Mark González facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Mark González

González playing for CSKA Moscow in 2013
Personal information
Full name	Mark Dennis González Hoffmann
Date of birth	(1984-07-10) 10 July 1984 (age 41)
Place of birth	Durban, South Africa
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Youth career
	SG Borken
	Universidad Católica
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2002–2004	Universidad Católica	42	(13)
2004–2006	Albacete	25	(5)
2006–2007	Liverpool	25	(2)
2006	→ Real Sociedad (loan)	16	(6)
2007–2009	Betis	44	(10)
2009–2014	CSKA Moscow	49	(6)
2014–2015	Universidad Católica	41	(14)
2016	Sport Recife	8	(1)
2017	Colo-Colo	4	(0)
2018–2019	Magallanes	20	(5)
Total		274	(62)
International career‡
2004	Chile U23	7	(2)
2003–2016	Chile	56	(6)
Medal record Representing  Chile Winner Copa América Centenario 2016
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16 January 2020 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 18 July 2016

Mark Dennis González Hoffmann (born July 10, 1984) is a former professional football player from Chile. He played as a midfielder, known for his incredible speed on the field. He played for top teams in many countries, including Chile, Russia, Spain, Brazil, and England.

A former coach once described him as "fast and explosive, the classic left winger." González himself said that his speed was his best skill. He played for the Chilean national team in three Copa América tournaments and the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In 2016, he helped his country win the Copa América Centenario.

Early Life and Family

González was born in Durban, South Africa. His father, Raúl, was also a professional soccer player who played for a team called the Durban Bush Bucks. His father named him after two of his soccer friends, Mark Tovey and Dennis Wicks. When he was 10 years old, González moved from South Africa back to Chile with his mother.

His family has a long history in football. His father, Raúl González, played for Chile's national team. His granduncles, Carlos Hoffmann and Reynaldo Hoffmann, were also international players for Chile.

Club Career

Starting in Europe

After starting his career in Chile, González moved to Spain to play for Albacete. His talent caught the eye of one of England's biggest clubs, Liverpool.

In 2005, Liverpool tried to get González, but he couldn't get a work permit, which is a special document needed to work in the United Kingdom. While he waited to become a Spanish citizen to solve this problem, Liverpool loaned him to the Spanish club Real Sociedad.

During his time at Real Sociedad, he played very well. He scored an important goal against the famous team Real Madrid in a 1–1 draw. He played 16 games and scored five goals for the team.

Playing for Liverpool

On July 5, 2006, González finally got his work permit and officially joined Liverpool. The manager, Rafael Benítez, was very happy to have him on the team.

He made an amazing debut in a Champions League game against Maccabi Haifa. He came on as a substitute in the 85th minute and scored the winning goal just three minutes later, making the final score 2–1. He later scored his first Premier League goal in a 3–0 win against Tottenham Hotspur.

Unfortunately, he suffered an injury during a League Cup match against Arsenal and had to be carried off the field. He played his last game for Liverpool in May 2007.

Return to Spain with Real Betis

In July 2007, González signed a contract with the Spanish club Real Betis. He scored in his first home game against Milan during a special match. He also scored a key goal against Real Madrid that helped Betis avoid being moved to a lower league. In total, he scored 10 goals in 44 games for Betis.

Move to Russia

González playing for CSKA Moscow against Inter Milan in the Champions League in April 2010.

In August 2009, González moved to Russia and signed a five-year deal with CSKA Moscow. He played with the club for several years. In 2014, he went on loan to Universidad Católica, the club where he first started his career in Chile. He later ended his contract with CSKA Moscow in December 2014.

Back to South America

González permanently rejoined Universidad Católica in 2015. He had a great season, scoring nine goals and helping the team win the Chilean league title. This was his first time winning the championship in his home country.

In 2016, he moved to Brazil to play for Sport Recife. After a year there, he returned to Chile to play for another major club, Colo-Colo, in 2017. He finished his career with the club Magallanes in 2019.

International Career

Even though he was born in South Africa, González chose to play for Chile's national team. He scored his most famous international goal during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, which was held in his birthplace, South Africa. He scored the only goal in a 1–0 victory against Switzerland.

In 2016, he was part of the Chilean team that won the Copa América Centenario, a major international tournament. He was added to the team after another player got injured, and he helped Chile become champions.

International goals

This table shows the goals Mark González scored for Chile's national team.

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	11 June 2003	Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano, San Pedro Sula, Honduras	Honduras	1–1	2–1	Friendly
2.	30 March 2004	Estadio Hernando Siles, La Paz, Bolivia	Bolivia	2–0	2–0	FIFA World Cup qualifier
3.	9 February 2005	Estadio Sausalito, Viña del Mar, Chile	Ecuador	1–0	3–0	Friendly
4.	21 June 2010	Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, South Africa	Switzerland	1–0	1–0	2010 World Cup
5.	28 January 2015	Estadio El Teniente, Rancagua, Chile	United States	2–2	3–2	Friendly
6.				3–2

Life After Football

After retiring from playing, González decided to stay involved in the sport. In December 2024, he graduated as a football manager from a national sports institute in Chile.

He is married to Maura Rivera, a Chilean TV personality and model. They have two children, a son named Mark Jr. and a daughter named Luciana. In 2021, he had a heart condition called pericarditis, but he recovered fully.

Honours

Club

Liverpool

• FA Community Shield: 2006
• UEFA Champions League runner-up: 2006–07

CSKA

• Russian Premier League: 2012–13, 2013–14
• Russian Cup: 2010–11, 2012–13
• Russian Super Cup: 2013

International

Chile

• Copa América: 2016

Individual

• Named one of the 33 best football players in the Russian championship in 2010.

See also

In Spanish: Mark González para niños