Vicente Rodríguez facts for kids
Vicente as a Valencia player in 2010
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Vicente Rodríguez Guillén | ||
| Date of birth | 16 July 1981 | ||
| Place of birth | Valencia, Spain | ||
| Height | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Winger | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Benicalap | |||
| Levante | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1997–2000 | Levante | 60 | (9) |
| 2000–2011 | Valencia | 243 | (36) |
| 2011–2013 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 29 | (5) |
| Total | 332 | (50) | |
| International career | |||
| 1997–1998 | Spain U16 | 11 | (1) |
| 1998–1999 | Spain U17 | 15 | (6) |
| 1999–2000 | Spain U18 | 7 | (1) |
| 2000–2001 | Spain U21 | 11 | (1) |
| 2001–2005 | Spain | 38 | (3) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Vicente Rodríguez Guillén (born on 16 July 1981), known simply as Vicente, is a Spanish former professional footballer. People also called him El puñal de Benicalap, which means 'The dagger of Benicalap'.
Vicente was a fantastic left winger. He was known for his amazing skills, speed, and ability to score goals. Most of his career was with Valencia. He played 340 games for them over 11 seasons. He helped Valencia win five big titles, including two La Liga championships.
Even though he had many injuries, Vicente also played for the Spanish national team in the early 2000s. He even played in the Euro 2004 tournament.
Contents
Vicente's Football Journey
Starting Out at Levante
Vicente was born in Valencia and loved Valencia CF since he was a kid. He began his professional football journey with Levante UD, a team in the Segunda División (Spain's second division). He played his first professional game on 23 November 1997. He was only 16 years old then!
Big teams like Arsenal, Valencia, and Real Madrid noticed him right away. In the end, Valencia convinced him to join their club.
Shining at Valencia
Vicente joined Valencia in the summer of 2000. At first, another player, Kily González, played in his favorite left winger position. But Vicente still managed to score five goals in 33 La Liga games. He also played in 13 Champions League matches that season.
When Rafael Benítez became the coach in 2001–02, Vicente got his chance to show what he could do. His great playing helped Valencia win their first league title in 31 years! He played in 31 games and was a key player.
The 2003–04 season was Vicente's best. He helped Valencia win their second league title under Benítez. He also scored two goals in seven matches during their winning run in the UEFA Cup. One of these goals was in the final game. He also helped Mista score another goal in that final. Vicente scored 12 league goals that season, which was his personal best.
After this amazing year, Vicente signed a new contract for four more years. He said he was happy to stay because Valencia was his home.
Dealing with Injuries
After his best season, Vicente started having a lot of ankle injuries. This meant he couldn't play as much. In the 2004–05 season, he only played in 12 league games. The next year, 2005–06, he was still bothered by his ankle.
"It is clear that he is one of the best players. Some footballers are a little more than others and Vicente is one of them".
His injuries continued in 2006–07. He got hurt in a Champions League game against Chelsea, which ended his season early. He only played in 16 league matches that year.
Vicente tried to make a comeback. He scored in a 3–0 win against IF Elfsborg in the Champions League at the Mestalla Stadium. But then, he got another injury during training. This kept him out of the game for a long time again.
In 2008–09, Vicente played more often. He often came on as a substitute for Juan Mata. He still managed to score six league goals that season.
His fitness problems continued into the next season. He made his first appearance on 6 January 2010. After 11 years with Valencia, he left the club.
Time at Brighton & Hove Albion
On 2 September 2011, Vicente signed a one-year contract with Brighton & Hove Albion. This team plays in the Football League Championship in England. He played his first official game on 21 September in a cup match against Liverpool. He even won a penalty for his team in that game.
Vicente scored his first goal for Brighton on 1 October 2011 against Ipswich Town. However, he got injured again soon after and was out for over three months. He returned on 4 February 2012 and helped his team win against Leicester City. The next weekend, he helped set up two goals in a win against Leeds United.
On 10 March 2012, Brighton beat Portsmouth 2–0. Vicente scored both goals, including one from a low free kick. This helped his team move into the play-off spots.
In May 2013, after playing only 13 games during that season, he left Brighton.
Retirement and Return to Valencia
On 17 April 2014, Vicente announced that he was retiring from football. He later returned to work with Valencia. He was part of their technical staff from 2016 to 2018. In January 2023, he came back to the club again to help as an ambassador.
Playing for Spain
Vicente played his first game for Spain in a friendly match against France on 28 March 2001. Spain won that game 2–1.
He played in his only major international tournament at UEFA Euro 2004 in Portugal. He played in all three group-stage matches for Spain.
Career Highlights
Vicente had a successful career, especially with Valencia. Here are some of his main achievements:
Valencia
- La Liga (Spanish League): Won in 2001–02 and 2003–04
- Copa del Rey (Spanish Cup): Won in 2007–08
- UEFA Cup: Won in 2003–04
- UEFA Super Cup: Won in 2004
Individual Awards
- Don Balón Award: Won in 2003–04 (This award is for the best Spanish player in La Liga)
Images for kids
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Vicente as a Valencia player in 2010
See also
In Spanish: Vicente Rodríguez Guillén para niños
