Playing position Years Team Role Footballer Weight 76 kg Salary 850,000 EUR (2012) | Number 2 Name Gonzalo Rodriguez Height 1.78 m Career start 2002 | |
Full name Gonzalo Javier Rodriguez Prado Date of birth (1984-04-10) 10 April 1984 (age 31) Place of birth Buenos Aires, Argentina Current team ACF Fiorentina (#2 / Defender) Similar People Borja Valero, Josip Ilicic, Khouma Babacar, Milan Badelj, Marcos Alonso Mendoza | ||
Gonzalo Javier Rodriguez Prado ([ɡonˈsalo roˈðɾiɣes]; born 10 April 1984), sometimes known as simply Gonzalo, is an Argentine professional footballer who plays for Italian club ACF Fiorentina as a central defender.
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After starting out at San Lorenzo he spent most of his career with Villarreal, appearing in 253 official games over the course of eight La Liga seasons (nine goals).
Early years
Born in Buenos Aires, Gonzalo started his professional career at Argentine first division's Club Atletico San Lorenzo de Almagro in 2002.
At age 20 he had already represented Argentina, previously having appeared at the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship with the under-20s.
Villarreal
In July 2004 Rodriguez joined Spain's Villarreal CF, being an undisputed starter in his first two seasons and renewing his link for a further five years. However, after the surprise UEFA Intertoto Cup elimination at the hands of NK Maribor, in which he was sent off, and a mere month into the league season, he suffered a serious injury, tearing the cruciate ligament in his right knee; after returning to activity in April 2007, he suffered the same injury two months later.
In the 2008–09 campaign Rodriguez returned to good form, often partnering with Uruguayan Diego Godin and appearing in 48 La Liga games in two seasons combined, with Villarreal always qualifying to the UEFA Europa League, finishing fifth and seventh respectively. On 7 April 2011, in the Europa League's quarterfinals against FC Twente, he broke his fibula after a tough challenge by Marc Janko, being rushed to hospital in an ambulance and lost for the remainder of the season.
Fiorentina
In early August 2012, following Villarreal's relegation, Gonzalo joined Italian club ACF Fiorentina, along with teammate Borja Valero.