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Martín Palermo
Everton - Unión Española, 2018-04-28 - Martín Palermo - 01 (cropped).jpg
Palermo in 2018
Personal information
Full name Martín Palermo
Date of birth (1973-11-07) 7 November 1973 (age 51)
Place of birth La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Height 1.88 m
Playing position Striker
Club information
Current club Olimpia (head coach)
Youth career
Estudiantes de La Plata
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1992–1997 Estudiantes de La Plata 93 (34)
1997–2001 Boca Juniors 102 (81)
2001–2003 Villarreal 70 (18)
2003–2004 Betis 11 (1)
2004 Alavés 14 (3)
2004–2011 Boca Juniors 216 (112)
Total 592 (249)
National team
1999–2010 Argentina 15 (9)
Teams managed
2012–2013 Godoy Cruz
2014–2015 Arsenal de Sarandí
2016–2018 Unión Española
2019 Pachuca
2020–2021 Curicó Unido
2021–2022 Aldosivi
2023 Platense
2024– Olimpia
  • Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Martín Palermo (born November 7, 1973) is a famous Argentine football manager and former player. He was known as a powerful striker. Today, he is the head coach for Olimpia.

Palermo mostly played as a forward for Boca Juniors, one of Argentina's biggest clubs. He is Boca Juniors' all-time top scorer with 236 goals. He also ranks 7th among all-time top scorers in the Argentine First Division. He played for other teams in Argentina and Spain, like Estudiantes de La Plata, Villarreal, Real Betis, and Alavés.

Fans gave him nicknames like Loco (meaning "crazy") and Titán (meaning "titan"). In a 2008 poll, Boca Juniors fans even voted him as the greatest idol in their club's history. For the Argentina national football team, Palermo played 15 games and scored 9 goals. He played in the 1999 Copa América and the 2010 FIFA World Cup. After retiring as a player, he became a manager in 2012.

Club Career Highlights

Starting with Estudiantes

Palermo - Estudiantes LP 1997
Palermo in 1997 while playing for Estudiantes de La Plata

Martín Palermo was born in La Plata, Buenos Aires. He started his football journey at Estudiantes de La Plata. He played there for five years, from 1992 to 1997. After that, he moved to Boca Juniors.

Becoming a Legend at Boca Juniors

Palermo's start at Boca Juniors was a bit slow. But on September 30, 1997, he scored his first goal for them. It was in a 2–1 win against Independiente.

In 1999, European clubs like Lazio and Milan were interested in him because he was scoring so many goals. However, on November 13, 1999, he suffered a serious knee injury. Even with the injury, he managed to score his 100th goal in the Argentine First Division before leaving the game.

He spent six months recovering. On May 24, 2000, he made a big comeback. He played the last 15 minutes of a Copa Libertadores match against River Plate. He scored a goal that helped Boca Juniors win 3–0.

Later in 2000, he played in the Intercontinental Cup. He scored both goals in Boca's 2–1 victory over Real Madrid. He was named man of the match, which caught the eye of Spanish clubs.

Playing in Spain

In January 2001, Palermo joined the Spanish team Villarreal. He signed a four-year deal. He scored six goals in 17 games in his first season.

On November 29, 2001, he scored a goal in a cup match. While celebrating, he stood on a concrete wall, which collapsed. This caused him to break both bones in his left leg. He didn't play again until April 2002.

Villarreal reached the final of the 2002 UEFA Intertoto Cup. Palermo left Villarreal in August 2003. He then joined Real Betis for a year. He played 12 games and scored one goal there. In March 2004, he left Betis and joined Alavés in the second division. He scored three goals in 14 games.

Return to Boca Juniors

On July 13, 2004, Palermo made a big return to Boca Juniors. On December 17, he scored his 100th goal with Boca. It was in the final of the 2004 Copa Sudamericana, a 2–0 win.

In May 2005, Palermo scored twice in a Copa Libertadores match. Later, in a game against Chivas Guadalajara, he was involved in a fight and was sent off. The match ended early because of a large brawl.

In November 2005, he scored an important goal in the Copa Sudamericana semi-finals. Boca Juniors went on to win the tournament. Even though he missed a penalty in the final shootout, Boca still won.

Palermo continued to be one of the best scorers in Argentina. In the 2007 Clausura tournament, he had amazing moments. On February 25, he scored a goal from half-pitch. Two weeks later, he scored three goals against his old team, Estudiantes. This was his fourth hat-trick. A week after that, he scored four goals in one game.

In the 2007 Apertura, he scored 13 goals. On September 16, he scored four goals in a 6–0 win against Banfield.

Martin Palermo
Palermo during the 2008 Joan Gamper Trophy match

In August 2008, he suffered another serious knee injury. This meant he would be out for several months. Argentina's coach, Alfio Basile, had planned to call him up for the national team.

Palermo's first goal after his injury came on March 1, 2009. This was his 195th goal with Boca Juniors. It broke Francisco Varallo's record of 194 goals. On April 30, Martín scored his 200th goal for Boca with a bicycle kick.

In October 2009, Palermo scored a very special goal against Vélez Sársfield. It was a header that traveled almost 39 meters! This goal gave him 200 goals in the Argentine First Division.

On July 22, 2010, at 36 years old, Palermo announced he would retire at the end of his contract. He scored his sixth career hat-trick on September 19, 2010. On December 13, 2010, he scored his 300th career goal.

On April 24, 2011, Palermo scored his first goal in 10 matches. He then scored in the next three games, including a goal against River Plate in the Superclasico.

Martín Palermo became a legend at Boca Juniors. On June 12, 2011, he played his last home match at La Bombonera. The club honored him and gave him one of the goal frames from the stadium. He officially retired from football on June 18, 2011. He even provided an assist in his final game.

International Career with Argentina

Martín Palermo played 15 matches for the Argentina national football team and scored 9 goals. He is in the Guinness Book of World Records for a unique event. In a match against Colombia in the 1999 Copa América, he missed three penalty kicks in the same game!

After a long break, Diego Maradona called Palermo back to the national team in September 2009. This was for a World Cup qualifying match. A few weeks later, he scored both goals in a friendly game against Ghana. On October 10, 2009, Palermo scored a winning goal in the 93rd minute against Peru. Maradona called it "one more miracle of Saint Palermo."

On May 19, 2010, Palermo was chosen for Argentina's team for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. This was his first World Cup. On June 22, 2010, he played his first World Cup match against Greece. In the 89th minute, he scored his first World Cup goal. This made him the oldest Argentine player to score in a World Cup.

Managerial Career

After his playing career, Martín Palermo became a football manager.

In May 2012, he was suggested for the manager position at Estudiantes de La Plata. On November 26, 2012, Palermo became the head coach of Godoy Cruz. He stayed there until the end of 2013.

On April 18, 2014, Palermo was appointed head coach of Arsenal de Sarandi. He managed them for the 2014–15 season. He resigned from his position in April 2015.

His next job was with the Chilean team Unión Española. In his first tournament, they finished third. In 2017, they were runners-up in the league. However, he left the club in November 2018.

Palermo then moved to Mexico. On January 22, 2019, he became the new manager of Pachuca. He left at the end of his contract in December 2019. In November 2020, he was appointed manager of Curicó Unido in Chile, but he resigned nine months later.

Returning to Argentina, Palermo became the manager of Aldosivi in September 2021. He resigned in May 2022. In November of that year, he became the new coach of Platense. He led them to the final of the 2023 Copa de la Liga Profesional, but they lost. He then resigned from Platense.

In February 2024, Palermo agreed to become the new head coach of the Paraguayan team Olimpia. In his first year with the team, Martín Palermo won his first title as a club manager.

Career statistics

Club

Source:
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Estudiantes 1991–92 Clausura 1 0 — — — 1 0
1992–93 Apertura 2 0 — 1 0 — 10 1
Clausura 7 1
1993–94 Apertura 10 0 — 1 0 — 18 1
Clausura 7 1
1994–95 Primera B 3 0 — 2 0 — 5 0
1995–96 Apertura 8 6 — — — 27 17
Clausura 19 11
1996–97 Apertura 19 6 — 2 2 — 38 17
Clausura 17 9
Total 93 34 — 6 2 — 99 36
Boca Juniors 1997–98 Apertura 17 8 — 4 1 — 36 21
Clausura 15 12
1998–99 Apertura 19 20 — 4 3 — 39 35
Clausura 16 12
1999–2000 Apertura 13 14 — 5 2 — 26 21
Clausura 4 4 4 1
2000–01 Apertura 18 11 — 4 1 1 2 23 14
Total 102 81 — 21 8 1 2 124 91
Villarreal 2000–01 La Liga 17 6 — — — 17 6
2001–02 La Liga 19 5 2 2 — — 21 7
2002–03 La Liga 34 7 1 1 8 0 — 43 8
Total 70 18 3 3 8 0 — 81 21
Real Betis 2003–04 La Liga 11 1 1 0 — — 12 1
Alavés 2003–04 Segunda 14 3 — — — 14 3
Boca Juniors 2004–05 Apertura 13 6 — 6 3 1 0 40 21
Clausura 12 6 9 6
2005–06 Apertura 16 7 — 7 4 — 43 22
Clausura 19 11
2006–07 Apertura 16 11 — 1 0 2 1 47 27
Clausura 16 11 12 4
2007–08 Apertura 19 13 — 2 2 2 0 49 32
Clausura 14 10 12 7
2008–09 Apertura 2 0 — 7 5 1 1 25 13
Clausura 15 7
2009–10 Apertura 17 6 — 2 0 — 38 16
Clausura 19 10
2010–11 Apertura 19 8 — — — 38 14
Clausura 19 6
Total 216 112 — 58 31 6 2 280 145
Career total 506 249 4 3 93 41 7 4 610 297

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National Team Year Apps Goals
Argentina
1999 7 3
2000 0 0
2001 0 0
2002 0 0
2003 0 0
2004 0 0
2005 0 0
2006 0 0
2007 0 0
2008 0 0
2009 3 3
2010 5 3
Total 15 9

International goals

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 1 July 1999 Estadio Feliciano Cáceres, Luque, Paraguay  Ecuador 2–0 3–1 1999 Copa América
2. 3–0
3. 7 July 1999 Estadio Feliciano Cáceres, Luque, Paraguay  Uruguay 2–0 2–0 1999 Copa América
4. 30 September 2009 Estadio Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina  Ghana 1–0 2–0 Friendly
5. 2–0
6. 10 October 2009 El Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina  Peru 2–1 2–1 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
7. 10 February 2010 Estadio José María Minella, Mar del Plata, Argentina  Jamaica 1–1 2–1 Friendly
8. 5 May 2010 El Coloso del Ruca Quimey, Cutral Có, Argentina  Haiti 2–0 4–0 Friendly
9. 22 June 2010 Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane, South Africa  Greece 2–0 2–0 2010 FIFA World Cup

Managerial statistics

Team Nat From To Record
G W D L GF GA GD Win %
Godoy Cruz Argentina 27 November 2012 31 December 2013 &&&&&&&&&&&&&044.&&&&&044 &&&&&&&&&&&&&014.&&&&&014 &&&&&&&&&&&&&017.&&&&&017 &&&&&&&&&&&&&013.&&&&&013 &&&&&&&&&&&&&044.&&&&&044 &&&&&&&&&&&&&038.&&&&&038 +6 &&&&&&&&&&&&&031.82000031.82
Arsenal 16 April 2014 19 April 2015 &&&&&&&&&&&&&036.&&&&&036 &&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011 &&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010 &&&&&&&&&&&&&015.&&&&&015 &&&&&&&&&&&&&045.&&&&&045 &&&&&&&&&&&&&050.&&&&&050 −5 &&&&&&&&&&&&&030.56000030.56
Unión Española Chile 1 June 2016 3 November 2018 &&&&&&&&&&&&&093.&&&&&093 &&&&&&&&&&&&&039.&&&&&039 &&&&&&&&&&&&&028.&&&&&028 &&&&&&&&&&&&&026.&&&&&026 &&&&&&&&&&&&0136.&&&&&0136 &&&&&&&&&&&&0117.&&&&&0117 +19 &&&&&&&&&&&&&041.94000041.94
Pachuca Mexico 25 January 2019 31 December 2019 &&&&&&&&&&&&&039.&&&&&039 &&&&&&&&&&&&&015.&&&&&015 &&&&&&&&&&&&&011.&&&&&011 &&&&&&&&&&&&&013.&&&&&013 &&&&&&&&&&&&&064.&&&&&064 &&&&&&&&&&&&&049.&&&&&049 +15 &&&&&&&&&&&&&038.46000038.46
Curicó Unido Chile 27 November 2020 25 July 2021 &&&&&&&&&&&&&027.&&&&&027 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&04.&&&&&04 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08 &&&&&&&&&&&&&015.&&&&&015 &&&&&&&&&&&&&028.&&&&&028 &&&&&&&&&&&&&044.&&&&&044 −16 &&&&&&&&&&&&&014.81000014.81
Aldosivi Argentina 28 September 2021 31 May 2022 &&&&&&&&&&&&&027.&&&&&027 &&&&&&&&&&&&&012.&&&&&012 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05 &&&&&&&&&&&&&010.&&&&&010 &&&&&&&&&&&&&031.&&&&&031 &&&&&&&&&&&&&035.&&&&&035 −4 &&&&&&&&&&&&&044.44000044.44
Platense 1 January 2023 18 December 2023 &&&&&&&&&&&&&046.&&&&&046 &&&&&&&&&&&&&015.&&&&&015 &&&&&&&&&&&&&015.&&&&&015 &&&&&&&&&&&&&016.&&&&&016 &&&&&&&&&&&&&043.&&&&&043 &&&&&&&&&&&&&048.&&&&&048 −5 &&&&&&&&&&&&&032.61000032.61
Olimpia Paraguay 13 February 2024 present &&&&&&&&&&&&&044.&&&&&044 &&&&&&&&&&&&&022.&&&&&022 &&&&&&&&&&&&&014.&&&&&014 &&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08 &&&&&&&&&&&&&057.&&&&&057 &&&&&&&&&&&&&034.&&&&&034 +23 &&&&&&&&&&&&&050.&&&&&050.00
Career totals &&&&&&&&&&&&0356.&&&&&0356 &&&&&&&&&&&&0132.&&&&&0132 &&&&&&&&&&&&0108.&&&&&0108 &&&&&&&&&&&&0116.&&&&&0116 &&&&&&&&&&&&0448.&&&&&0448 &&&&&&&&&&&&0415.&&&&&0415 +33 &&&&&&&&&&&&&037.&8000037.08

Honours and Achievements

Player

Estudiantes

  • Primera B Nacional: 1994–95

Boca Juniors

Individual Awards

  • Primera División top scorer: 1998 Apertura (20 goals, short tournament record), 2007 Clausura
  • Boca Juniors top scorer: 1998 Clausura, 1998 Apertura, 1999 Clausura, 1999 Apertura, 2000 Apertura, 2004 Apertura, 2005 Clausura, 2006 Clausura, 2007 Clausura, 2007 Apertura, 2008 Clausura, 2009 Clausura, 2009 Apertura, 2010 Clausura, 2010 Apertura, 2011 Clausura
  • South American Footballer of the Year: 1998
  • South American Team of the Year: 1998, 2000
  • Intercontinental Cup Most Valuable Player of the Match Award: 2000
  • American Golden Shoe: 2007 (shared with Giancarlo Maldonado)
  • Konex Award Merit Diploma as one of the five best football players of the last decade in Argentina: 2010

Manager

Unión Española

Platense

  • Copa de la Liga Profesional runner-up: 2023

Olimpia

  • Paraguayan Primera División: 2024 Clausura

Records and Interesting Facts

  • First professional match: July 5, 1992, for Estudiantes.
  • First professional goal: May 22, 1993, for Estudiantes.
  • First International match for Argentina: February 3, 1999.
  • First International goal for Argentina: July 1, 1999.
  • First European professional match: February 4, 2001, for Villarreal.
  • First European professional goal: February 11, 2001, for Villarreal.
  • He is in the Guinness book of records for missing three penalty kicks in one match. This happened against Colombia in the 1999 Copa América.
  • Palermo has an Italian passport, which allowed him to play as a UEFA player in Europe.
  • World Cup debut: June 22, 2010, against Greece in the 2010 World Cup.
  • Oldest player to score for the Argentina national football team: He was 36 years and 7 months old when he scored against Greece in the 2010 World Cup. This record was previously held by Diego Maradona.
  • Tied for 5th place all-time among Argentine Primera División top scorers with 227 goals.
  • 1st place among Boca's all-time top scorers with 236 goals. He passed Roberto Cherro's record.
  • Top scorer in the professional era for Boca's top scorers with 236 Goals.
  • Boca Junior's top scorer in international matches with 43 goals.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Martín Palermo para niños

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