Cristian Gabriel Rodríguez Barotti (; born 30 September 1985) is a Uruguayan
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby ...
who plays as a
left winger
A midfielder is an outfield position in association football.
Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...
for
Club Plaza Colonia de Deportes.
Having received the nickname ''Cebolla'' (onion) from his
Peñarol
Club Atlético Peñarol (; English: ''Peñarol Athletic Club'') —also known as ''Carboneros'', ''Aurinegros,'' and (familiarly) ''Manyas''— is a Uruguayan sports club from Montevideo. The name "Peñarol" comes from the Peñarol neigh ...
days, from his father, he is well known for his speed and technical ability. He spent several seasons in Portugal with
Benfica and
Porto
Porto or Oporto () is the second-largest city in Portugal, the capital of the Porto District, and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto city proper, which is the entire municipality of Porto, is small compared to its metropol ...
, and also competed professionally in France, Spain, Italy, Brazil and Argentina.
Rodríguez
earned 110
caps
Caps are flat headgear.
Caps or CAPS may also refer to:
Science and technology Computing
* CESG Assisted Products Service, provided by the U.K. Government Communications Headquarters
* Composite Application Platform Suite, by Java Caps, a Ja ...
for Uruguay, representing the country in two
World Cups
A world cup is a global sporting competition in which the participant entities – usually international teams or individuals representing their countries – compete for the title of world champion. The event most associated with the concept i ...
and four
Copa América tournaments and winning the
2011 edition of the latter.
Club career
Peñarol and PSG
Born in
Juan Lacaze, Rodríguez started playing professionally, still a youngster, for local
Peñarol
Club Atlético Peñarol (; English: ''Peñarol Athletic Club'') —also known as ''Carboneros'', ''Aurinegros,'' and (familiarly) ''Manyas''— is a Uruguayan sports club from Montevideo. The name "Peñarol" comes from the Peñarol neigh ...
in the
Uruguayan Primera División
The Liga Profesional de Primera División (American Spanish , en, First Division Professional League, local: , ''First Division''), named "Torneo Uruguayo Copa Coca-Cola" for sponsorship reasons, is the highest professional football league in Uru ...
, where he helped the side to the 2003 title. After an injury ruled him out for some games in late 2004, he was spotted by television cameras jumping in the stands alongside the supporters, but he eventually escaped a fine or suspension.
In 2005, Rodríguez was transferred to French club
Paris Saint-Germain F.C.
Paris Saint-Germain Football Club (), commonly referred to as Paris Saint-Germain, Paris, Paris SG or simply PSG is a professional football club based in Paris, France. They compete in Ligue 1, the top division of French football. As ...
on a
free transfer, along with
Carlos Bueno
Carlos Heber Bueno Suárez (born 10 May 1980) is a Uruguayan professional footballer who plays for Artigas F.C. as a striker.
Club career
Born in Artigas, Artigas Department, Bueno started his career at C.A. Peñarol. He moved abroad in 20 ...
. After appearing scarcely in
his first season in
Ligue 1, he was important in helping the
capital team
barely avoid relegation, scoring his only goal in a 4–2 home win against
AS Monaco FC
Association Sportive de Monaco Football Club SA, commonly referred to as AS Monaco () or Monaco, is a professional football club based in Monaco that is member of French Football Federation (FFF) and competes in Ligue 1, the top tier of Frenc ...
.
Porto
In late August 2007, Rodríguez moved to
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
's
S.L. Benfica
Sport Lisboa e Benfica (), commonly known as Benfica, is a professional football club based in Lisbon, Portugal, that competes in the Primeira Liga, the top flight of Portuguese football.
Founded on 28 February 1904 as ''Sport Lisboa'', Be ...
in a season-long loan, together with compatriot
Maxi Pereira
Maxi may refer to:
People Given name
* Maxi Biancucchi (born 1984), Argentine footballer who plays for Flamengo
* Maxi López (born 1984), Argentine footballer who plays in Europe
* Maxi Pereira, Uruguayan footballer who plays for SL Benfica
...
who arrived from
Defensor Sporting
Defensor Sporting Club is a sports club based in Montevideo, Uruguay. Founded in 1913, Defensor has several sports sections, with football and basketball being the most important and the ones in which the club has achieved significant achievem ...
. After being one of their most important players through
2007–08, he was bought by fellow
Primeira Liga club
FC Porto in June 2008 (but part of the transfer fee was paid to Play International B.V.). During the two teams' match in
Lisbon, on 30 August 2008, he was subjected to vitriolic abuse from the stands in a 1–1 final draw. He eventually settled nonetheless, forming an attacking trio with Argentine
Lisandro López and Brazilian
Hulk and also scoring occasionally through unsuspecting headers.
After
Silvestre Varela
Silvestre Manuel Gonçalves Varela (born 2 February 1985) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays for FC Porto B as a winger.
He represented mainly Porto during his career, amassing Primeira Liga totals of 268 matches and 47 goals ov ...
was bought by Porto in the 2009 off-season, Rodríguez was relegated to a
substitute role. He still made 32 competitive appearances in the
2010–11 campaign (two goals, including one in 11 matches in a
victorious run in the
UEFA Europa League
The UEFA Europa League (abbreviated as UEL, or sometimes, UEFA EL), formerly the UEFA Cup, is an annual football club competition organised since 1971 by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European football clubs. ...
).
On 17 February 2014, Rodríguez was condemned to pay a €45,000 fine for assaulting two stewards at the
Estádio da Luz
The Estádio da Luz (), officially named Estádio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica, is a multi-purpose stadium located in Lisbon, Portugal. It is used mostly for association football matches, hosting the home games of Portuguese club S.L. Benfica, it ...
, following a tunnel brawl during the
0–1 away league loss against Benfica on 20 December 2009.
Atlético Madrid
On 28 May 2012, Rodríguez signed a four-year contract with
Atlético Madrid after being released by Porto. He scored his first two goals for his new team in the
Europa League group stage, against
Hapoel Tel Aviv FC
Hapoel Tel Aviv Football Club ( he, מועדון כדורגל הפועל תל אביב , ''Moadon Kaduregel Hapoel Tel Aviv)'' is an Israeli football club based in Tel Aviv that competes in the Israeli Premier League. The club's traditional hom ...
(3–0 away victory) and
FC Viktoria Plzeň
Football Club Viktoria Plzeň () is a Czech professional football club based in Plzeň. They play in the Czech First League, the top division of football in the country.
As runners-up in the 1970–71 Czechoslovak Cup, the club gained the righ ...
(home); in the latter, he netted the game's only goal through a thunderous left-foot shot in the
93rd minute.
On 20 January 2015, Rodríguez joined
Parma F.C.
Parma Calcio 1913 (), commonly known as Parma, is an Italian professional football club based in Parma, Emilia-Romagna, which competes in the Serie B, the second tier of Italian football.
''Parma Football Club'' was originally founded in Decembe ...
until the end of
the season. Less than two months later, however, due to the Italian club's precarious financial situation, he joined Brazil's
Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense
Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense (), commonly known as Grêmio, is a Brazilian professional football club based in Porto Alegre, capital city of the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The club plays in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, ...
also on loan.
Rodríguez left Grêmio on 8 May 2015, after struggling with injuries and totalling less than 80 minutes of action.
Independiente
On 24 July 2015, Rodríguez agreed to a two-year deal at
Club Atlético Independiente as a
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
. After suffering from several injury problems, his contract was terminated on 19 December 2016.
Return to Uruguay
On 3 February 2017, Rodríguez announced his return to Peñarol. He went on to win the
2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a s ...
and
2018 national championships as well as the
2018 Supercopa Uruguaya, ending his second stint in April 2021 with 126 appearances and 39 goals in all competitions.
Rodríguez joined
Club Plaza Colonia de Deportes on 20 April 2021.
International career
Rodríguez made his
Uruguay national team debut at age 18 in a
friendly against
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
, and represented the nation in two
Copa América tournaments, scoring in the
2007 edition in a 4–1 quarter-final win over
Venezuela
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
, the hosts. After assaulting
Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
's
Gabriel Heinze
Gabriel Iván Heinze (; born 19 April 1978) is an Argentine football coach and former player who is currently the manager of Newell's Old Boys. As a player, he operated as a defender, either as a left-back or a centre-back.
Nicknamed ''Gringo'' ...
during the
2010 FIFA World Cup
, image = 2010 FIFA World Cup.svg
, size = 200px
, caption = ''Ke Nako. (Tswana and Sotho for "It's time") Celebrate Africa's Humanity'It's time. Celebrate Africa's Humanity'' (English)''Dis tyd. Vier Afrika se mensd ...
qualifying stage (0–1 home loss) he received a four-match ban, and coach
Oscar Tabárez opted to not select him for the final stages in South Africa.
Rodríguez was included in the
2015 Copa América
The 2015 Copa América was the 44th edition of the Copa América, the main international football tournament for national teams in South America, and took place in Chile between 11 June and 4 July 2015. The competition was organized by CONMEBOL, ...
squad, scoring the only goal in the tournament opener against
Jamaica
Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
in
Antofagasta
Antofagasta () is a port city in northern Chile, about north of Santiago. It is the capital of Antofagasta Province and Antofagasta Region. According to the 2015 census, the city has a population of 402,669.
After the Spanish American wars ...
. The 32-year-old was also selected for the
2018 World Cup
The 2018 FIFA World Cup was the 21st FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial world championship for men's national Association football, football teams organized by FIFA. It took place in Russia from 14 June to 15 July 2018, after the country was awa ...
.
Career statistics
Club
International
:''Uruguay score listed first, score column indicates score after each Rodríguez goal.''
[
]
Honours
Club
Peñarol
*Uruguayan Primera División
The Liga Profesional de Primera División (American Spanish , en, First Division Professional League, local: , ''First Division''), named "Torneo Uruguayo Copa Coca-Cola" for sponsorship reasons, is the highest professional football league in Uru ...
: 2003, 2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a s ...
, 2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the Unit ...
* Supercopa Uruguaya: 2018
File:2018 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2018 Winter Olympics opening ceremony in PyeongChang, South Korea; Protests erupt following the Assassination of Jamal Khashoggi; March for Our Lives protests take place across the Unit ...
Paris Saint-Germain
*Coupe de France
The Coupe de France, formerly known as the Coupe Charles Simon, is the premier knockout cup competition in French football organized by the French Football Federation (FFF). It was first held in 1917 and is open to all amateur and profession ...
: 2005–06
Porto
* Primeira Liga: 2008–09, 2010–11
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. ...
, 2011–12
*Taça de Portugal
The Taça de Portugal (; "Cup of Portugal") is an annual association football competition and the premier knockout tournament in Portuguese football. For sponsorship reasons, it has been known as Taça de Portugal Placard since the 2015–16 sea ...
: 2008–09, 2009–10, 2010–11
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. ...
*Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira
The Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira (; English: Cândido de Oliveira Super Cup, or simply Portuguese Super Cup) is an annual Portuguese football match played since 1979 between the winners of the Portuguese League (Primeira Liga) and Portuguese ...
: 2010
*UEFA Europa League
The UEFA Europa League (abbreviated as UEL, or sometimes, UEFA EL), formerly the UEFA Cup, is an annual football club competition organised since 1971 by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) for eligible European football clubs. ...
: 2010–11
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. ...
*UEFA Super Cup
The UEFA Super Cup is an annual super cup football match organised by UEFA and contested by the winners of the two main European club competitions; the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League. The competition's official name was original ...
runner-up: 2011
Atlético Madrid
*La Liga
The Campeonato Nacional de Liga de Primera División, commonly known simply as Primera División in Spain, and as La Liga in English-speaking countries and officially as LaLiga Santander for sponsorship reasons, stylized as LaLiga, is the men' ...
: 2013–14
*Copa del Rey
The Campeonato de España–Copa de Su Majestad el Rey, commonly known as Copa del Rey or simply La Copa and formerly known as Copa del Presidente de la República (1932–36) and Copa del Generalísimo (1939–76), is an annual knockout footb ...
: 2012–13
1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...
* Supercopa de España: 2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
; Runner-up 2013
File:2013 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: Edward Snowden becomes internationally famous for leaking classified NSA wiretapping information; Typhoon Haiyan kills over 6,000 in the Philippines and Southeast Asia; The Dhaka garment fa ...
*UEFA Super Cup: 2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...
International
Uruguay
* Copa América: 2011
See also
* List of footballers with 100 or more caps
References
External links
*
*
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rodriguez, Cristian
1985 births
Living people
People from Juan Lacaze
Uruguayan people of Spanish descent
Uruguayan sportspeople of Italian descent
Uruguayan footballers
Association football wingers
Uruguayan Primera División players
Peñarol players
Club Plaza Colonia de Deportes players
Ligue 1 players
Paris Saint-Germain F.C. players
Primeira Liga players
S.L. Benfica footballers
FC Porto players
La Liga players
Atlético Madrid footballers
Serie A players
Parma Calcio 1913 players
Campeonato Brasileiro Série A players
Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense players
Argentine Primera División players
Club Atlético Independiente footballers
Uruguay youth international footballers
Uruguay under-20 international footballers
Uruguay international footballers
2004 Copa América players
2007 Copa América players
2011 Copa América players
2013 FIFA Confederations Cup players
2014 FIFA World Cup players
2015 Copa América players
2018 FIFA World Cup players
Copa América-winning players
FIFA Century Club
Uruguayan expatriate footballers
Expatriate footballers in France
Expatriate footballers in Portugal
Expatriate footballers in Spain
Expatriate footballers in Italy
Expatriate footballers in Brazil
Expatriate footballers in Argentina
Uruguayan expatriate sportspeople in France
Uruguayan expatriate sportspeople in Portugal
Uruguayan expatriate sportspeople in Spain
Uruguayan expatriate sportspeople in Italy
Uruguayan expatriate sportspeople in Brazil
Uruguayan expatriate sportspeople in Argentina