Maxi Rodríguez facts for kids
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Rodríguez playing for Argentina in 2012
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Maximiliano Rubén Rodríguez | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 2 January 1981 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Rosario, Argentina | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Winger, attacking midfielder | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Newell's Old Boys | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–2002 | Newell's Old Boys | 57 | (20) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2005 | Espanyol | 111 | (26) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2010 | Atlético Madrid | 121 | (32) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2012 | Liverpool | 57 | (15) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2017 | Newell's Old Boys | 138 | (48) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2017–2018 | Peñarol | 39 | (12) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2019–2021 | Newell's Old Boys | 33 | (9) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 556 | (162) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001 | Argentina U20 | 7 | (4) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–2014 | Argentina | 57 | (16) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Maximiliano Rubén Rodríguez, born on January 2, 1981, is a famous former football player from Argentina. People called him La Fiera, which means The Beast! He usually played as a winger, running down the sides of the field, but he could also play as an attacking midfielder, helping to score goals.
Maxi, as he's often called, moved to Spain when he was 21. He played for teams like Espanyol and Atlético Madrid for many years. In Spain's top league, La Liga, he played 232 games and scored 58 goals! He also spent two years with Liverpool in England. Maxi started and finished his amazing football journey with his first club, Newell's Old Boys in Argentina.
Maxi Rodríguez played for the Argentine national team for 11 years. He represented his country in three World Cups. In 2014, his team finished second, and he played in 57 international matches.
Contents
Maxi's Club Football Journey
Starting Out: Newell's and Espanyol
Maxi Rodríguez was born in Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina. He grew up playing football in the youth system of Newell's Old Boys. He played for this club for three seasons as a young professional. After that, he moved to Spain to continue his career.
In March 2002, Maxi signed a deal to play for RCD Espanyol in Spain's top league, La Liga. The transfer was a big deal, costing €5 million. He played his first game on September 2, 2002, against Real Madrid. Maxi scored his first goal for Espanyol on October 27, helping his team win 4–3 against Málaga CF.
Maxi played 37 games in each season with Espanyol. In his last season, 2004–05, he scored 15 goals. This made him one of the top scorers in the league! He even scored three goals in one game against Real Betis and the winning goal against Real Madrid.
Playing for Atlético Madrid
In 2005, Maxi moved to Atlético Madrid for €5 million. He continued to be a strong player, scoring many goals. In his second year there, he had a serious knee injury. This meant he could only play in ten games that season.
On November 10, 2009, Maxi scored four goals in a Copa del Rey match against UD Marbella. Atlético Madrid won that game 6–0! After Fernando Torres left the team in 2007, Maxi became the new captain of Atlético Madrid. He was not part of the team that won the 2009–10 UEFA Europa League, but his team still won the trophy.
Time at Liverpool in England
On January 13, 2010, Maxi Rodríguez joined Liverpool in England. He signed a three-and-a-half-year contract. His new coach, Rafael Benítez, said Maxi was good with the ball and could score goals. Maxi wore the number 17 shirt. He played his first game for Liverpool on January 16, coming on as a substitute against Stoke City.
Maxi quickly helped his new team. He made two assists (passes that lead to goals) in his first few games. Both were for his former teammate, Fernando Torres. Maxi scored his first goal for Liverpool on April 25, 2010, in a 4–0 win against Burnley.
The 2010–11 season was great for Maxi. He scored ten goals in the league. This included two hat-tricks! He scored three goals against Birmingham City in a 5–0 win. He also scored three goals against Fulham in a 5–2 victory. In that Fulham game, he scored twice in the first seven minutes!
In July 2011, Maxi changed his jersey number to 11. He scored two goals in a friendly game against Malaysia. On August 24, he started his first game of the 2011–12 season in the Football League Cup. He scored a goal in a 3–1 win against Exeter City.
On November 20, 2011, Maxi scored against Chelsea, helping Liverpool win 2–1. Nine days later, he scored against Chelsea again in the League Cup. Liverpool went on to win the League Cup that season! Maxi scored his last two goals for Liverpool on April 10, 2012, in a 3–2 win against Blackburn Rovers.
Back to South America
On July 13, 2012, Maxi Rodríguez left Liverpool. He had played 73 games and scored 17 goals for them. He returned to his first professional club, Newell's Old Boys, in Argentina. He wrote a letter to Liverpool fans, thanking them for their support.
Maxi played his first game back for Newell's on August 5, 2012. In June 2013, he helped his team win the Torneo Final championship. He was even named the Footballer of the Year in Argentina for 2013!
In July 2017, Maxi, at 36 years old, moved to Peñarol, a club in Uruguay. He helped Peñarol win the league in both seasons he played there. At the end of 2018, he returned to Newell's Old Boys for another 18 months.
On November 27, 2021, Maxi Rodríguez announced he was retiring from professional football at age 40. His final match was at home against Club Atlético Banfield, and he received a standing ovation from the fans. In January 2022, he joined a regional league team called Hughes Foot Ball Club with his childhood friend Ignacio Scocco.
Maxi had a special farewell match at the Estadio Marcelo Bielsa on June 24, 2023. It was a game between historic players from Newell's Old Boys and the Argentina national team. Even Lionel Messi played in the match, which was also his 36th birthday! Maxi scored for both teams, and his two daughters, Alma and Aitana, also scored goals.
Maxi's International Career for Argentina
Maxi Rodríguez won the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship with the Argentine under-20 team in 2001. He scored four goals in seven games during that tournament. He made his debut for the senior national team on June 8, 2003, in a friendly game against Japan. He came on as a substitute and scored a goal in a 4–1 win.
Maxi was part of the team for the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup. Then, he was chosen for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. On June 16, 2006, he scored two goals in Argentina's 6–0 victory over Serbia and Montenegro. In the next round, he scored the winning goal against Mexico in extra time. It was a fantastic goal, where he controlled the ball with his chest and then volleyed it into the net from outside the penalty area. This goal was voted the best of the tournament in an online poll by FIFA!
After Argentina lost to Germany in the quarter-finals of the 2006 World Cup, Maxi was fined and suspended for two matches for an incident with an opponent. He later missed the 2007 Copa América due to a knee injury.
Maxi scored in Diego Maradona's first game as Argentina's coach in 2008. In May 2010, he was named in the squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. In the last home game before the World Cup, he scored two goals against Canada in a 5–0 win.
In June 2014, Maxi was again selected for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He started in Argentina's first game, a 2–1 win against Bosnia and Herzegovina. He played again in the semi-finals against the Netherlands. The game ended 0–0, and it went to a penalty shootout. Maxi scored the winning penalty, sending Argentina to the World Cup final for the first time in 24 years!
Maxi's Personal Life
Maxi Rodríguez was raised by his mother and grandparents. He is also the cousin of two other footballers, Alexis Rodríguez and Denis Rodríguez. All three cousins played for Newell's Old Boys at the same time!
Career Statistics
Club Appearances and Goals
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Newell's Old Boys | 1999–2000 | Argentine Primera División | 6 | 0 | – | – | – | 6 | 0 | |||
| 2000–01 | Argentine Primera División | 18 | 5 | – | – | – | 18 | 5 | ||||
| 2001–02 | Argentine Primera División | 33 | 15 | – | – | – | 33 | 15 | ||||
| Total | 57 | 20 | – | – | – | 57 | 20 | |||||
| Espanyol | 2002–03 | La Liga | 37 | 7 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 37 | 7 | ||
| 2003–04 | La Liga | 37 | 4 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 37 | 4 | |||
| 2004–05 | La Liga | 37 | 15 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 37 | 15 | |||
| Total | 111 | 26 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 111 | 26 | ||||
| Atlético Madrid | 2005–06 | La Liga | 29 | 10 | 2 | 0 | – | – | 31 | 10 | ||
| 2006–07 | La Liga | 10 | 6 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 10 | 6 | |||
| 2007–08 | La Liga | 35 | 8 | 3 | 0 | – | 10 | 2 | 48 | 10 | ||
| 2008–09 | La Liga | 33 | 6 | 2 | 0 | – | 8 | 4 | 43 | 10 | ||
| 2009–10 | La Liga | 14 | 2 | 2 | 5 | – | 8 | 1 | 24 | 8 | ||
| Total | 121 | 32 | 9 | 5 | – | 26 | 7 | 156 | 44 | |||
| Liverpool | 2009–10 | Premier League | 17 | 1 | – | – | – | 17 | 1 | |||
| 2010–11 | Premier League | 28 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 35 | 10 | |
| 2011–12 | Premier League | 12 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 6 | |
| Total | 57 | 15 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 73 | 17 | ||
| Newell's Old Boys | 2012–13 | Argentine Primera División | 28 | 5 | 1 | 0 | – | 11 | 3 | 40 | 8 | |
| 2013–14 | Argentine Primera División | 22 | 9 | 1 | 0 | – | 5 | 2 | 28 | 11 | ||
| 2014 | Argentine Primera División | 17 | 11 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 18 | 11 | |||
| 2015 | Argentine Primera División | 29 | 10 | 0 | 0 | – | – | 29 | 10 | |||
| 2016 | Argentine Primera División | 16 | 4 | 1 | 3 | – | – | 17 | 7 | |||
| 2016–17 | Argentine Primera División | 26 | 9 | 1 | 0 | – | – | 27 | 9 | |||
| Total | 138 | 48 | 5 | 3 | – | 16 | 5 | 159 | 56 | |||
| Peñarol | 2017 | Uruguayan Primera División | 15 | 6 | – | – | – | 15 | 6 | |||
| 2018 | Uruguayan Primera División | 24 | 6 | 5 | 3 | – | 5 | 0 | 34 | 9 | ||
| Total | 39 | 12 | 5 | 3 | – | 5 | 0 | 49 | 15 | |||
| Newell's Old Boys | 2018–19 | Argentine Primera División | 7 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | – | 10 | 5 | |
| 2019–20 | Argentine Primera División | 23 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 3 | – | 36 | 9 | ||
| 2020 | Argentine Primera División | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 2 | – | 13 | 2 | ||
| 2021 | Argentine Primera División | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | 3 | 1 | 6 | 1 | ||
| Total | 33 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 27 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 65 | 17 | ||
| Career total | 556 | 162 | 29 | 13 | 31 | 9 | 56 | 13 | 670 | 195 | ||
International Appearances and Goals
| Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 2 | 1 |
| 2004 | 2 | 0 |
| 2005 | 8 | 1 |
| 2006 | 7 | 4 |
| 2007 | 4 | 1 |
| 2008 | 5 | 2 |
| 2009 | 7 | 1 |
| 2010 | 6 | 2 |
| 2011 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | 4 | 0 |
| 2013 | 7 | 3 |
| 2014 | 5 | 1 |
| Total | 57 | 16 |
- Argentina score listed first, score column indicates score after each Rodríguez goal. Sign ‡ indicates goals scored from a penalty kick.
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| – | 29 December 2004 | Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain |  Catalonia |
2–0 | 3–0 | Unofficial friendly |
| 1. | 8 June 2003 | Nagai Stadium, Osaka, Japan |  Japan |
4–1 | 4–1 | Friendly |
| 2. | 17 August 2005 | Ferenc Puskás, Budapest, Hungary |  Hungary |
1–0 | 2–1 | |
| 3. | 30 May 2006 | Stadio Arechi, Salerno, Italy |  Angola |
1–0 | 2–0 | |
| 4. | 16 June 2006 | FIFA WM Stadion, Gelsenkirchen, Germany |  Serbia and Montenegro |
1–0 | 6–0 | 2006 FIFA World Cup |
| 5. | 3–0 | |||||
| 6. | 24 June 2006 | Zentralstadion, Leipzig, Germany |  Mexico |
2–1 | 2–1 | 2006 FIFA World Cup |
| 7. | 22 August 2007 | Ullevaal, Oslo, Norway |  Norway |
1–2 | 1–2 | Friendly |
| 8. | 4 June 2008 | Qualcomm, San Diego, United States | Mexico |
3–0 | 4–1 | |
| 9. | 19 November 2008 | Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland |  Scotland |
1–0 | 1–0 | |
| 10. | 28 March 2009 | El Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina |  Venezuela |
3–0 | 4–0 | 2010 World Cup qualification |
| 11. | 24 May 2010 |  Canada |
1–0 | 5–0 | Friendly | |
| 12. | 2–0 | |||||
| 13. | 10 September 2013 | Defensores del Chaco, Asunción, Paraguay |  Paraguay |
5–2 ‡ | 5–2 | 2014 World Cup qualification |
| 14. | 15 October 2013 | Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay |  Uruguay |
1–1 | 2–3 | |
| 15. | 2–2 | |||||
| 16. | 4 June 2014 | El Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina |  Trinidad and Tobago |
3–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
Maxi's Football Achievements
Liverpool
- Football League Cup: 2011–12 (Winner)
- FA Cup runner-up: 2011–12 (Second Place)
Newell's Old Boys
- Argentine Primera División: 2013 Final (Winner)
Peñarol
- Uruguayan Primera División: 2017, 2018 (Winner)
- Supercopa Uruguaya: 2018 (Winner)
Argentina U20
- FIFA U-20 World Cup: 2001 (Winner)
Argentina
- FIFA World Cup runner-up: 2014 (Second Place)
- FIFA Confederations Cup runner-up: 2005 (Second Place)
Individual Awards
- Copa del Rey top scorer: 2009–10
- Footballer of the Year of Argentina: 2013
- Argentine Primera División top scorer: 2014
See also
In Spanish: Maxi Rodríguez para niños
