Mario Yepes facts for kids
Yepes in 2019
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||
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| Full name | Mario Alberto Yepes Díaz | ||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 13 January 1976 | ||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Cali, Colombia | ||||||||||||
| Height | 1.86 m | ||||||||||||
| Playing position | Centre back | ||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | ||||||||||
| 1994–1997 | Cortuluá | 76 | (7) | ||||||||||
| 1997–1999 | Deportivo Cali | 93 | (11) | ||||||||||
| 1999–2002 | River Plate | 76 | (6) | ||||||||||
| 2002–2004 | Nantes | 73 | (2) | ||||||||||
| 2004–2008 | Paris Saint-Germain | 115 | (8) | ||||||||||
| 2008–2010 | Chievo | 63 | (1) | ||||||||||
| 2010–2013 | AC Milan | 38 | (1) | ||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | Atalanta | 24 | (0) | ||||||||||
| 2014–2015 | San Lorenzo | 31 | (0) | ||||||||||
| Total | 580 | (36) | |||||||||||
| National team | |||||||||||||
| 1999–2014 | Colombia | 102 | (6) | ||||||||||
| Teams managed | |||||||||||||
| 2016–2017 | Deportivo Cali | ||||||||||||
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Honours
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Mario Alberto Yepes Díaz (born January 13, 1976) is a famous former Colombian footballer. He played as a centre-back, which is a defensive position in football.
Yepes is well-known for his time playing for Paris Saint-Germain in France. Fans even called him "Super Mario" because he was considered one of the best defenders. Later, when he played in Italy for Chievo, people saw him as a strong and tough defender. He was also the captain of the Colombia national team from 2008 to 2014.
Mario Yepes is one of only two players who were part of two "golden generations" of Colombian football. A "golden generation" means a group of very talented players. He played with the team that won the 2001 Copa América and also with the team that became strong again around 2013. After retiring as a player, Yepes started coaching. He managed his hometown club, Deportivo Cali, from 2016 to 2017.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Starting Out in Colombia
Mario Yepes began his football journey in 1994 with a club called Cortuluá. He actually started as a forward, trying to score goals! But his coach saw his defensive skills and changed his position to a libero, which is a type of defender who sweeps up loose balls.
In 1998, Yepes joined his local club, Deportivo Cali. There, he helped them win a Colombian championship. This was a big achievement for him. He also played in the 1999 Copa Libertadores, a major South American club tournament.
Moving to Argentina and Europe
In 1999, Mario Yepes moved to Argentina to play for River Plate. This is one of the biggest clubs in Argentina. He won two Argentine Primera championships with them, showing his talent on the international stage.
In 2002, Yepes made a big move to Europe, joining Nantes in France's top league, Ligue 1. After playing well for two and a half seasons, he moved to another French club, Paris Saint-Germain, in 2004. He became a key player for PSG, helping them win the Coupe de France in 2006 and the Coupe de la Ligue in 2008.
In 2008, Yepes moved to Italy to play for Chievo. He played so well there that he signed a new long-term contract in 2009.
Time at AC Milan
In March 2010, it was announced that Yepes would join AC Milan, a very famous Italian club. He joined them when his contract with Chievo ended.
At AC Milan, Yepes was often a substitute at first, as another strong defender, Thiago Silva, usually started. But Yepes still played in some important games, including the UEFA Champions League. He even came close to scoring a goal in a Champions League match against Tottenham Hotspur!
Yepes scored his first goal for Milan on October 23, 2011. It was an exciting moment because his goal helped Milan win a game against Lecce 4-3, after they had been losing 3-0!
In May 2012, Yepes signed a new one-year contract with Milan. However, he later decided not to sign another contract because he wanted to play more often. He felt he needed more "guaranteed" playing time to get ready for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Later Career and Retirement
On July 14, 2013, Yepes signed a one-year contract with another Italian club, Atalanta. He played 26 games for them during the 2013–14 season.
In September 2014, Yepes joined San Lorenzo, a club in Argentina. On January 20, 2016, he officially announced his retirement from playing professional football. Just four months later, he started his new career as a manager for Deportivo Cali.
International Career for Colombia
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Mario Yepes played 102 matches for the Colombia national team since his first game in 1999. This makes him the second-most capped Colombian player ever, meaning he has played the second-highest number of games for his country.
He was part of the Colombia team that won the Copa América in 2001. This is a major football tournament for South American countries. He also played in three other Copa América tournaments.
During the qualification games for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Yepes played 12 matches. Colombia qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1998! In the very last qualifying match, Yepes scored two goals, helping Colombia win 2-1 against Paraguay.
Because of his age, Yepes said he wanted to retire after the 2014 World Cup. On June 14, 2014, Yepes played his first game in a FIFA World Cup final tournament. He was 38 years old and was the captain of the team that won 3-0 against Greece. He was the oldest outfield player at the 2014 World Cup.
On June 19, 2014, Yepes played his 100th game for Colombia against Ivory Coast. He became only the third Colombian player to reach this amazing milestone. He led Colombia to their best World Cup performance ever, reaching the quarter-finals for the first time in their history. They lost a close game 2-1 to the host country, Brazil.
Life After Playing Football
In April 2016, Mario Yepes became the manager of Deportivo Cali, which was his first coaching job. He took over the team after their previous manager left. His coaching team included Freddy Hurtado and Julián Barragán as assistants.
During his time as coach, Deportivo Cali reached the quarter-finals of the domestic league twice. They also qualified for the 2017 Copa Sudamericana, another important South American tournament. However, after a series of tough games in early 2017, Yepes left the club on March 9, 2017.
From 2019 to 2021, he worked as the Sports Director at the Colombian Football Federation. In this role, he helped plan and manage the development of the national teams. In 2022, Yepes became an ambassador for Betsson, a large gaming company, in Latin America.
Personal Life
Mario Yepes is married to Carolina Villegas. They have three children: a son named Luciano (born in 2002), a daughter named Miranda (born in 2005), and another son named Valentino (born in 2012).
Career Statistics Summary
Here's a quick look at Mario Yepes's career numbers:
| Club | Years | Appearances | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cortuluá | 1994–1997 | 76 | 7 |
| Deportivo Cali | 1997–1999 | 93 | 11 |
| River Plate | 1999–2002 | 76 | 6 |
| Nantes | 2002–2004 | 73 | 2 |
| Paris Saint-Germain | 2004–2008 | 115 | 8 |
| Chievo | 2008–2010 | 63 | 1 |
| A.C. Milan | 2010–2013 | 38 | 1 |
| Atalanta | 2013–2014 | 24 | 0 |
| San Lorenzo | 2014–2015 | 31 | 0 |
| Total Club Career | 580 | 36 | |
| National team | Years | Appearances | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colombia | 1999–2014 | 102 | 6 |
Achievements and Awards
Mario Yepes won many titles during his career:
- Deportivo Cali
- Categoría Primera A: 1998
- River Plate
- Argentine Primera División: Apertura 1999, Clausura 2000
- Paris Saint-Germain
- Coupe de France: 2005–06
- Coupe de la Ligue: 2007–08
- A.C. Milan
- Serie A: 2010–11
- Supercoppa Italiana: 2011
- Colombia
- Copa América: 2001
He was also recognized individually:
- Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2003–04, 2005–06
Images for kids
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Yepes challenging for the ball with Arsenal's Samir Nasri
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See also
In Spanish: Mario Yepes para niños
- List of men's footballers with 100 or more international caps
