Carlos Valderrama

Personal information
Full name	Carlos Alberto Valderrama Palacio
Date of birth	September 2, 1961 (1961-09-02) (age 48)
Place of birth	Santa Marta, Colombia
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Playing position	Midfielder
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1981-1983	Unión Magdalena
1984	Millonarios
1985-1987	Deportivo Cali
1988-1990	Montpellier	77	(5)
1990-1991	Real Valladolid	17	(1)
1992	Independiente Medellín
1993-1995	Atlético Junior	82	(4)
1996-1997	Tampa Bay Mutiny	43	(1)
1998	Miami Fusion	22	(3)
1999-2001	Tampa Bay Mutiny	71	(5)
2001-2002	Colorado Rapids	39	(1)
National team
1985–1998	Colombia	111	(11)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Carlos Alberto Valderrama Palacio (born September 2, 1961 in Santa Marta, Colombia), also known as El Pibe, is a former Colombian football player. His mass of blond, permed hair made him one of Colombia's most recognisable footballers. Valderrama captained the Colombia national football team in the 1990s during the 1990, 1994 and 1998 World Cups. Between 1985 and 1998 he represented Colombia in 111 full internationals and scored 11 times, making him the most capped player in the country's history. He was the most famous soccer player in Colombia in the team of Rene Higuita, Faustino Asprilla, Freddy Rincon, Adolfo Valencia, Leonel Alvarez, Andres Escobar and others.

[edit] Career

Valderrama began his career at Unión Magdalena of the Colombian First Division in 1981. He also played for Millonarios and Deportivo Cali before joining Montpellier of the French First Division in 1988 to play for Independiente Medellín and Atlético Junior from 1993-96, for whom he won the Colombian championship in 1993 and 1995. In 1996, he went to the US to play for the Tampa Bay Mutiny (1996-97, 2000-01), Miami Fusion (1998-99), and Colorado Rapids (2001-02). While a member of the Mutiny, the team would sell Carlos Valderrama wigs at Tampa Stadium. In Major League Soccer, Valderrama scored relatively few goals (16) for a midfielder, but is the league's second all-time leader in assists (114) after Steve Ralston (121), a former teammate. In 2005, he was named to the MLS All-Time Best XI. He was also named one of the top players of the 20th century by Pelé in 1999.^[1]

As a player, Valderrama was known for his excellent field vision.^{[citation needed]} In a match against Germany in the 1990 World Cup, Valderrama assisted Freddy Rincon for a goal which tied the match at 1-1 and sent Colombia to the second round for the first time in its history.

[edit] Retirement as player

In February 2004, Valderrama ended his 22-year career in a tribute match at the Metropolitan stadium of Barranquilla, with some of the most important football players of South America, such as Diego Maradona, Enzo Francescoli and José Luis Chilavert.

Valderama has since become assistant manager of Atlético Junior. On November 1, 2007, Valderrama accused a referee of corruption by waving cash in the face of Oscar Julian Ruiz when the official awarded a penalty to América de Cali. Junior lost the match 4-1, which ended the club's hopes of playoff qualification.^[2]

[edit] Personal life

Valderrama is married and has three children.^{[citation needed]} Valderrama was the only Colombian to feature in FIFA's 125 Top Living Football Players list in March 2004.

[edit] Honours

[edit] Club

Montpellier HSC

• French Cup: 1990

Atlético Junior

• Colombian Championship: 1993, 1995

Tampa Bay Mutiny

• MLS Supporters' Shield: 1996

[edit] Individual

• South American Footballer of the Year: 1987, 1993
• MLS All-Star of the Year: 1996
• Major League Soccer MVP: 1996
• MLS All-time leader in assists

[edit] Other recognition

Statue honoring 'Carlos "el pibe" Valderrama' in Santa Marta, Colombia

Valderrama appeared on the cover of Nintendo 64 and Konami game International Superstar Soccer '98, as well as in the PlayStation conversion. In the N64 game, the player based on him is the only one whose name is not similar to the real-life counterpart; instead, he is called "El Pibe". He was also in the computer game "Backyard Soccer 2001".

In 2006 a 22-foot tall bronze statue of Valderrama was placed by the Eduardo Santos stadium in his hometown Santa Marta, created by Colombian artist Amilkar Ariza.

[edit] Statistics

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Career details at National Football Teams
• International statistics at rsssf
• (Spanish)Link for Valderrama

Carlos Valderrama - International tournaments v • d • e Colombia squad – 1990 FIFA World Cup 1 Higuita • 2 Escobar • 3 Gildardo Gómez • 4 Herrera • 5 Villa • 6 Pérez • 7 Estrada • 8 Gabriel Gómez • 9 Guerrero • 10 Valderrama • 11 Redín • 12 Niño • 13 Hoyos • 14 Álvarez • 15 Perea • 16 Iguarán • 17 Cassiani • 18 Cabrera • 19 Rincón • 20 Fajardo • 21 Mendoza • 22 Hernández • Coach: Maturana v • d • e Colombia squad – 1991 Copa América 1 Higuita • 2 Escobar • 3 Martínez • 4 Pimentel • 5 Herrera • 6 Pareja • 7 de Ávila • 8 García • 9 Valenciano • 10 Valderrama • 11 Redín • 12 Calero • 13 Cabrera • 14 Álvarez • 15 Perea • 16 Estrada • 17 Osorio • 18 Iguarán • 19 Usuriaga • 20 Rincón • 21 Vargas Cortés • 22 Niño • Coach: García v • d • e Colombia squad – 1993 Copa América 1 Córdoba • 2 Cortés • 3 Mendoza • 4 Herrera • 5 Gaviria • 6 Gómez • 7 O.Maturana • 8 García • 9 Aristizábal • 10 Valderrama • 11 Valencia • 12 Mondragón • 13 Pacheco • 14 Álvarez • 15 Perea • 16 Lozano • 17 Asprilla • 18 Osorio • 19 Rincón • 20 W.Pérez • 21 R.Pérez • 22 Pazo • Coach: Maturana v • d • e Colombia squad – 1994 FIFA World Cup 1 Córdoba • 2 Escobar • 3 Mendoza • 4 Herrera • 5 Gaviria • 6 Gómez • 7 de Ávila • 8 Lozano • 9 Valenciano • 10 Valderrama • 11 Valencia • 12 Mondragón • 13 Ortiz • 14 Álvarez • 15 Perea • 16 Aristizábal • 17 Serna • 18 Cortés • 19 Rincón • 20 Pérez • 21 Asprilla • 22 Pazo • Coach: Maturana v • d • e Colombia squad – 1995 Copa América 1 Higuita • 2 Santa • 3 Mendoza • 4 Fernández • 5 Bermúdez • 6 Gaviria • 7 Guerrero • 8 Lozano • 9 Arboleda • 10 Valderrama • 11 Asprilla • 12 Calero • 13 Cabrera • 14 Álvarez • 15 Mosquera • 16 Aristizábal • 17 León • 18 Cardona • 19 Rincón • 20 Quiñonez • 21 Cassiani • 22 Córdoba • Coach: Gómez v • d • e Colombia squad – 1998 FIFA World Cup 1 O. Córdoba • 2 I. Córdoba • 3 Palacios • 4 Santa • 5 Bermúdez • 6 Serna • 7 de Ávila • 8 Lozano • 9 Valencia • 10 Valderrama • 11 Asprilla • 12 Calero • 13 Cabrera • 14 Bolaño • 15 Aristizábal • 16 Moreno • 17 Estrada • 18 Pérez • 19 Rincón • 20 Ricard • 21 Preciado • 22 Mondragón • Coach: Gómez