Tomás Rincón facts for kids
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Rincón lining up for Venezuela in 2019
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Tomás Eduardo Rincón Hernández | ||
| Date of birth | 13 January 1988 | ||
| Place of birth | San Cristóbal, Venezuela | ||
| Height | 1.77 m | ||
| Playing position | Defensive midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Santos | ||
| Number | 8 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Monsenor Arias Blanco | |||
| 2004–2006 | Maracaibo | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2006–2007 | Maracaibo B | (2) | |
| 2007–2008 | Zamora | 33 | (1) |
| 2008–2009 | Deportivo Táchira | 18 | (0) |
| 2009–2014 | Hamburger SV | 106 | (0) |
| 2014–2017 | Genoa | 78 | (3) |
| 2017–2018 | Juventus | 14 | (0) |
| 2017–2018 | → Torino (loan) | 36 | (1) |
| 2018–2022 | Torino | 109 | (5) |
| 2022 | → Sampdoria (loan) | 17 | (0) |
| 2022–2023 | Sampdoria | 34 | (0) |
| 2023– | Santos | 47 | (2) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2005–2006 | Venezuela U17 | 9 | (1) |
| 2006–2007 | Venezuela U20 | 6 | (0) |
| 2008– | Venezuela | 139 | (1) |
† Appearances (Goals). |
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Tomás Eduardo Rincón Hernández is a famous Venezuelan professional football player. He was born on January 13, 1988. Tomás plays as a defensive midfielder, which means he helps protect his team's goal. He is also the captain for both Campeonato Brasileiro Série A team Santos and the Venezuela national team.
Contents
Club Career: Tomás's Football Journey
Early Days in Venezuela
Tomás Rincón was born in San Cristóbal, Venezuela. He started playing football in youth teams like EF Monsenor Arias Blanco. When he was 16, in 2004, he joined UA Maracaibo. He played his first senior game in the 2006–07 season for their B-team. He even scored two goals!
In 2007, Tomás moved to Venezuelan Primera División team Zamora. He played his first top-level game on March 25, 2007. He quickly became a regular player for Zamora. He scored his first goal for them in September 2007. With Zamora, he also played in his first international club games in the 2007 Copa Sudamericana. After scoring one goal in 33 league games, he left Zamora in 2008. He then joined Deportivo Táchira.
Playing in Germany: Hamburger SV
In 2009, Tomás, who was 22, moved to Germany to play for Bundesliga team Hamburger SV. He first joined them on a loan deal. He played his first game for Hamburg in a cup match on March 4, 2009.
His first game in the Bundesliga was on April 4, 2009. He came on as a substitute late in the game. In December 2009, Hamburger SV bought him permanently from Deportivo Táchira. He signed a contract to stay with them until 2014.
Italian Adventures: Genoa and Juventus
On July 31, 2014, Tomás joined the Italian club Genoa for free. He played his first official game for Genoa in a cup match in August. A few days later, he made his debut in Serie A, Italy's top league. With Genoa, his team finished in 6th place. This would have qualified them for the Europa League, but they couldn't get the needed license.
In the next season, Tomás scored his first goal for Genoa in November 2015. Overall, he played 83 games and scored 3 goals for Genoa.
In the middle of the 2016–17 season, Tomás moved to the famous Serie A champions Juventus. He signed a three-and-a-half-year deal in January 2017. He was the first Venezuelan player ever to play for Juventus! He made his debut for Juventus on January 8. On March 14, he played his first UEFA Champions League game with the club.
Back in Italy: Torino and Sampdoria
On August 11, 2017, Tomás was loaned to Torino for the 2017–18 season. After playing enough games, Torino bought him permanently in January 2018. He continued to play for Torino for several more seasons.
On January 8, 2022, Tomás joined Sampdoria on a loan. He then returned to Sampdoria permanently in July 2022, signing a one-year contract.
Moving to Brazil: Santos FC
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On August 15, 2023, the Brazilian team Santos confirmed they had signed Tomás Rincón. He made his first appearance for Santos just five days later. Tomás scored his first goal for Santos on October 1, 2023. He scored again seven days later in a game against their rivals, Palmeiras.
International Career: National Team Hero
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Tomás Rincón has played for Venezuela at different age levels. He played for the under-17 team in 2005 and the under-20 team in 2007. He played his first game for the senior national team on February 3, 2008. It was a friendly match against Haiti.
In 2011, Tomás was voted the Best Player at the 2011 Copa América tournament. Venezuela finished in fourth place in that tournament. He also played for Venezuela in the 2015 Copa América and the Copa América Centenario in 2016. He was the team's captain in the 2016 tournament.
Tomás scored his first goal for his country on November 16, 2018. It was a penalty kick in a friendly game against Japan. He was also part of the Venezuelan team at the 2019 Copa América. On October 14, 2019, he played his 100th game for Venezuela, which is a huge achievement!
How He Plays: "The General"
Tomás Rincón is known as el general (The General) because of how he plays. He is a fast, strong, and hard-working player. He can play in many different positions in the midfield and defense. He usually plays as a defensive midfielder, protecting the defense.
He can also play as a full-back or wing-back on the right side. Tomás is known for his smart play, energy, and ability to win the ball back. He also has a strong personality and is a great leader on the field.
Trophies and Awards
Tomás Rincón has won several important trophies and awards throughout his career:
Juventus
- Serie A: 2016–17 (Italian League Champion)
- Coppa Italia: 2016–17 (Italian Cup Winner)
Santos
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série B: 2024 (Brazilian Second Division Champion)
Venezuela
- Kirin Cup: 2019 (International Tournament Winner)
- Copa América 4th place (copper medal): 2011
Individual
- Adidas' Best Player of the 2011 Copa América
See also
In Spanish: Tomás Rincón para niños
- List of footballers with 100 or more caps
