Juan Camilo Zúñiga facts for kids
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Zúñiga with Napoli in 2009
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Juan Camilo Zúñiga Mosquera | ||
| Date of birth | 14 December 1985 | ||
| Place of birth | Chigorodó, Colombia | ||
| Height | 1.72 m | ||
| Playing position | Wing-back | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2002–2008 | Atlético Nacional | 121 | (9) |
| 2008–2009 | Siena | 28 | (0) |
| 2009–2018 | Napoli | 125 | (4) |
| 2016 | → Bologna (loan) | 9 | (0) |
| 2016–2017 | → Watford (loan) | 21 | (1) |
| 2018 | → Atlético Nacional (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| Total | 308 | (14) | |
| National team | |||
| 2005 | Colombia U20 | 4 | (0) |
| 2005–2015 | Colombia | 61 | (1) |
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Juan Camilo Zúñiga Mosquera was born on December 14, 1985. He is a former professional footballer from Colombia. He played as a wing-back, which is a player who helps both in defense and attack on the side of the field.
Zúñiga played for several football clubs, mostly in Italy. These included Siena and Napoli. With Napoli, he won the Coppa Italia (Italian Cup) twice. He also played on loan for Bologna and Watford.
He was also an important player for the Colombia national football team. He played in the 2014 FIFA World Cup and in three Copa América tournaments.
Contents
Club Career Highlights
Starting with Atlético Nacional
Juan Camilo Zúñiga began his professional football journey in his home country. He was born in Chigorodó, Antioquia, Colombia. His first team was Atlético Nacional, a very big club in Colombia.
He played for Atlético Nacional for seven seasons. During this time, he helped his team win three important titles. He played in 129 league games and scored 9 goals for the club.
Moving to Siena in Italy
In the summer of 2008, Zúñiga moved to Italy. He joined the Italian team Siena. He played well for Siena, and other clubs started to notice his talent. He played in 28 league games for Siena.
Playing for Napoli
On July 9, 2009, Zúñiga joined Napoli, another Italian club. He signed a five-year contract with them. At Napoli, he often played as a left wing-back. This meant he covered the entire left side of the field.
He scored his first goal for Napoli in February 2011 against Catania. He scored two more goals that season. In October 2013, Zúñiga signed a new contract with Napoli. He recovered from a knee injury in April 2014 and continued to play for the team.
Loan to Bologna
In January 2016, Zúñiga went on loan to Bologna until the end of the season. He made his first appearance for Bologna in a game against Lazio.
Loan to Watford
Later in July 2016, Zúñiga moved to England. He joined Watford on a loan deal for one season. He reunited with some of his old teammates and his former manager at Watford. On September 18, 2016, Zúñiga scored a goal against Manchester United. This was a big moment for him and his team. He also helped Watford get a penalty kick in that game.
Returning to Atlético Nacional
After his loan spells, Zúñiga returned to his first club, Atlético Nacional, in January 2018. He joined them on a free transfer.
Retirement from Football
In 2018, Juan Camilo Zúñiga decided to retire from playing professional football.
International Career for Colombia
Zúñiga played for the Colombia national football team. Before joining the senior team in 2005, he played for Colombia's under-20 team in the 2005 World Youth Cup. People often compared him to famous attacking full-backs because of his strong attacking style.
He played in most of Colombia's qualifying games for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He scored his first international goal in a 4–0 win against Uruguay. He also helped set up another goal in that match.
The 2014 FIFA World Cup Incident
Zúñiga was part of the Colombian team at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He played in four of their five matches. In the quarter-final game against Brazil, an incident happened involving Zúñiga and Brazilian star Neymar. Zúñiga accidentally hit Neymar's lower back while trying to get the ball. Neymar was injured and could not play for the rest of the World Cup.
After the game, Zúñiga said he was very sorry and did not mean to hurt Neymar. Neymar later accepted his apology.
The next year, Zúñiga played for Colombia in the 2015 Copa América tournament. He played against Brazil again in a group match.
Playing Style
Juan Camilo Zúñiga was known as a fast, energetic, and hardworking player. He could play in many positions on the left side of the field. He was good as an attacking full-back, a wing-back, or even a winger. Even though he was right-footed, he often played on the left. This allowed him to dribble past opponents and then shoot with his stronger foot.
He was known for his speed, strength, and great dribbling skills. He also had a powerful shot from outside the penalty area. These skills made him a dangerous player who could score goals and create chances for his teammates.
Honours
Atletico Nacional
- Categoría Primera A: 2005-I, 2007-I, 2007-II
Napoli
- Coppa Italia: 2011–12, 2013–14
Images for kids
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Zúñiga playing against AIK in the Europa League
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See also
In Spanish: Camilo Zúñiga para niños
