Sergio Agüero facts for kids

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Sergio Agüero

Agüero with Argentina at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
Personal information
Date of birth	(1988-06-02) 2 June 1988 (age 37)
Place of birth	Buenos Aires, Argentina
Height	1.73 m
Playing position	Striker
Youth career
	Loma Alegre
	Los Primos
1997–2003	Independiente
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2003–2006	Independiente	54	(23)
2006–2011	Atlético Madrid	175	(74)
2011–2021	Manchester City	275	(184)
2021	Barcelona	4	(1)
Total		508	(282)
National team
2004	Argentina U17	5	(3)
2005–2007	Argentina U20	11	(6)
2008	Argentina U23	5	(2)
2006–2021	Argentina	101	(41)
Honours Men's football Representing  Argentina Copa América Winner 2021 Brazil Runner-up 2015 Chile Runner-up 2016 United States Third 2019 Brazil FIFA World Cup Runner-up 2014 Brazil Olympic Games Gold 2008 Beijing Team FIFA U-20 World Cup Winner 2005 Netherlands Team Winner 2007 Canada Team
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Sergio Leonel Agüero del Castillo (born 2 June 1988), often called Kun Agüero, is an Argentine former professional footballer. He played as a striker. Many people think he is one of the best strikers of his time. He is also considered one of the greatest players in the history of the Premier League.

Agüero played for Manchester City from 2011 to 2021. He is the club's all-time top goalscorer. He also holds the record for most Premier League hat-tricks, with 12.

He started his career at the Argentine club Independiente. On 5 July 2003, he became the youngest player to play in the Argentine Primera División. He was only 15 years and 35 days old. This broke a 27-year record. In 2006, Agüero moved to the Spanish club La Liga club Atlético Madrid. He quickly became one of the world's best young players. He won awards like the Golden Boy. He also helped Atlético win the UEFA Europa League.

In 2011, Agüero joined Manchester City. He spent 10 years there and won five league titles. He famously scored a last-minute goal in his first season. This goal won City their first league title in 44 years. He also won six EFL Cups and one FA Cup. He played in City's first UEFA Champions League final. Agüero is the fifth all-time Premier League goalscorer. He is also the highest non-English scorer in the competition, with 184 goals.

In 2021, he joined Barcelona. However, he had to retire from football at age 33 due to heart problems. He played only four matches for Barcelona.

For his country, Agüero played for the Argentina under-20 team. They won the 2005 and 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cups. He also won a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics. Agüero is Argentina's third-highest all-time top goalscorer. He played in three FIFA World Cups and five Copas América. He won the Copa América in 2021.

Club Career Highlights

Starting at Independiente

Agüero with Independiente in 2005

Sergio Agüero joined the youth team of Independiente when he was nine. He made his first-team debut on 5 July 2003. He was only 15 years and 35 days old, making him the youngest player ever to play in Argentina's top league.

Seven months later, he played in the Copa Libertadores. This made him the youngest player in that competition too, a record he held for three years. He scored his first goal for Independiente on 26 November. He became a regular player and was chosen for the Argentina U-20 team. They won the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

In the 2005–06 season, Agüero scored 18 goals in 36 league games. He scored a famous goal against Racing Club. He dribbled from his own half and scored with a left-footed shot. His great performances caught the eye of big European clubs. In May 2006, he moved to Atlético Madrid for a record fee of €20 million.

Rising to Stardom at Atlético Madrid

Agüero playing for Atlético Madrid in 2007

In May 2006, Agüero joined Spanish club Atlético Madrid. He scored his first goal for the club on 17 September. He finished his first season with seven goals.

After Fernando Torres left in 2007, Agüero became a key player for Atlético. He was only 19. In the 2007–08 season, he scored 19 goals in La Liga. He was praised for his amazing performance against Barcelona in March 2008. He scored twice and helped his team win 4–2. He also scored important goals against teams like Real Madrid. This helped Atlético finish fourth and qualify for the UEFA Champions League. This was their first time in over ten years.

In the 2008–09 season, Agüero formed a strong partnership with Uruguayan striker Diego Forlán. They both scored twice in a 4–3 win over Barcelona in March 2009. Agüero scored the winning goal in the last minutes. Atlético finished fourth again, qualifying for the Champions League.

Winning European Trophies

In the 2009–10 season, Agüero helped Atlético have their best season in over a decade. On 3 November 2009, he scored twice against Chelsea in the Champions League. Atlético was knocked out of that competition. However, they reached the final of the 2009–10 UEFA Europa League. Agüero set up both goals in their 2–1 win against Fulham in extra time. He also helped Atlético reach the Copa del Rey final, but they lost to Sevilla.

Agüero (left; pictured with Pepe) with Atlético Madrid during the 2010–11 season

On 27 August 2010, Atlético Madrid won the 2010 UEFA Super Cup. They beat Inter Milan 2–0. Agüero assisted the first goal and scored the second. In January 2011, he signed a new contract until 2014. He was also named the new vice-captain. The 2010–11 season was his best for Atlético. He scored 20 league goals for the first time. In March and May 2011, he scored in seven games in a row.

On 21 May, in his last game for Atlético, he scored his first career hat-trick. His second goal was his 100th for the club. On 23 May 2011, Agüero announced he wanted to leave Atlético. He officially transferred to Manchester City on 28 July 2011.

Becoming a Legend at Manchester City

2011–12: Instant Impact and Premier League Glory

On 28 July 2011, Manchester City confirmed that Agüero had signed a five-year contract. The fee was about £35 million. He wore the number 16 shirt and used "Kun Agüero" on his back.

Agüero made his debut for City on 15 August 2011. It was a 4–0 Premier League win over Swansea City. He came on as a substitute in the 59th minute. He scored his first goal within nine minutes. He then set up another goal and scored again in injury time. His 30-minute debut was highly praised by football experts.

City continued their strong start. Agüero scored his third league goal in a 5–1 win over Tottenham Hotspur. In his third start, he scored his first Premier League hat-trick against Wigan Athletic. On 18 September, he scored twice against Fulham. On 18 October, he scored a 93rd-minute winner against Villarreal in the 2011–12 UEFA Champions League.

Agüero (right) and Samir Nasri parade the Premier League trophy, May 2012

On 23 October, Agüero played in his first Manchester derby. He scored in the 69th minute as City won 6–1. On 1 November, he was nominated for the FIFA Ballon d'Or. He scored his 13th goal of the season in a 5–1 win against Norwich City. By 4 February, he had scored 15 league goals.

In the UEFA Europa League, Agüero scored the winning goal against Porto on 16 February. He scored again in the second leg, helping City win 6–1 on aggregate. On 25 February, he scored his 16th league goal against Blackburn. On 21 March, he scored his 17th league goal against Chelsea.

On 11 April, Agüero scored two goals and assisted two others in a 4–0 win against West Bromwich Albion. On 14 April, he scored twice against Norwich City. This took him past 20 league goals. On 4 May, he was named Manchester City Player of The Year. His goal against Norwich also won him the club's Goal of the Season award.

The Famous Last-Minute Goal

City won five games in a row. This helped them catch up to Manchester United. On the final day of the season, City needed to win against Queens Park Rangers (QPR) to win the league. QPR was fighting to avoid relegation.

In the 66th minute, QPR's Joey Barton was sent off. He elbowed Agüero's teammate Carlos Tevez. Barton then kicked Agüero's knee and tried to attack Vincent Kompany. Despite this, QPR went ahead 2–1. Manchester United was winning their game 1–0.

City's manager, Roberto Mancini, brought on more strikers. Five minutes of extra time began. City was still losing 2–1. Then, Edin Džeko scored to make it 2–2. Manchester United had already won their game. In the 94th minute, Agüero received the ball from Mario Balotelli. He ran into the penalty area and fired a powerful shot into the goal. This goal secured the win and City's first top-flight English title since 1968. The stadium erupted in celebration. Agüero was crying with joy on the field.

2012–13: Dealing with Injuries

Agüero started the 2012–13 season in the 2012 FA Community Shield where City beat Chelsea 3–2. In City's first league match, he got a knee injury and had to leave the game. He returned on 29 September and scored his first goal of the season against Fulham. He scored again the next weekend against Sunderland.

He scored in back-to-back Champions League games against Ajax and Real Madrid. On 2 January, he scored a penalty but then injured his hamstring. He returned on 19 January. On 3 February, he scored a great equalizer against Liverpool. On 17 February, he scored twice in a 4–0 FA Cup win against Leeds United. He got another knee injury on 24 February.

On 8 April, Agüero scored a solo goal to win the Manchester derby 2–1. He came on as a substitute and scored seven minutes later. On 14 April, he scored a header to help City beat Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-final. He apologized to David Luiz for a strong tackle during that game. Agüero signed a new contract on 25 May 2013, keeping him at City until 2017.

2013–14: Another Premier League Title

Agüero and Edin Džeko about to kick off against Cardiff City in 2013

After a knee injury, Agüero scored in City's 4–0 win over Newcastle United in the first game of the 2013–14 Premier League season. On 22 September 2013, he scored two goals in a 4–1 win against Manchester United. In November, he won the Premier League Player of the Month award for the first time. He scored six goals in five Champions League group games. This helped City reach the knockout stage for the first time.

On 14 December 2013, Agüero got a calf injury and missed eight matches. He returned on 16 January 2014 in an FA Cup game. He scored his first hat-trick of the season against Watford. On 29 January, he scored his 50th Premier League goal against Tottenham. But he got a hamstring injury.

On 2 March, Agüero returned for the 2014 Football League Cup Final. City beat Sunderland 3–1. He got another hamstring injury in a Champions League game against Barcelona. He missed five league matches. On 21 April, he scored his first goal since January against West Bromwich Albion. He scored his final goal of the season against Everton on 3 May. Agüero started for Manchester City against West Ham. City won 2–0 and secured their second Premier League title in three seasons.

2014–16: Top Scorer and Individual Awards

Agüero playing against CSKA Moscow in 2014

On 14 August 2014, Agüero signed a new five-year contract until 2019. He scored his first goal of the 2014–15 season against Newcastle. In the second game, he scored City's third goal against Liverpool just 23 seconds after coming on as a substitute. On 18 October, he scored all four of City's goals in a 4–1 win over Tottenham. This made him City's record scorer in the Premier League. He was the first player that season to reach ten Premier League goals.

Agüero scored a hat-trick in City's 3–2 win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League on 25 November. On 2 December, he was named the Football Supporters' Federation Player of the Year. He also won Premier League Player of the Month for November 2014.

He got a knee injury on 6 December and missed the rest of 2014. He returned on 10 January 2015. On 11 February, he scored his first two goals of 2015 against Stoke City. On 21 February, he scored the fastest penalty kick in the Premier League since 1994. On 12 April, he scored twice in a 4–2 derby loss to Manchester United. His second goal was his 100th for City in all competitions. On 9 May, he scored a hat-trick in a 6–0 win over QPR. On 24 May, he scored his 26th league goal of the season. He won the Premier League Golden Boot for the 2014–15 season.

On 7 August 2015, Agüero changed his shirt number from 16 to 10. On 3 October, he scored five goals against Newcastle in a 6–1 comeback win. His five goals in 23 minutes was the fastest five-goal haul in Premier League history.

On 8 October, he got a hamstring injury while playing for Argentina. He returned on 21 November, scoring in a 1–4 loss to Liverpool. This made him the top-scoring South American in the Premier League. On 16 April 2016, Agüero scored a hat-trick against Chelsea. Three days later, he scored his 100th Premier League goal against Newcastle. He reached 100 goals in 147 games, second only to Alan Shearer. Agüero finished the 2015–16 Premier League season with 24 goals.

2016–20: Becoming City's All-Time Top Scorer

On 13 August 2016, Agüero scored Manchester City's first goal under new manager Pep Guardiola. On 28 August, he got a three-match ban for hitting Winston Reid in the throat. On 5 November, Agüero scored his 150th goal for Manchester City. On 3 December, he was sent off for a tackle on David Luiz and got a four-match ban.

On 12 August 2017, Agüero scored in City's opening game against Brighton. On 9 September, he scored his 124th Premier League goal against Liverpool. This made him the top-scoring non-European in the league's history. One week later, he scored his sixth Premier League hat-trick against Watford. On 28 September, he fractured a rib in a car accident in Amsterdam.

On 21 October, Agüero scored his 177th goal for Manchester City. This equaled the club record set by Eric Brook. On 1 November, he scored his record 178th goal against Napoli in the Champions League. This made him City's all-time leading scorer. On 20 January 2018, Agüero scored a perfect hat-trick against Newcastle. This was his 350th career goal. He won the Premier League Player of the Month award for January. On 10 February, he scored four goals against Leicester City. He opened the scoring in the 2018 EFL Cup Final on 25 February. City won 3–0 against Arsenal.

In City's first game of the 2018–19 season, Agüero scored two goals in the 2–0 2018 FA Community Shield win over Chelsea. His first goal was his 200th for the club. On 19 August 2018, he scored his ninth Premier League hat-trick against Huddersfield Town. This put him behind only Alan Shearer's 11. On 21 September, Agüero signed a new contract until 2021. On 22 September, in his 300th game for City, he scored the first goal in a 5–0 win over Cardiff City.

On 4 November, Agüero scored his 150th Premier League goal against Southampton. He was the second-fastest player to reach this milestone after Shearer. On 11 November, he scored against Manchester United. This made him the joint highest scorer in Manchester derbies in the Premier League era. On 3 February 2019, he scored a hat-trick against Arsenal. This was his tenth Premier League hat-trick. On 10 February, he scored his 11th Premier League hat-trick against Chelsea. This equaled Shearer's record. He also broke the club record for league goals, reaching 160.

On 10 August 2019, Agüero scored a penalty in a 5–0 win over West Ham United. On 12 January 2020, he scored his 12th Premier League hat-trick against Aston Villa. This took him past Thierry Henry's 175 league goals. On 25 August, he scored his 399th and 400th career goals against AFC Bournemouth.

2020–21: Final Season and European Final

After a meniscus injury, Agüero returned on 17 October 2020. On 21 October, he scored his first goal of the season in the 2020–21 UEFA Champions League. On 13 March 2021, he scored his first league goal since January 2020.

On 29 March 2021, City announced that Agüero would leave the club at the end of the season. On 23 May, in his final league game, Agüero scored twice in a 5–0 win over Everton. This broke Wayne Rooney's record for most Premier League goals for a single club. On 29 May, he played his last match for City in the 2021 UEFA Champions League Final. City lost 1–0 to Chelsea. He was seen crying at the end, as he did not win the Champions League. In total, Agüero scored 260 goals for City in 390 games.

Barcelona and Retirement

On 31 May 2021, Agüero agreed to join La Liga club Barcelona. He signed a two-year contract starting 1 July.

On 17 October, he made his debut as a substitute against Valencia. In his first El Clásico on 24 October, Agüero scored his first goal for Barcelona. It was in the last minute of a 2–1 loss to Real Madrid. One week later, he was taken to hospital with chest discomfort. It was diagnosed as a cardiac arrhythmia (an irregular heartbeat). On 15 December, Agüero announced his retirement from football. Doctors advised him to stop playing due to his heart condition. He thanked all the teams he had played for.

International Career for Argentina

Youth Team Success

Agüero played for the Argentina U17 team in 2004. He scored against the United States and Ecuador. He also scored in the quarter-final against Peru.

Agüero played in two FIFA World Youth Championships. He won both titles. He was part of the team that won in 2005 with Lionel Messi. At the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada, Agüero scored twice and helped set up three goals against Panama. He scored the only goal against North Korea from a free kick. In the knockout rounds, he scored two goals against Poland. Argentina reached the final and beat the Czech Republic 2–1. Agüero was the captain and scored the equalizer. He won the Golden Boot (top scorer) with six goals. He also won the Golden Ball (best player) of the tournament.

As part of the Argentine team for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Agüero scored two goals in five minutes. This was in the semi-final 3–0 win over Brazil. Argentina then won its second straight gold medal at the Olympics.

Senior Team Appearances

Debut and Early Tournaments

Agüero made his debut for the Argentine senior squad on 3 September 2006. It was a friendly match against Brazil. One year later, he scored his first international goal against Bolivia. He scored three more goals as Argentina qualified for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

Agüero taking on two Swiss players in an international friendly in 2012

Agüero was in the squad for the 2011 Copa América. On 1 July, he came on as a substitute and scored an equalizer against Bolivia. On 11 July, he scored two goals against Costa Rica. Argentina won 3–0.

World Cups and Copa América Finals

Agüero was in Argentina's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He started as a forward with Lionel Messi.

He was also in the squad for the 2015 Copa América. In a warm-up game, he scored his first international hat-trick against Bolivia. On 13 June, he scored Argentina's first goal of the tournament against Paraguay. Three days later, he scored a header to win 1–0 against Uruguay. In the semi-final, Agüero headed in a cross as Argentina beat Paraguay 6–1. Argentina reached the final against Chile. Agüero started but was replaced. Argentina lost in a penalty shootout.

Agüero was in the squad for the Copa América Centenario in 2016. He scored his first goal of the tournament against Panama. Argentina won 5–0. Agüero thought about retiring from international football after losing to Chile in the final again.

Later Tournaments and Retirement Support

On 14 November 2017, Agüero was taken to hospital after fainting during a friendly match against Nigeria.

In May 2018, Agüero was named in Argentina's squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. On 16 June, he scored his first World Cup goal against Iceland. In the round of 16, Agüero scored Argentina's final goal in a 4–3 loss to France.

On 21 May 2019, he was in Argentina's squad for the 2019 Copa América. On 23 June, he scored the second goal in a 2–0 win over Qatar. This helped Argentina reach the knockout stages. On 28 June, he assisted a goal and was involved in another as Argentina beat Venezuela 2–0. In the third-place match against Chile, Agüero scored the first goal in a 2–1 win. Argentina won the bronze medal.

On 28 June 2021, Agüero played his 100th senior international game for Argentina. It was a 4–1 win against Bolivia in the 2021 Copa América. He also helped set up Messi's second goal. Argentina went on to win the tournament.

During the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Agüero was with the winning Argentine team. He was an unofficial supporter because he had retired due to his heart condition. He celebrated with the players after their win in the final.

How Sergio Agüero Played

Agüero is often seen as one of the best strikers in the world. He played mainly as a centre forward. However, he was also good at playing as a second striker. He could pass well, link up with teammates, and had good vision. This made him good at setting up goals too. When asked about players who influenced him, Agüero named Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Ronaldinho, and Diego Maradona. He said the Brazilian Ronaldo influenced his style the most.

Agüero is not very tall but is strongly built. This led to comparisons with former Manchester City teammate Carlos Tevez. His former manager, Roberto Mancini, compared him to the Brazilian striker Romário. This was because of his speed, goalscoring ability, and technique. Agüero is naturally right-footed, but he can also shoot well with his left foot. He can score from inside or outside the penalty area with powerful and accurate shots.

Agüero's playing style is known for his quickness, speed, and great movement without the ball. He is also strong. Former Argentine player Osvaldo Ardiles called him "sharp and clever." His international captain, Lionel Messi, said Agüero has "immense power, strength and an incredible work ethic." With his close control, quick feet, and dribbling skills, he was described as "a menace in the box." However, Agüero's playing time was often limited by injuries throughout his career.

Personal Life

Agüero in 2011

Agüero was married to Giannina Maradona, the youngest daughter of Diego Maradona. On 19 February 2009, their son, Benjamín, was born in Madrid. Diego Maradona was there for the birth of his first grandson. Agüero and Giannina divorced in 2012.

Agüero's nickname "Kun" comes from his childhood. His grandparents gave it to him because he looked like a character named "Kum-Kum" from an anime show. This was Agüero's favorite TV show as a child. He said he likes the nickname because it is unique. Agüero has a tattoo on his right arm that says "Kun Agüero" in a special writing style from The Lord of the Rings. He also has a tattoo of his son's name and birth date on his left arm. Agüero became a Spanish citizen in 2010.

Gastón del Castillo and Mauricio del Castillo are Agüero's brothers. Agüero is very close friends with Lionel Messi. They often shared a room when playing for the national team since 2005. Agüero said Messi is "like a brother" in his 2014 book, Born to Rise.

During the break from football in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, Agüero started live-streaming himself playing video games on Twitch. He became very popular, especially among Spanish-speaking viewers. He even called Messi live on his stream once. In November 2022, Agüero joined the new Kings League. He is the chairman of one of the teams, Kunisports. He also played as a guest player for his own team.

Agüero welcomed his second child, a daughter named Olivia, on 13 September 2024. Her mother is actress Sofía Calzetti.

Honours

Atlético Madrid

• UEFA Europa League: 2009–10
• UEFA Super Cup: 2010

Manchester City

• Premier League: 2011–12, 2013–14, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2020–21
• FA Cup: 2018–19
• Football League/EFL Cup: 2013–14, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2020–21
• FA Community Shield: 2012, 2018, 2019

Argentina Youth Teams

• FIFA U-20 World Cup: 2005, 2007
• Olympic Gold Medal: 2008

Argentina Senior Team

• Copa América: 2021

Individual Awards

• FIFA U-20 World Cup Golden Ball: 2007
• FIFA U-20 World Cup Golden Shoe: 2007
• Golden Boy: 2007
• Premier League Player of the Month: October 2013, November 2014, January 2016, April 2016, January 2018, February 2019, January 2020
• Premier League Golden Boot: 2014–15
• PFA Team of the Year: 2017–18, 2018–19
• Premier League Hall of Fame: 2022

Images for kids

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  Agüero with Independiente in 2005

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  Agüero playing for Atlético Madrid in 2007

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  Agüero (left) with Atlético Madrid during the 2010–11 season

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  Agüero (right) and Samir Nasri parade the Premier League trophy, May 2012

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  Agüero and Edin Džeko about to kick off against Cardiff City in 2013

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  Agüero playing against CSKA Moscow in 2014

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  Agüero taking on two Swiss players in an international friendly in 2012

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  Agüero in 2011