Roberto Ayala facts for kids
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Ayala in 2018
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Roberto Fabián Ayala | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 14 April 1973 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Paraná, Argentina | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Current team
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Argentina (field assistant) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ferro Carril Oeste | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1991–1993 | Ferro Carril Oeste | 73 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1993–1995 | River Plate | 41 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1998 | Napoli | 87 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2000 | Milan | 24 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2007 | Valencia | 187 | (9) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2010 | Real Zaragoza | 74 | (4) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | Racing Club | 15 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 501 | (15) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996 | Argentina U23 | 6 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004 | Argentina Olympic (O.P.) | 6 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994–2007 | Argentina | 116 | (7) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019- | Argentina (assistant) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Roberto Fabián Ayala (born on April 14, 1973) is a famous Argentine former footballer. People often called him El Ratón, which means "The Mouse". He was a strong centre back defender for the Argentina national football team. He also played for many top clubs like Valencia and Real Zaragoza in Spain, and Milan and Napoli in Italy.
Roberto Ayala was known as one of the best defenders ever. He was a great leader on the field. Even though he wasn't the tallest, he was amazing at heading the ball. He was the captain for Argentina in a record 63 matches. He played in three FIFA World Cups and played for his country 115 times in total.
Contents
Roberto Ayala's Club Journey
Starting in Argentina
Ayala began his football career in his home country, Argentina. He first played for a team called Ferro Carril Oeste. After three seasons, he moved to River Plate. His excellent playing there caught the eye of big clubs in Europe.
Moving to Europe
Playing for Napoli and Milan
An Italian team, Parma, brought Roberto Ayala to Europe. However, they already had many non-European players. So, they loaned him to Napoli. Napoli later bought half of his player rights. Ayala then joined Milan in 1998 and played there for two seasons.
Success with Valencia
In 2000, Ayala joined Valencia in Spain. He played an amazing 275 games for them over seven years. He quickly became a key defender for the team. In 2001, he played in the Champions League final, but Valencia lost in a penalty shootout. He was even named the best defender of that Champions League season!
The next year, Ayala helped Valencia win the La Liga title, which is Spain's top football league. He scored a goal that helped them win the championship. In 2004, Valencia won the La Liga title again. They also won the UEFA Cup that year. Ayala was considered one of the best defenders in the world during his time at Valencia. Many fans still see him as a club legend.
Time with Real Zaragoza
In 2007, Ayala moved to Real Zaragoza. He scored his first goal for Zaragoza in 2008, helping them win a game 1-0. Even though Zaragoza was relegated to a lower division, Ayala continued to play well. He scored more goals for the team in the following seasons. His contract with Zaragoza ended in January 2010.
Returning to Argentina
After his time in Spain, Roberto Ayala returned to Argentina. In February 2010, he joined Racing Club on a free transfer. He played 15 games for them before retiring.
Roberto Ayala's International Career
Ayala first played for the Argentina national football team on November 16, 1994.
He played for Argentina's Under-23 team in the 1996 Summer Olympics and won a silver medal. He was part of Argentina's team in the 1998 FIFA World Cup. In the 2002 World Cup, he was supposed to play but got injured right before the first match.
Ayala also helped the Argentina Under-23 team win the gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics. He was a very important player for Argentina in the 2006 World Cup in Germany. He played brilliantly and was chosen for the All-Star Team. In the quarter-final against Germany, he scored a goal, but Argentina lost in a penalty shootout.
On May 30, 2006, Ayala played his 100th game for Argentina. On February 7, 2007, he became the player with the most appearances for the national team, beating his friend Diego Simeone. He also set a record for captaining Argentina the most times.
On July 17, 2007, after playing in the 2007 Copa América Final, Ayala announced he was retiring from international football.
After Playing Football
Working with Racing Club
Roberto Ayala officially retired from playing professional football on December 30, 2010. In December 2011, he started working as a football coordinator at Racing Club. He left this role in September 2013.
Role at Valencia CF
In December 2013, Ayala returned to Valencia. He became a technical director, responsible for finding young football talents in South America. He worked in this role until mid-2015.
Coaching for Argentina
Since January 10, 2019, Ayala has been part of the coaching staff for the Argentina national football team. He works as a field assistant for the manager, Lionel Scaloni. In this role, he helped Argentina win the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He also helped them win the Copa América in 2021 and 2024, and the CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions in 2022.
How Roberto Ayala Played
Roberto Ayala was known as one of the best defenders of all time. He was famous for his amazing ability to head the ball and his tough tackling. He was also a great leader and always played consistently well. He was a complete defender, known for his speed, good control of the ball, and accurate passes from the back.
Personal Life
Roberto Ayala is married to Veronica. They have four children: Francisco, Sofía, Pilar, and Martina.
Career Numbers
Club Appearances
Ayala played a total of 501 league games in his club career, scoring 15 goals. He also played in many cup and continental matches.
International Appearances
For the Argentina national team, Roberto Ayala played 115 games and scored 7 goals.
Awards and Achievements
As a Player
- River Plate
- Argentine Primera División: 1994 Apertura
- Milan
- Serie A: 1998–99
- Valencia
- La Liga: 2001–02, 2003–04
- UEFA Cup: 2003–04
- UEFA Super Cup: 2004
- Argentina
- Olympic Gold Medal: 2004
- Pan American Games: 1995
- Copa América runner-up: 2004, 2007
Individual Awards
- South American Team of the Year: 1994
- UEFA Club Best Defender of the Year: 2000–01
- European Sports Media Team of the Year: 2003–04
- Copa América Team of the Tournament: 2004
- 2006 FIFA World Cup All-Star Team
As Assistant Manager (with Argentina)
- FIFA World Cup: 2022
- Copa América: 2021, 2024
- CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions: 2022
See also
In Spanish: Roberto Ayala para niños
