Mariano Pernía facts for kids
Pernía playing for Atlético Madrid in 2007
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Mariano Andrés Pernía Molina | ||
| Date of birth | 4 May 1977 | ||
| Place of birth | Buenos Aires, Argentina | ||
| Height | 1.77 m | ||
| Playing position | Left back | ||
| Youth career | |||
| San Lorenzo | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1997–1999 | San Lorenzo | 0 | (0) |
| 1999–2002 | Independiente | 46 | (2) |
| 2003–2004 | Recreativo | 59 | (3) |
| 2004–2006 | Getafe | 72 | (13) |
| 2006–2010 | Atlético Madrid | 80 | (1) |
| 2010 | Nacional | 7 | (0) |
| 2011–2012 | Tigre | 9 | (1) |
| Total | 273 | (20) | |
| National team | |||
| 2006–2007 | Spain | 11 | (1) |
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Mariano Andrés Pernía Molina (born 4 May 1977) is a retired footballer from Argentina and Spain. He played as a left back. After his football career, he became a race car driver.
Mariano started his professional football journey with Club Atlético Independiente in Argentina. Later, he moved to Spain in the early 2000s. There, he played for three different teams. His most notable teams were Getafe CF and Atlético Madrid. He even scored ten goals in one season with Getafe! Overall, he played 171 matches in Spain's top league, scoring 16 goals over seven seasons.
Even though he was born in Argentina, Pernía played for the Spain national football team. He even represented Spain in the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
Contents
Football Career Highlights
Starting in Argentina
Mariano Pernía was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He began his football journey in the youth teams of San Lorenzo de Almagro. However, he didn't play for their main senior team.
His first chance in professional football came when he joined Club Atlético Independiente. He played 57 matches for the club and scored two goals.
Moving to Spain
In January 2003, Pernía moved to Spain to play for Recreativo de Huelva in La Liga. He played in the Copa del Rey final that season. Unfortunately, his team lost and was also relegated to the second division. He played 40 league matches in the second division the next season.
Success with Getafe
Even though he was 26 and hadn't played much top-level football, Pernía got a big chance. He joined Getafe CF in 2004, a team that had just been promoted. He quickly became a key player for the Madrid team. He was known as an attacking defender with a powerful left foot.
In his first season, he scored three goals. One amazing goal was from 40 meters away against Real Betis. He helped Getafe stay in the top division during their first year.
Top Scoring Defender
The 2005–06 season was incredible for Pernía. He started 35 out of 38 games for Getafe. He scored an amazing ten goals and made two assists. This made him the highest-scoring defender in a season for 20 years!
His great performance led to many teams wanting him. Even though Valencia CF made an offer, he signed a four-year contract with Atlético Madrid in February 2006. He joined them for the next season.
Time at Atlético Madrid
At Atlético Madrid, Pernía competed with Antonio López for the left-back position. In his first year, he often played as a substitute. There were rumors he might return to Getafe, but he decided to stay with Atlético.
In the 2007–08 season, things changed. Pernía played in 29 league games. Atlético finished fourth, which meant they qualified for the UEFA Champions League. He was often the first-choice player in the next season. He even got his own official fan club, "Peña Pernía," which grew very quickly.
Injury and Return
In July 2009, Mariano and his family were in a serious car accident in Argentina. His daughter and nephew were not hurt. Mariano suffered a broken clavicle (collarbone) and minor lung injuries. He fully recovered from his injuries.
Because of the accident, he only played two games in the 2009–10 season. He played one game in the domestic cup and one league game.
Later Career
Mariano Pernía left Atlético Madrid in July 2010 when he was 33. Two months later, he signed with Club Nacional de Football in Uruguay. After a short time there, he returned to Argentina. He joined Club Atlético Tigre in the Argentine Primera División.
Playing for Spain
Becoming a Spanish Citizen
Mariano Pernía's amazing form in 2005–06 made him a possible choice for both Argentina and Spain's national teams. Even though he was born in Argentina, he received Spanish citizenship in May 2006.
World Cup Call-Up
Initially, Spain's coach, Luis Aragonés, didn't plan to pick Pernía for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. However, another player, Asier del Horno, got an ankle injury just before the tournament. Coach Aragonés personally called Pernía to replace him at the last minute.
Pernía made his debut for Spain in a friendly match against Croatia. He scored a goal from a free-kick on 7 June 2006 in a game played in Geneva.
World Cup Appearances
Surprisingly, Pernía went from being a third-choice player to a starter in the World Cup. He played in the group stage wins against Ukraine and Tunisia. He also played in Spain's round-of-16 loss to France.
Motorsport Career
After retiring from football, Mariano Pernía started a new career in motorsports. Both his father and brother, Leonel Pernía, were also involved in racing. Mariano has competed in races like Turismo Nacional, TC2000, and Super TC2000.
Family Life
Mariano Pernía comes from a family with a strong connection to sports. His father, Vicente Pernía, was a famous Argentine football player. Interestingly, his father was not chosen for the 1978 FIFA World Cup for Argentina. Mariano dedicated his own World Cup call-up to his father.
Mariano's mother is Olga. He has four brothers and one sister. His oldest brother, Gastón, played indoor soccer in the United States. Another brother, Leonel Pernía, also played indoor soccer and is a race car driver in Argentina. Mariano's great-grandparents were from Spain.
Mariano's daughter was born in Spain. When he got the call to play in the World Cup, he was on holiday with his family. He had to delay his wedding, which was planned for June 20. He said that his wife was happy for him, even though she was a little disappointed about postponing the wedding.
Achievements and Awards
Independiente
- Argentine Primera División: Apertura 2002
Recreativo
- Copa del Rey runner-up: 2002–03
Atlético Madrid
- UEFA Europa League: 2009–10
- UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2007
- Copa del Rey runner-up: 2009–10
See also
In Spanish: Mariano Pernía para niños
- List of Spain international footballers born outside Spain
