Gabriel Milito

Gabriel Milito

Milito playing for Argentina in 2011
Personal information
Full name Gabriel Alejandro Milito[1]
Date of birth (1980-09-07) 7 September 1980
Place of birth Bernal, Argentina
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10 1⁄2 in)
Playing position Centre back
Club information
Current team
 Estudiantes (coach)
Youth career
Independiente
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1997–2003 Independiente 123 (3)
2003–2007 Zaragoza 137 (5)
2007–2011 Barcelona 48 (2)
2011–2012 Independiente 31 (0)
Total 339 (9)
National team
1997 Argentina U17 4 (0)
1999 Argentina U20 2 (0)
2000–2011 Argentina 42 (1)
Teams managed
2013–2014 Independiente (reserves)
2015– Estudiantes

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

† Appearances (goals)

Gabriel Alejandro Milito (born 7 September 1980) is an Argentine retired footballer who played as a central defender, and the current manager of Estudiantes de La Plata.

He spent most of his professional career in Spain, representing Zaragoza and Barcelona. Over the course of seven seasons, he amassed La Liga totals of 187 games and six goals.

Milito appeared with the Argentine national team in three major tournaments, including the 2006 World Cup, gaining 42 caps.

Club career

Early years

Born in Bernal, Quilmes, Buenos Aires Province, Milito started playing professionally with first division side Club Atlético Independiente in 1997. During that time, he often faced his older brother Diego, who played for Independiente's arch-rivals Racing Club de Avellaneda.

Zaragoza

In July 2003 Milito was due to be transferred to Real Madrid,[2] but the Spanish team rejected the player after medical results showed, according to the club, a not-fully-recovered knee injury.[3] To many, it was a political move against Madrid's football director Jorge Valdano, who wanted the player on the team – he decided to stay in the country and signed for Real Zaragoza.[4]

In his four seasons with the Aragonese side, Milito was an automatic first-choice (never played in less than 33 La Liga matches), and rejoined brother Diego in 2005. On 10 July 2007, Zaragoza reached a transfer agreement with FC Barcelona for €18.5million (£13.9 million) and, the following week, he passed his medical and signed a four-year deal with the club, worth €4 million (£2.7 million) a year;[5] he was given the number 3 shirt, which was formerly worn by Thiago Motta.

Barcelona

Milito (center) waves to fans during Barcelona's 2010–11 victory parade

Milito made his competitive debut for Barcelona on 2 September 2007 in a game against Athletic Bilbao.[6] He scored his first competitive goal for the Catalans on 24 November, in a league match against Recreativo de Huelva.[7]

On 5 May 2008, it was announced that Milito had damage to the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee;[8] this rendered him ineligible for the entire 2008–09 campaign, which ended in a treble.

After being sidelined for almost two years (602 days), Milito finally returned to action when he played in a friendly against Kazma Sporting Club in Kuwait.[9] On 5 January 2010, he made his return to competitive football, appearing in the first leg of the season's Copa del Rey, a 1–2 home loss against Sevilla FC; five days later, he reappeared in the domestic league, replacing Carles Puyol for the final seven minutes of the 5–0 win over CD Tenerife.

On 11 November 2010, Milito contributed with one goal to Barcelona's 5–1 home win against AD Ceuta for the domestic cup (7–1 on aggregate), but had to leave the game injured.[10][11] On 30 April 2011, starting in a league match at Real Sociedad, he had a goal wrongfully ruled out for offside with the score at 1–1, as the hosts went on to win it 2–1.[12] As a result of his offensive action he also tore a calf muscle, being sidelined for the rest of the season[13] and contributing with ten appearances for the eventual champions.

Return to Independiente / Retirement

In early August 2011, 30-year-old Milito was released from the last year of his contract with Barcelona,[14] and signed shortly after with former team Independiente. On 12 June 2012, he announced his retirement due to being mentally and physically exhausted.[15]

Coaching

Milito coaching Estudiantes de La Plata in 2015

Milito's first coaching experience was with the reserves team of Independiente. He resigned late into 2014, due to differences with the club's president Hugo Moyano.

On 15 April 2015 Milito replaced Mauricio Pellegrino at the helm of Estudiantes de La Plata, after being convinced by president Juan Sebastián Verón.[16]

International career

Milito playing for Argentina national team in 2011

With the Argentine national team, Milito participated in the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup and was part of the squad which qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, performing well in his only appearance, the first-round match against the Netherlands which ended in a 0–0 draw.

On 20 August 2010, national team coach Sergio Batista recalled Milito for a friendly with Spain, the player's first international appearance in more than three years.

International goals

International goals
Goal Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 16 October 2007 Estadio José Pachencho Romero, Maracaibo, Venezuela  Venezuela 0–1 0–2 2010 World Cup qualification

Personal life

Milito's older brother, Diego, is also a footballer. A striker, he played with individual and team success for Inter Milan, and they both represented Real Zaragoza and the national team.[17][18]

Statistics

Club

[19][20]

Club Season League Cup Continental Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Independiente 1997–98 20– 20
1998–99 250–20270
1999–2000 342–80422
2000–01 251–50301
2001–02 30– 30
2002–03 340– 340
Total 1233– 1233
Zaragoza 2003–04 3500000350
2004–05 33300100433
2005–06 3410000341
2006–07 3514000391
Total 1375401001515
Barcelona 2007–08 2716090421
2008–09 00000000
2009–10 1101050170
2010–11 1004120161
Total 481111160752
Independiente 2011–12 1901020220
Career totals 308915126034910

International

Argentina
YearAppsGoals
200010
200100
200200
200340
200430
200560
200650
2007141
200800
200900
201020
201170
Total421

Honours

Club

Independiente
Zaragoza
Barcelona

Individual

References

  1. ↑ "FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2009 presented by Toyota: List of players" (PDF). FIFA. 1 December 2009. p. 1. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  2. ↑ Milito makes for Madrid; UEFA.com, 8 July 2003
  3. ↑ Madrid cancel Milito signing; UEFA.com, 22 July 2003
  4. ↑ Milito taken on by Zaragoza; UEFA.com, 24 July 2003
  5. ↑ Milito honoured to sign for Barça; UEFA.com, 19 July 2007
  6. ↑ Barcelona 3–1 Athletic Bilbao; ESPN Soccernet, 2 September 2007
  7. ↑ Barcelona 3–0 Recreativo Huelva; ESPN Soccernet, 24 November 2007
  8. ↑ Barcelona's Milito faces lengthy lay-off; UEFA.com, 5 May 2008
  9. ↑ "Barcelona's Gabriel Milito returns to action...602 days later". Goal.com. 22 December 2009. Retrieved 22 December 2009.
  10. ↑ Hay Barça para rato (We have Barça for a long time); Marca, 11 November 2010 (Spanish)
  11. ↑ Barcelona 5–1 Ceuta; ESPN Soccernet, 10 November 2010
  12. ↑ Sociedad surprise Barca with defeat; ESPN Soccernet, 30 April 2011
  13. ↑ Milito, Montoya out for six weeks; FIFA.com, 1 May 2011
  14. ↑ Milito allowed to leave; Barcelona's official website, 4 August 2011
  15. ↑ Gaby Milito anunció su retiro del fútbol: "Estoy agotado física y mentalmente" (Gaby Milito announced retirement: "I'm worn out physically and mentally"); Play Futbol, 12 June 2012 (Spanish)
  16. ↑ La hora de Milito (Milito's time); Olé, 16 April 2015 (Spanish)
  17. ↑ "El hermano de Milito tampoco será del Madrid" [Milito's brother will also not be a Madrid player] (in Spanish). Merca Fútbol. 25 November 2004. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  18. ↑ "Diego Milito: "Le agradezco a Pep todo lo que ha hecho por mi hermano"" [Diego Milito: "I thank Pep for everything he has done for my brother"] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 18 November 2009. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  19. ↑ "G. Milito". Soccerway. Retrieved 7 July 2014.
  20. ↑ "Gabriel Milito". Footballdatabase. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  21. ↑ "South American Team of the Year". RSSSF. 16 January 2009. Retrieved 10 March 2015.

External links

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