Maxi Rodríguez

For other people of the same name, see Maximiliano Rodríguez.
Maxi Rodríguez

Rodríguez playing for Argentina in 2012
Personal information
Full name Maximiliano Rubén Rodríguez[1]
Date of birth (1981-01-02) 2 January 1981
Place of birth Rosario, Argentina
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[2]
Playing position Winger / Attacking midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Newell's Old Boys
Number 11
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1999–2002 Newell's Old Boys 57 (20)
2002–2005 Espanyol 111 (26)
2005–2010 Atlético Madrid 121 (32)
2010–2012 Liverpool 57 (15)
2012– Newell's Old Boys 102 (38)
National team‡
2001 Argentina U20 7 (4)
2003– Argentina 57 (16)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 00:00, 7 March 2016 (UTC).
† Appearances (goals)

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 9 July 2014

Maximiliano Rubén "Maxi" Rodríguez (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈmaksi roˈðɾiɣes]; born 2 January 1981) is an Argentine footballer who plays for Newell's Old Boys. Nicknamed La Fiera (Beast in English) he is commonly used as a winger on both flanks, but can also operate as an attacking midfielder.[3]

Rodríguez arrived in Spain in his early 20s, and went on to spend the bulk of his professional career there, playing for Espanyol and Atlético Madrid and amassing La Liga totals of 232 games and 58 goals over the course of eight seasons. He also spent two years with Liverpool in England.

An Argentine international in the 2000s, Rodríguez represented the country in three World Cups, finishing second in 2014.

Club career

Newell's / Espanyol

Born in Rosario, Santa Fe, Rodríguez came through the youth set-up at Newell's Old Boys in the Primera División. He played with the club for three seasons, before moving to Spain.

In 2002, Rodríguez moved to La Liga to join RCD Espanyol, his league debut coming on 2 September in a 0–2 loss against Real Madrid. He played 37 matches in every campaign with the Catalans, scoring 15 goals during his last.[4][5][6]

Atlético Madrid

At the start of the 2005–06 season, Rodríguez moved to Atlético Madrid for a transfer fee of €5 million,[7] where he continued to post consistent numbers. In his second year he suffered, alongside teammate (and winger) Martin Petrov, a serious knee injury (anterior cruciate ligament), which limited him to only ten appearances.[8]

On 10 November 2009, Rodríguez put four goals past UD Marbella in the Copa del Rey round-of-32 second leg, in an eventual 6–0 home win (8–0 aggregate).[9] After the 2007 departure of Fernando Torres to Liverpool, he was selected as the new club captain; he took no part in the Colchoneros' 2009–10 UEFA Europa League campaign, which ended in conquest.

Liverpool

Rodríguez training with Liverpool in 2011

On 13 January 2010, Rodríguez completed a free transfer to Liverpool, signing a three-and-a-half-year deal. After securing his signature, Rafael Benítez described him as "comfortable on the ball, can pass and keep possession. He is good at getting into the box and scoring goals and a good finisher",[10] and the player was given the number 17 shirt,[11] making his debut for the club as a second-half substitute in a Premier League match against Stoke City on the 16th;[12] his first full start came a week-and-a-half later, a 0–0 away draw to Wolverhampton Wanderers.

In his first games for Liverpool, Rodríguez gained two league assists, both of which were for former Atlético teammate Torres. He scored his first competitive goal in a 4–0 win over Burnley at Turf Moor on 25 April 2010, playing the full 90 minutes.[13]

2010–11 was a good individual season for Rodríguez, who netted ten league goals for the Reds, including two hat-tricks, against Birmingham City (5–0 home win)[14] and Fulham (5–2 at Craven Cottage). In the latter, he scored twice in the opening seven minutes – the first being just after 32 seconds – and completed his exhibition with a 25-yard strike.[15]

On 8 July 2011, Rodríguez switched his jersey number to 11,[16] and he scored two goals in a pre-season friendly with Malaysia shortly after, which finished 6–3 to Liverpool. On 24 August, he was given his first start of the season in a League Cup tie against Exeter City, and netted the second in an eventual 3–1 away success.[17]

On 20 November 2011, Rodríguez scored against Chelsea following a build-up with teammate Craig Bellamy, with Liverpool winning it 2–1 at Stamford Bridge.[18] Nine days later, against the same opponent, in the same venue and again with the decisive pass being made by the Welshman, he found the net in a 2–0 League Cup triumph,[19] and his team went on to win the latter competition.

On 26 December 2011, Rodríguez scored just his second league goal of the season in a 1–1 draw at Anfield against Blackburn Rovers.[20] He netted his last two against the same adversary on 10 April 2012, for a 3–2 away win.[21]

Return to Argentina

On 13 July 2012, after 73 official games and 17 goals scored, Rodríguez left Liverpool and returned to his first professional club Newell's Old Boys.[22] He wrote an open letter to the Reds fans before his departure, thanking them for their support in his two-and-a-half-year stint with the club.[23]

Rodríguez played his first match for the club since leaving on 5 August 2012, in a 0–0 draw against Club Atlético Independiente. According to him, football in his country was now "worse than ten years ago".[24] In June 2013, he helped the team win the Torneo Final, being awarded the Alumni by directors and former directors of Argentinian football late in the year.[25]

International career

Rodríguez won the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship with the Argentine under-20s on home soil, scoring four goals in seven matches including the first and last for the eventual winners.[26] He made his full side debut in a friendly match against Japan on 8 June 2003, in which he also found the net.[27]

After being part of the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup squad, Rodríguez was called for the 2006 FIFA World Cup by national boss José Pékerman and, on 16 June, he scored twice in Argentina's 6–0 victory over Serbia and Montenegro in the group stage.[28] In the round-of-16, he scored the winning goal against Mexico in a 2–1 extra time victory: he controlled a cross-field pass from Juan Pablo Sorín with his chest before volleying it into the top corner of Oswaldo Sánchez's net from outside the penalty area with his left foot, in the 98th minute;[29] in an unofficial online poll by FIFA, it was voted the best goal of the tournament.[30]

After Argentina lost the quarter-final game against Germany on 30 June 2006, Rodríguez punched opponent Bastian Schweinsteiger in the back. FIFA fined him CHF5,000 and suspended him from two matches in the 2007 Copa América for violent conduct.[31] However, after a serious knee injury in a friendly with Spain in October 2006, he missed the continental competition, as national team manager Alfio Basile, whom initially intended to select the player, eventually rested him for precaution.[32]

Rodríguez scored in Diego Maradona's first game in charge of Argentina, a 0–1 friendly win in Scotland.[33] On 19 May 2010 he was named in the squad of 23 for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa[34] and, in the last home game before the finals five days later, scored twice against Canada, netting from a freekick from a sharp angle and after receiving a pass from Carlos Tevez in an eventual 5–0 win.[35]

In June 2014, Rodríguez made Argentina's list for the 2014 World Cup.[36] He started in his side's opening game, a 2–1 defeat of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Estádio do Maracanã, playing the first half before being substituted for Gonzalo Higuaín at half-time;[37] he was only fielded again in the semi-finals against the Netherlands, converting the decisive penalty shootout attempt (0–0 after 120 minutes) to send his country to the final for the first time in 24 years.[38]

International goals

Argentina's goal tally first

Goal Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 8 June 2003 Nagai, Osaka, Japan  Japan 4–1 4–1 Friendly
2. 17 August 2005 Ferenc Puskas, Budapest, Hungary  Hungary 1–0 2–1 Friendly
3. 30 May 2006 Arechi, Salerno, Italy  Angola 1–0 2–0 Friendly
4. 16 June 2006 Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany  Serbia and Montenegro 1–0 6–0 2006 FIFA World Cup
5. 16 June 2006 Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen, Germany  Serbia and Montenegro 3–0 6–0 2006 FIFA World Cup
6. 24 June 2006 Zentralstadion, Leipzig, Germany  Mexico 2–1 2–1 (a.e.t.) 2006 FIFA World Cup
7. 22 August 2007 Ullevaal, Oslo, Norway  Norway 1–2 1–2 Friendly
8. 4 June 2008 Qualcomm, San Diego, United States  Mexico 3–0 4–1 Friendly
9. 19 November 2008 Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland  Scotland 1–0 1–0 Friendly
10. 28 March 2009 El Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina  Venezuela 3–0 4–0 2010 World Cup qualification
11. 24 May 2010 El Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina  Canada 1–0 5–0 Friendly
12. 24 May 2010 El Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina  Canada 2–0 5–0 Friendly
13. 10 September 2013 Defensores del Chaco, Asunción, Paraguay  Paraguay 5–2 5–2 2014 World Cup qualification
14. 15 October 2013 Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay  Uruguay 1–1 2–3 2014 World Cup qualification
15. 15 October 2013 Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay  Uruguay 2–2 2–3 2014 World Cup qualification
16. 4 June 2014 El Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina  Trinidad and Tobago 3–0 3–0 Friendly

Other ventures

In 2009 Rodríguez appeared in a music video for Coti, starring alongside Atlético teammate Diego Forlán.[39]

Club statistics

As of 6 December 2014[40][41]
All-Time Club Performance
Club Season Domestic League Domestic Cup International
Club Competition		 Total
App Goals App Goals App  Goals App Goals
Liverpool 2011–12 12 4 9 2 0 0 21 6
2010–11 28 10 1 0 6 0 35 10
2009–10 17 1 0 0 0 0 17 1
Total 56 15 10 2 6 0 72 17
Atlético Madrid 2009–10 14 2 2 5 8 1 24 8
2008–09 33 6 0 0 6 3 39 9
2007–08 35 8 0 0 4 0 39 8
2006–07 10 6 0 0 0 0 10 6
2005–06 29 10 4 1 0 0 33 11
Total 121 32 6 6 18 4 145 42
Espanyol 2004–05 37 15 0 0 0 0 37 15
2003–04 37 4 0 0 0 0 37 4
2002–03 37 7 0 0 0 0 37 7
Total 111 26 0 0 0 0 111 26
Newell's Old Boys 2015 2 2 0 0 0 0 2 2
2014 16 11 0 0 0 0 16 11
2013–14 22 9 0 0 5 2 27 11
2012–13 28 5 1 0 11 3 40 8
2001–02 33 15 0 0 0 0 33 15
2000–01 18 5 0 0 0 0 18 5
1999–2000 6 0 0 0 0 0 6 0
Total 126 47 1 0 16 5 143 52
Career Totals 413 120 17 8 40 9 470 137

Honours

Club

Atlético Madrid
Liverpool
Newell's Old Boys

International

References

  1. ↑ "List of players under written contract registered between 01/01/2010 and 31/01/2010" (PDF). The Football Association. Retrieved 7 February 2010.
  2. ↑ "2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil: List of players" (PDF). FIFA.com. 11 June 2014. p. 2. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  3. ↑ A2BWorldCup biography
  4. ↑ "Maxi, tres goles que le hacen el 'Pichichi'de la Liga" [Maxi, three goals that make him the League's 'Pichichi'] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 13 September 2004. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  5. ↑ "Espanyol fulminante" [Overwhelming Espanyol] (in Spanish). El Mundo Deportivo. 8 November 2004. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  6. ↑ "En busca del gol perdido" [In search of the lost goal] (in Spanish). Fuerza Perica. 10 March 2016. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  7. ↑ Al final llegaron a buen puerto (Finally they agreed); ESPN Deportes, 29 June 2005 (Spanish)
  8. ↑ Maxi Rodriquez, Petrov out for six months; ESPN Soccernet, 16 October 2006
  9. ↑ "El Marbella paga los platos rotos del derbi" [Marbella pays derby wounds] (in Spanish). Marca. 10 November 2009. Retrieved 3 January 2013.
  10. ↑ "Maxi makes Reds move". Sky Sports. 13 January 2010. Retrieved 13 January 2010.
  11. ↑ In profile: Our new no. 17; Liverpool's official website
  12. ↑ Smith, Rory (16 January 2010). "Stoke City 1 Liverpool 1: match report". London: The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 20 January 2010.
  13. ↑ Smith, Rory (25 April 2010). "Burnley 0 Liverpool 4: match report". London: The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 27 May 2010.
  14. ↑ Maxi stars for Reds; ESPN Soccernet, 23 April 2011
  15. ↑ Maxi and Suarez star again for ruthless Reds; ESPN Soccernet, 9 May 2011
  16. ↑ Jordan and Adam numbers set; Liverpool's official website, 8 July 2011
  17. ↑ Reds ease to win; ESPN Soccernet, 24 August 2011
  18. ↑ Johnson returns to haunt Blues; ESPN Soccernet, 20 November 2011
  19. ↑ Chelsea dumped out by Liverpool Johnson returns to haunt Blues; ESPN Soccernet, 29 November 2011
  20. ↑ Reds held by resilient Rovers; ESPN Soccernet, 26 December 2011
  21. ↑ Blackburn 2–3 Liverpool; BBC Sport, 10 April 2012
  22. ↑ LFC confirm Maxi departure; Liverpool's official website, 13 July 2012
  23. ↑ Maxi: An open letter to fans; Liverpool's official website, 13 July 2012
  24. ↑ "Maxi Rodriguez: Football in Argentina is worse now than a decade ago". Goal.com. 18 August 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
  25. ↑ "Maxi Rodríguez recibió el premio Alumni al mejor jugador" [Maxi Rodríguez received the Alumni award for the best player] (in Spanish). La Capital. 27 November 2013. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  26. ↑ Maxi Rodríguez – FIFA competition record
  27. ↑ "Kirin Cup 2003". RSSSF. 10 July 2004. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
  28. ↑ "Argentina 6–0 Serbia & Montenegro". BBC Sport. 16 June 2006. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  29. ↑ "Argentina 2–1 Mexico (aet)". BBC Sport. 24 June 2006. Retrieved 10 July 2006.
  30. ↑ "FIFAworldcup.com sets new standards in online coverage of football". FIFA.com. 13 June 2006. Retrieved 18 February 2009.
  31. ↑ "Rooney, Cufre and Rodriquez handed bans by FIFA". Monsters and Critics. 8 July 2006. Retrieved 10 July 2006.
  32. ↑ No lo tendrá en cuenta (Will not be called); ESPN Deportes, 14 June 2007 (Spanish)
  33. ↑ Maxi winner gets Maradona off the mark; UEFA.com, 19 November 2008
  34. ↑ "Coloccini fails to make cut for Argentina party". BBC Sport. 19 May 2010. Retrieved 27 May 2010.
  35. ↑ "Maradona's men run riot". ESPN Soccernet. 24 May 2010. Retrieved 27 May 2010.
  36. ↑ "Demichelis in Argentina squad as trio miss out". FIFA.com. 2 June 2014. Retrieved 21 June 2014.
  37. ↑ "Bosnia beaten by Messi marvel". FIFA.com. 16 June 2014. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  38. ↑ "Romero the shoot-out hero as Argentina reach final". FIFA.com. 9 July 2014. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  39. ↑ Maxi Rodríguez y Diego Forlán, invitados de lujo en el nuevo videoclip de Coti (Maxi Rodríguez and Diego Forlán, stellar guests in Coti's new video); Atlético's official website, 17 March 2009 (Spanish)
  40. ↑ "M. Rodríguez". Soccerway. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  41. ↑ Maxi Rodríguez at ESPN FC

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