Claudio Leonardo Rodríguez (born 3 February 1969) is an Argentine

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...

coach Coach may refer to: Guidance/instruction * Coach (sport), a director of Athletes' training and activities * Coaching, the practice of guiding an individual through a process ** Acting coach, a teacher who trains performers Transportation * Coac ...

and former player who played as either a

midfielder In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an Glossary of association football terms#O, outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in t ...

or a forward.

Playing career

Born in

Santiago del Estero Santiago del Estero (, Spanish for ''Saint-James-Upon-The-Lagoon'') is the capital of Santiago del Estero Province in northern Argentina. It has a population of 252,192 inhabitants, () making it the twelfth largest city in the country, with a sur ...

, Rodríguez began his career with hometown side Mitre (SdE) before joining the youth setup of

Boca Juniors Club Atlético Boca Juniors () is an Argentine professional sports club based in La Boca, a neighbourhood of Buenos Aires. The club is best known for its men's professional Association football, football team which, since its promotion in 1913 ...

. He made his senior debut with the side in November 1989, but lost space after the arrival of

Óscar Tabárez Óscar Washington Tabárez Silva (; born 3 March 1947), known as ''El Maestro'' (The Teacher), is a Uruguayan former professional football manager and former player. After an unassuming career as a player and after working as a primary school ...

as manager. Rodríguez spent the 1992 season at Chilean side

Universidad de Chile The University of Chile () is a public research university in Santiago Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile (), is the capital and largest city of Chile and one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is located in the co ...

, before returning to Boca in the following year. He subsequently represented Alvarado,

San Martín de Tucumán Club Atlético San Martín (mostly known as San Martín de Tucumán) is an Argentine sports club founded in 1909 and based in the city of San Miguel de Tucumán, Tucumán Province. The club is notable for its football team, which currently plays ...

Atlético Tucumán Club Atlético Tucumán (mostly known as Atlético Tucumán) is an Argentine football club based in the city of San Miguel de Tucumán of Tucumán Province. Although several sports are practised at the club, Atlético is mostly known for its footba ...

, Nueva Chicago,

Douglas Haig Field marshal (United Kingdom), Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig (; 19 June 1861 – 29 January 1928) was a senior Officer (armed forces), officer of the British Army. During the First World War he commanded the British Expeditionary F ...

and

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

in his home country, before moving abroad in 2000 with San José. Rodríguez remained in Bolivia in the following years, playing for

Oriente Petrolero Club Deportivo Oriente Petrolero () is a Bolivian football club based in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. They play at the 38,000-capacity Estadio Tahuichi Aguilera. Oriente have been Bolivian champions five times, Copa Aerosur winners two ti ...

and Guabirá.

Managerial career

Rodríguez was an assistant of José Peña at

Real Santa Cruz Club Real Santa Cruz is a football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' ...

in 2012, 2013 and 2018. He later worked as a youth and assistant manager at Royal Pari, Rodríguez returned to Real Santa Cruz in 2021, being in charge of the youth categories. On 3 January 2023, he was named manager of the first team, along with compatriot Miguel Abrigo. Rodríguez and Abrigo resigned from Real Santa Cruz on 21 August 2023.

Personal life

In February 2003, Rodríguez was arrested with another man after being accused of

drug trafficking A drug is any chemical substance other than a nutrient or an essential dietary ingredient, which, when administered to a living organism, produces a biological effect. Consumption of drugs can be via inhalation, injection, smoking, ingestion, ...

. Sentenced of four years and five months of jail in December 2004, he was released after 27 months imprisoned in March 2006, being absolved of his charges. Rodríguez is nicknamed ''Rata'' (mouse). He was initially called ''Rattín'' by his uncle (after Antonio Rattín), being shortened to ''Rata'' when he arrived in

Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Rodriguez, Claudio 1969 births Living people Footballers from Santiago del Estero Argentine men's footballers Men's association football midfielders Men's association football forwards Argentine Primera División players Boca Juniors footballers Torneo Argentino A players Club Atlético Alvarado players Chilean Primera División players Club Universidad de Chile footballers Primera Nacional players San Martín de Tucumán footballers Atlético Tucumán footballers Club Atlético Nueva Chicago footballers Club Atlético Douglas Haig players Club Atlético Atlanta footballers Bolivian Primera División players Club San José players Oriente Petrolero players Club Deportivo Guabirá players Argentine expatriate men's footballers Argentine expatriate sportspeople in Chile Argentine expatriate sportspeople in Bolivia Expatriate men's footballers in Chile Expatriate men's footballers in Bolivia Argentine football coaches Argentine football managers Argentine expatriate football managers Real Santa Cruz managers Bolivian Primera División managers Expatriate football managers in Bolivia 20th-century Argentine sportsmen