

Scores and results list Argentina's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Higuaín goal.

List of international goals scored by Gonzalo Higuaín

No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	10 October 2009	Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti, Buenos Aires, Argentina	Peru	1–0	2–1	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
2	3 March 2010	Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany	Germany	1–0	1–0	Friendly
3	17 June 2010	FNB Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa	South Korea	2–0	4–1	2010 FIFA World Cup
4				3–1
5				4–1
6	27 June 2010		Mexico	2–0	3–1
7	7 September 2010	Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti, Buenos Aires, Argentina	Spain	2–0	4–1	Friendly
8	16 July 2011	Estadio Brigadier General Estanislao López, Santa Fe, Argentina	Uruguay	1–1	1–1 (4–5 p)	2011 Copa América
9	6 September 2011	Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka, Bangladesh	Nigeria	1–0	3–1	Friendly
10	7 October 2011	Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti, Buenos Aires, Argentina	Chile	1–0	4–1	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
11				3–0
12				4–1
13	2 June 2012		Ecuador	2–0	4–0
14	7 September 2012	Estadio Mario Alberto Kempes, Córdoba, Argentina	Paraguay	2–1	3–1
15	11 September 2012	Estadio Nacional, Lima, Peru	Peru	1–1	1–1
16	16 October 2012	Estadio Nacional Julio Martínez Prádanos, Santiago, Chile	Chile	2–0	2–1
17	6 February 2013	Friends Arena, Solna, Sweden	Sweden	3–1	3–2	Friendly
18	22 March 2013	Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti, Buenos Aires, Argentina	Venezuela	2–0	3–0	2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
19				3–0
20	14 August 2013	Stadio Olimpico, Rome, Italy	Italy	1–0	2–1	Friendly
21	5 July 2014	Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha, Brasília, Brazil	Belgium	1–0	1–0	2014 FIFA World Cup
22	14 October 2014	Hong Kong Stadium, Wan Chai, Hong Kong	Hong Kong	2–0	7–0	Friendly
23				4–0
24	20 June 2015	Estadio Sausalito, Viña del Mar, Chile	Jamaica	1–0	1–0	2015 Copa América
25	30 June 2015	Estadio Municipal de Concepción, Concepción, Chile	Paraguay	6–1	6–1
26	28 May 2016	Estadio San Juan del Bicentenario, San Juan, Argentina	Honduras	1–0	1–0	Friendly
27	18 June 2016	Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, United States	Venezuela	1–0	4–1	Copa América Centenario
28				2–0
29	21 June 2016	NRG Stadium, Houston, United States	United States	3–0	4–0
30				4–0
31	6 October 2016	Estadio Nacional, Lima, Peru	Peru	2–1	2–2	2018 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours and Awards

Higuaín (wearing blue) playing for Napoli against future club Juventus in the 2014 Supercoppa Italiana: Higuaín would score both Napoli goals in normal time and also convert in the penalty shoot-out, which Napoli won.

Gonzalo Higuaín won many titles and received several awards during his career:

Real Madrid

• La Liga: 2006–07, 2007–08, 2011–12
• Copa del Rey: 2010–11
• Supercopa de España: 2008, 2012

Napoli

• Coppa Italia: 2013–14
• Supercoppa Italiana: 2014

Juventus

• Serie A: 2016–17, 2017–18, 2019–20
• Coppa Italia: 2016–17, 2017–18
• UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2016–17

Chelsea

• UEFA Europa League: 2018–19
• EFL Cup runner-up: 2018–19

Argentina

• FIFA World Cup runner-up: 2014
• Copa América runner-up: 2015, 2016

Individual Awards

• Serie A top scorer: 2015–16
• Serie A Team of the Year: 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17
• UEFA Europa League Squad of the season: 2013–14, 2014–15
• ESM Team of the Year: 2015–16
• Forward of the "Ideal Team of America": 2006
• FIFA FIFPro World XI 4th team: 2016
• Juventus MVP of the Year: 2016–17, 2017–18
• MLS Comeback Player of the Year: 2022

See also

In Spanish: Gonzalo Higuaín para niños