Olympic medal record
Competitor for  Paraguay
Men's Football
Silver	2004 Athens	Team Competition

Julio Valentín Ferreira González (born 26 August 1981 in Asunción) is a former Paraguayan footballer.

González played for Paraguay at the 2004 Olympics, helping them to a silver medal, and at the (Catalan).

[edit] Career

González, the topscorer for Serie B club Vicenza as of December 2005, was due to represent his country in the upcoming 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. However, on December 22, 2005 he was involved in a terrible car accident as he was going to Venice airport in order to take a flight for the holiday times. After a long hospitalization, on January 17, 2006 González finally suffered the amputation of his left arm. The event particularly gained importance amongst the news and González immediately enjoyed the solidarity of the whole sportsworld, included a visit from Alex Zanardi.

González then underwent a long rehabilitation time^[1], always considering a comeback to active football. The player, who was confirmed under contract with Vicenza for the 2006-07 season despite his inability^[2] was then awarded the Giacinto Facchetti Prize by Italian sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport.

On July 2007 he returned to Paraguay and started training with club Tacuary, where his younger brother (Celso) plays.^[3] A few days later, he confirmed in an interview to La Gazzetta dello Sport he will also serve as local scout for his former team Vicenza.

González finally managed to make his comeback on November 18, 2007 playing for Tacuary in a Paraguayan First Division match against South American giants Olimpia Asunción, playing 57 minutes.^[4] The news gained massive media exposure in Italy as well. In 2008 González went to play for Presidente Hayes.^[5]

[edit] References

Awards
Preceded by Inaugural winner	La Gazzetta dello Sport's Facchetti Award 2006	Succeeded by Younis Mahmoud

v • d • e Paraguay squad – 2001 Copa América 1 Tavarelli • 2 Isasi • 3 J.Cáceres • 4 Amarilla • 5 Sanabria • 6 Struway • 7 Robles • 8 Morinigo • 9 M.Cáceres • 10 Alvarenga • 11 Ferreira • 12 Villar • 13 Núñez • 14 Escobar • 15 Verón • 16 Enciso • 17 Garay • 18 Benítez • 19 Martínez • 20 Gónzalez • 21 Caniza • 22 Masi • Coach: Markarián

v • d • e Paraguay squad – 2004 Copa América 1 Villar • 2 Martínez • 3 Manzur • 4 Gamarra • 5 Devaca • 6 Brítez • 7 López • 8 E. Barreto • 9 Bareiro • 10 Figueredo • 11 J. González • 12 D. Barreto • 13 Paredes • 14 Cristaldo • 15 Benítez • 16 Villalba • 17 Esquivel • 18 D. González • 19 Valdez • 20 dos Santos • 21 Torres • 22 Escobar • Coach: Saguier