Paolo Guerrero facts for kids

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Paolo Guerrero

Guerrero training with Peru at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
Personal information
Full name	José Paolo Guerrero González
Date of birth	(1984-01-01) 1 January 1984 (age 41)
Place of birth	Lima, Peru
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Striker
Team information
Current team	Alianza Lima
Number	34
Youth career
1992–2002	Alianza Lima
2002–2003	Bayern Munich
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2002–2006	Bayern Munich II	66	(45)
2004–2006	Bayern Munich	27	(10)
2006–2012	Hamburger SV	134	(37)
2012–2015	Corinthians	104	(40)
2015–2018	Flamengo	89	(37)
2018–2021	Internacional	40	(19)
2022–2023	Avaí	10	(0)
2023	Racing Club	15	(1)
2023–2024	LDU Quito	13	(5)
2024	Universidad César Vallejo	6	(3)
2024–	Alianza Lima	21	(11)
International career‡
2000–2001	Peru U17	20	(9)
2004	Peru U23	4	(3)
2004–	Peru	128	(40)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Peru Copa América Runner-up 2019 Brazil Third 2011 Argentina Third 2015 Chile Bolivarian Games Gold 2001 Ambato Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 12 July 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10 June 2025

José Paolo Guerrero González (born January 1, 1984) is a Peruvian professional footballer. He plays as a striker for Peruvian Primera División club Alianza Lima. He also plays for the Peru national team.

Many people think he is one of the best Peruvian and South American strikers of his time. He was very important for Peru's football success in the 2000s and 2010s. This earned him the nickname el Depredador, which means "the Predator."

The New York Times called him "a legend in South American football." He has been Peru's most important football player for twenty years. Guerrero started his career in Germany with Bayern Munich. He became well-known at Hamburger SV, scoring 47 goals in eight Bundesliga seasons. His biggest achievements came in Brazil. He scored the winning goal in the 2012 FIFA Club World Cup final for Corinthians.

Guerrero has scored 40 goals in 128 matches for Peru since he first played at age 20. This makes him the highest goalscorer for his national team. He has played in six Copas América tournaments and one World Cup. He helped Peru finish third in the 2011 and 2015 Copas. He also led them to be runners-up in 2019. He was the top scorer in all three of these tournaments. He is also the top active goalscorer in the Copa América.

In 2015, he was one of 59 players nominated for the 2015 FIFA Ballon d'Or. He was the first Peruvian to receive this honor. He is also the oldest Peruvian player to play in a World Cup, at 34 years and 177 days old.

In 2021, the IFFHS named Guerrero to their best South American team of the last decade. He was recognized as the best South American center forward between 2010 and 2020. He joined Neymar and Sergio Agüero on this list. In 2012 and 2017, the newspaper El País voted him the "best center forward in America." This was based on the opinions of about 200 journalists. CONMEBOL also included him in the teams of the tournament for the 2011, 2015, and 2019 Copas América.

Club Football Journey

Starting His Career

Guerrero was born in Lima, Peru. He began his football journey in the youth teams of Alianza Lima. In 2003, he signed a contract with the German club Bayern Munich. During the 2003–04 season, Guerrero played in the Regionalliga Süd. He scored 21 goals in 23 games. For the 2004–05 season, he joined the main Bayern team.

Playing for Bayern Munich

Guerrero playing for Bayern Munich in 2006

In early 2002, Guerrero joined Bayern Munich's second team. This move caused a disagreement between Alianza Lima and Bayern. FIFA decided that Bayern should pay for his training rights. Guerrero then played for Bayern Munich II in the Regionalliga South, which was Germany's third division. He became champion in this league on May 30, 2004.

He played his first game for Bayern's main team on October 23, 2004. This was against Hansa Rostock. He scored his first goal in the Bundesliga against Hannover 96. In total, Guerrero spent four seasons at Bayern Munich. He played in the first team for the last two seasons. He scored ten goals in the Bundesliga and two in the UEFA Champions League. In June 2006, he left Bayern Munich to join Hamburger SV.

Time at Hamburger SV

Guerrero with Hamburger SV in 2008

In June 2006, Guerrero moved to Hamburger SV and signed a four-year contract. His first season was tough because of an injury. He also did not score many goals. He ended the season with 5 goals in 20 games. One of these goals was against his old club, Bayern Munich.

In the 2007–08 season, his second at Hamburg, Guerrero played 29 games. He scored nine goals and made four assists. He became a key player for the team. He scored his first three goals in one game (a hat-trick) against Karlsruher SC. This helped his team win 7–0 and secure a spot in the UEFA Cup.

By the 2008–09 season, Guerrero was the main striker for Hamburger SV. In April 2010, he was fined by the club. This happened after he threw a drink bottle into the crowd during a game. The German Football Association (DFB) suspended him for five league games.

Success with Corinthians

Guerrero for Corinthians against Chelsea

Guerrero joined Brazilian club Corinthians on July 13, 2012. He signed a three-year deal. He made his first appearance on July 25, 2012, in a 2–0 win against Cruzeiro. His first goal for the team was against Botafogo. He scored several goals that helped him become a regular starter.

In December 2012, Guerrero had a historic performance at the FIFA Club World Cup. In the semifinals, he scored the only goal against Al Ahly of Egypt. This sent Corinthians to the final. On December 16, 2012, in the final against Chelsea, Guerrero scored again with a header. This goal made Corinthians the World Champions at club level. Paolo Guerrero received the Bronze Ball award as the third-best player in the tournament.

Guerrero with Corinthians celebrating their FIFA Club World Cup win

In May 2013, Guerrero was the first Peruvian footballer to be on the cover of Placar. This is Brazil's biggest football magazine. In July 2013, Corinthians won the 2013 Recopa Sudamericana. Guerrero scored in the first game. By the end of 2013, he was the team's top scorer with 18 goals. He also won two titles. He was named the best striker in the Brasileirao in 2014.

On March 17, 2015, Guerrero became the foreign player with the most goals for Corinthians. He scored 47 goals, passing Carlos Tevez. He achieved this record in a match against Danubio F.C. in the 2015 Copa Libertadores. In that game, he scored his first three goals (a hat-trick) for Corinthians.

In 2015, Guerrero and Corinthians could not agree on a new contract. His contract ended in July. Fans wanted him to stay, but he left the club in June. His last game for Corinthians was on May 24 against Fluminense.

Moving to Flamengo

Guerrero playing against Fluminense in 2016

On May 29, 2015, it was announced that Guerrero would join Flamengo. This happened after he played well for Peru at the 2015 Copa América. He debuted for Flamengo on July 9, 2015, against Internacional. He scored a goal and assisted another. This quickly made him popular with the fans.

Guerrero started the 2017 season by scoring two goals in the Taça Guanabara. In the final of the 2017 Campeonato Carioca, Guerrero scored a goal for Flamengo. Flamengo won the tournament, which was Guerrero's first title with the club. He was the top scorer with 10 goals and was named the best player of the tournament.

After a period where he was unable to play due to a test issue, he returned to the field on May 7, 2018. He scored his first goal of the season on May 13 against Chapecoense. However, his ability to play was again limited for a time. When his contract ended, he signed with Internacional.

Playing for Internacional

On August 12, 2018, Guerrero signed a three-year contract with S.C. Internacional. He was given the number 79. However, a few days later, on August 24, a previous decision about his ability to play was upheld. This meant he could not play his first match until April 2019.

In 2019, Guerrero's number changed to 9. He finally debuted for Inter on April 6, scoring in a 2–0 win. His Copa Libertadores debut was against Palestino of Chile, where he scored twice. Guerrero finished the 2019 season as the team's top goalscorer, with 20 goals in 41 games.

In October 2021, Internacional announced that Guerrero had left the club. This was by "mutual agreement" so he could treat a knee injury.

Time at Avaí and Racing Club

On July 21, 2022, Guerrero joined Brazilian club Avaí. He played for the rest of the 2022 season. On November 5, 2022, Avaí was moved down to a lower league. This was the first time a team Guerrero played for was moved down. He played 10 games for Avaí but did not score any goals.

On January 24, 2023, Guerrero signed with Argentine Primera División side Racing Club. He scored his first goal on February 22 in a Copa Argentina match.

Winning with LDU Quito

On July 14, 2023, Guerrero signed with LDU Quito in Ecuador. He debuted on August 3, 2023, against Ñublense, scoring the winning goal. He scored again on September 27 in the 2023 Copa Sudamericana semifinal. In this tournament, Guerrero and LDU won the Copa Sudamericana. He became the first Peruvian to win this cup with a foreign club. He scored 3 goals in 7 games.

He also won the 2023 Ecuadorian Serie A, scoring 5 goals in 15 games. He decided not to renew his contract with the club.

Return to Peru

Guerrero playing for Universidad César Vallejo in a match against Sport Boys

On February 2, 2024, Guerrero signed to play for Universidad César Vallejo in Peru. On his first game against Cusco FC, Paolo scored his first goal for the club. Guerrero later left the club because his family faced some difficulties. The club agreed to his wish to leave.

On September 1, 2024, Guerrero returned to Alianza Lima. He scored his first goal back at the club on September 21, 2024, against Sport Boys. On April 22, 2025, Guerrero became the oldest player to score two goals in the Copa Libertadores. He scored against Talleres.

Playing for Peru

Early International Games

Guerrero's national team career started at the 2001 Bolivarian Games. He won a gold medal with the U-17 squad. He began playing for the senior team during the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification. He scored two goals for Peru in those games. His first goal was the winning goal against Chile. In the opening game of the 2007 Copa América, Guerrero helped Peru win 3–0 against Uruguay. Peru reached the quarter-finals in that tournament.

Copa América Success

Guerrero missed Peru's first two 2010 World Cup qualifying games due to injury. He was also suspended for six games by FIFA. After Peru's difficult qualifying campaign, Sergio Markarián became the new manager. Guerrero was then called up for the 2011 Copa América. He played as the main striker and scored five goals. This made him the tournament's top scorer. He scored one goal each against Uruguay and Mexico. He then scored three goals (a hat-trick) against Venezuela in the third-place play-off match, which Peru won 4–1.

At the 2015 Copa América in Chile, Guerrero scored a hat-trick in a 3–1 win against Bolivia. He scored the second goal in Peru's 2–0 win over Paraguay in the third-place play-off. This helped Peru finish third in the Copa América for the second time in a row. He was also a joint top-goalscorer with Chile's Eduardo Vargas.

Guerrero became Peru's all-time leading goalscorer on June 4, 2016. He scored against Haiti in a 1–0 win at the Copa América Centenario.

Road to the 2018 FIFA World Cup

Guerrero in a qualification match against Ecuador

Guerrero played in 17 games and scored five goals during the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign. He led the Peru team to a successful World Cup qualification. On November 3, 2017, it was announced that Guerrero had a problem with a test after a match against Argentina. He received a temporary suspension from FIFA. This made him miss the World Cup play-off games against New Zealand, which Peru eventually won.

On December 8, 2017, it was revealed that he had tested positive for a substance. As a result, FIFA banned him from all competitions for one year. This meant he would not be able to play in the 2018 FIFA World Cup. However, the ban was reduced after an appeal 12 days later. Guerrero's lawyers argued that the test issue happened because he drank a traditional tea.

On May 14, 2018, the Court of Arbitration for Sport increased the ban to 14 months. This meant he would miss the tournament. The court agreed that Guerrero did not mean to cheat. However, they said he was still at fault. Captains of Peru's group opponents, Hugo Lloris (France), Simon Kjaer (Denmark), and Mile Jedinak (Australia), supported Guerrero. They asked FIFA to lift the ban.

On May 31, 2018, it was announced that Guerrero would be allowed to play at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The Swiss Federal Tribunal lifted the ban just for the tournament. On June 3, 2018, Guerrero returned to play after seven months. He scored two goals in a 3–0 friendly win against Saudi Arabia.

Playing in the 2018 FIFA World Cup

Guerrero celebrating his goal against Australia at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

Guerrero played in his first World Cup game on June 16, 2018. He came on as a substitute in a 1–0 loss to Denmark. On June 26, he assisted André Carrillo's goal. This was Peru's first World Cup goal in 36 years. He then scored the second goal in Peru's 2–0 win over Australia. This was the team's final group match. Peru did not advance past the first round. At 34 years and 177 days old, he became the oldest Peruvian player to play in a FIFA World Cup.

2019 Copa América Performance

In May 2019, Guerrero was chosen for Peru's squad for the 2019 Copa América in Brazil. He scored the first goal in Peru's second group game on June 18. This was a 3–1 victory over Bolivia. In the semi-finals against Chile on July 3, Guerrero scored the final goal in a 3–0 win. This sent Peru to the final of the tournament for the first time since 1975.

In the 2019 Copa América Final against hosts Brazil on July 7, Guerrero scored a penalty goal. The match ended in a 3–1 victory for Brazil. Guerrero finished the tournament as the top scorer with 3 goals. He shared this honor with Brazil's Everton Soares.

Later International Career

On October 11, 2019, Guerrero played his 100th international game for Peru. This was in a friendly match against Uruguay. He did not play for Peru in 2020. He returned in June 2021, playing in two 2022 World Cup qualifiers. However, he was not chosen for the 2021 Copa América squad. He did not play for Peru in 2022. He returned to international play in June 2023, in a friendly against South Korea.

On March 26, 2024, Guerrero scored a penalty goal in a 4–1 win against Dominican Republic. At 40 years and 86 days old, he became the oldest goalscorer in Peruvian national team history. He also became the oldest goalscorer in CONMEBOL. Later that year, he played in the 2024 Copa América. He became the third Peruvian player to play in six tournaments.

Guerrero announced his retirement from international football on January 7, 2025. He had played 124 games and scored 39 goals. However, on March 9, 2025, he decided to return. He accepted a call from the new Peruvian coach Óscar Ibáñez. He scored his 40th international goal against Bolivia in a 3–1 win. At 41 years and 78 days old, he became the oldest player to score in World Cup South American qualifiers.

Sponsorships

Paolo Guerrero has a global partnership with Betsson. He is their exclusive Global Casino Ambassador. This helps Betsson grow in Latin America.

About His Life

Guerrero in 2010

Guerrero has a fear of flying. Reports say this fear is because his uncle, José González Ganoza, died in a plane crash in 1987.

Guerrero's older brother, Julio Rivera, was also a footballer for the Peru national team. Both brothers followed in the footsteps of their uncle.

Guerrero is Roman Catholic. In 2024, his mother faced some difficulties.

In 2016, a film called Guerrero was released. It showed Paolo Guerrero's story of becoming successful. On October 5, 2022, Netflix released a series about Paolo Guerrero called Contigo capitán. This series showed the story of Guerrero's test issue before the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Career Statistics

Club

International

Awards and Achievements

Guerrero accepting the Bronze Ball award after the 2012 FIFA Club World Cup Final

Team Awards

• Bayern Munich
  • Bundesliga: 2004–05, 2005–06
  • DFB-Pokal: 2004–05, 2005–06
• Hamburger SV
  • UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2007
• Corinthians
  • Campeonato Paulista: 2013
  • Recopa Sudamericana: 2013
  • FIFA Club World Cup: 2012
• Flamengo
  • Campeonato Carioca: 2017
• LDU Quito
  • Serie A: 2023
  • Copa Sudamericana: 2023
• Peru U17
  • Bolivarian Games: 2001
• Peru
  • Copa América runner-up: 2019
  • Copa América third-place: 2011, 2015

Individual Awards

• Copa América Top Scorer: 2011, 2015, 2019
• Copa América Team of the Tournament: 2011, 2015, 2019
• FIFA Club World Cup Bronze Ball: 2012
• FIFA Club World Cup Best Forward: 2012
• Campeonato Paulista Best Forward: 2013
• Campeonato Paulista Team of the Tournament: 2013
• Copa do Brasil Best Player: 2019
• Copa do Brasil Top Scorer: 2019
• Top Foreign Scorer in Corinthians history: 2014
• Campeonato Brasileiro Série A Team of the Year: 2014
• Campeonato Carioca Team of the Year: 2017
• IFFHS CONMEBOL team of the decade 2011–2020

See also

In Spanish: Paolo Guerrero para niños

• List of footballers with 100 or more caps