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 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | 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) | ||||||||||||||||
| National team‡ | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2016 | Peru | 62 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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† Appearances (Goals). |
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Juan Manuel Vargas Risco (born on October 5, 1983) is a retired Peruvian footballer. He mostly played as a left back.
Vargas played for several clubs during his career. These include Universitario, Colón, Catania, Genoa, and Fiorentina. He also played for the Peruvian national team. His last team was Universitario de Deportes.
Contents
Playing for Clubs
Starting in Peru
Vargas began his career with the popular Peruvian team Universitario. By 2004, he had become a key player. Fans loved his exciting style and important goals. In 2005, he moved to the Argentine club Colón.
Time with Catania
In August 2006, Vargas signed a four-year contract with Catania in Italy. He scored his first goal for Catania in October 2007. This goal helped Catania stay unbeaten for seven matches. During his two years in Sicily, he was one of their best players. He always played in the main team. 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 wanted to sign him.
Playing for Fiorentina
On May 17, 2008, there were reports that Vargas would join Real Madrid. However, on July 5, 2008, he joined Fiorentina for about €12 million. When he first arrived in Florence, he had some trouble playing as a left back. People criticized him a lot.
But then, he started playing as an attacking midfielder. This is a player who helps score goals from the middle of the field. He became a very important part of the Fiorentina team, known as the Viola. He gave important passes that led to goals. He also added great speed to the team and often played like an extra forward. In November 2009, Vargas scored a crucial penalty kick goal. This goal helped Fiorentina move to the next stage of the UEFA Champions League. It was the first time Fiorentina reached the round of 16 in ten years.
In August 2012, Vargas joined another Italian club, Genoa, on loan for one season. He played 20 games there before returning to Fiorentina. He scored Fiorentina's only goal in their 1–3 loss to Napoli in the 2014 Coppa Italia Final.
Moving to Real Betis
On August 12, 2015, Vargas signed a two-year deal with Real Betis. This team had just been promoted to La Liga, Spain's top football league. His contract with Fiorentina had ended. He played his first game for Real Betis on August 23. It was a 1–1 home draw against Villarreal.
On August 31, 2016, Vargas ended his contract with Real Betis.
How He Plays
Vargas can play in different positions on the field. He plays as a left back, on the wing, or in the midfield. He can play in both attacking and defensive roles. Vargas is known for his great ability to dribble the ball. He can also make amazing shots at the goal. He is also very good at free-kicks and making accurate crosses (passing the ball across the field). His former teammate, Alberto Gilardino, once said that Vargas was probably the best player he had ever played with at crossing the ball.
Playing for Peru
Vargas played his first game for the Peruvian national team in October 2004. This was during the qualifying games for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He scored his first goal for Peru in September 2007 in a friendly match against Bolivia. During the 2011 Copa América semi-final match, he was sent off (had to leave the game) for elbowing a player from Uruguay.
His Family Life
Vargas lives with his longtime partner, Blanca Rodríguez. They have three children together: Luana Mia (born in 2007), Ánika Lía (born in 2009), and Juan Manuel (born in 2011).
Awards and Achievements
Fiorentina
- Coppa Italia runner-up: 2013–14 (meaning they came in second place)
Peru
- Copa America Bronze medal: 2011 (meaning they came in third place)
- Copa America Bronze medal: 2015 (meaning they came in third place)
See also
In Spanish: Juan Manuel Vargas para niños
