Juan Manuel Vargas facts for kids
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Vargas playing for Fiorentina in 2011
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Juan Manuel Vargas Risco | ||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 5 October 1983 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Magdalena del Mar, Peru | ||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Left back, winger | ||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1995 | Universitario | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1999 | Union Minas | ||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2001 | Universitario | ||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2004 | Universitario | 69 | (8) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2006 | Colón | 54 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2006–2008 | Catania | 69 | (5) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2015 | Fiorentina | 147 | (17) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2013 | → Genoa (loan) | 20 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2016 | Real Betis | 20 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | Universitario | 47 | (8) | ||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2016 | Peru | 62 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 January 2019 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 20 January 2019 |
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Juan Manuel Vargas Risco, born on October 5, 1983, is a former Peruvian football player. He was known for playing as a left back or a winger. A left back is a defender who plays on the left side of the field, and a winger is a player who attacks from the sides.
Vargas played for several clubs during his career, including Universitario, Colón, Catania, Genoa, and Fiorentina. He also represented his home country, Peru, in international matches. His last team was Universitario de Deportes.
Contents
Playing for Clubs
Starting His Career
Vargas began his football journey with the well-known Peruvian team, Universitario. He quickly became a key player by 2004. Fans loved his exciting style of play and the important goals he scored. In 2005, he moved to an Argentine club called Colón.
Time with Catania
In August 2006, Vargas signed a four-year contract with Catania, a team in Italy. He scored his first goal for Catania on October 31, 2007. This goal helped his team tie the game 1–1 and kept their unbeaten streak going for seven matches. During his two years in Sicily, Vargas was one of Catania's best players. He always played in the starting lineup. His strong performances helped Catania stay in Italy's top league, Serie A, for two seasons. Because he played so well, many big clubs in Europe became interested in signing him.
Playing for Fiorentina
On May 17, 2008, there were reports that Vargas would join Real Madrid. However, on July 5, 2008, he instead joined Fiorentina for about €12 million. When he first arrived in Florence, he found it tough playing as a left back and received some criticism.
But then, his coaches realized he was even better as an attacking midfielder. He became a very important part of the Fiorentina team. He provided key passes for goals, added great speed to the team, and often played almost like a third forward. On November 24, 2009, Vargas scored a crucial penalty kick goal. This goal helped Fiorentina move forward to the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League. It was the first time Fiorentina had reached the round of 16 in ten years!
In August 2012, Vargas joined another Italian club, Genoa, on a temporary loan. He played 20 games for Genoa before returning to Fiorentina. He scored Fiorentina's only goal in their 1–3 loss to Napoli in the 2014 Coppa Italia Final.
Joining Real Betis
On August 12, 2015, Vargas signed a two-year contract with Real Betis. This team had just been promoted to La Liga, Spain's top football league. He played his first game for Real Betis on August 23, starting in a 1–1 home draw against Villarreal.
On August 31, 2016, Vargas ended his contract with Real Betis.
How He Played
Vargas was a versatile player, meaning he could play in different positions. He played as a left back, on the wing, or in the midfield. He could play in both attacking and defensive roles.
Vargas was known for his excellent dribbling skills and his powerful shots on goal. He was also very good at taking free-kicks and sending accurate crosses into the penalty area. His former teammate at Fiorentina, Alberto Gilardino, even said that Vargas was probably the best player he had ever played with when it came to crossing the ball.
Playing for His Country
Vargas played his first game for the Peru national team against Paraguay in 2004. This was during the qualifying matches for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He scored his first goal for Peru on September 12, 2007, in a friendly match against Bolivia. He was sent off, meaning he had to leave the game, in the semi-final match of the 2011 Copa América for elbowing a player from Uruguay.
Personal Life
Juan Manuel Vargas lives with his longtime partner, Blanca Rodríguez. They have three children together: Luana Mia, born in 2007; Ánika Lía, born on December 28, 2009; and Juan Manuel, born in 2011.
Achievements
Fiorentina
- Coppa Italia runner-up: 2013–14 (This means they reached the final but didn't win)
Peru
- Copa America Bronze medal: 2011 (Peru finished third in this important South American tournament)
- Copa America Bronze medal: 2015 (Peru also finished third in this tournament)
See also
In Spanish: Juan Manuel Vargas para niños
