Alberto Junior Rodríguez
Alberto Junior Rodríguez Valdelomar, nicknamed El mudo (mute) (born 31 March 1984),[2][3] is a Peruvian professional footballer who plays as a central defender for Alianza Lima and the Peru national team.
Rodríguez in action for Peru in 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Alberto Junior Rodríguez Valdelomar | ||||||||||||||||||
Date of birth | 31 March 1984 | ||||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Lima, Peru | ||||||||||||||||||
Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)[1] | ||||||||||||||||||
Position(s) | Centre back | ||||||||||||||||||
Club information | |||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Alianza Lima | ||||||||||||||||||
Number | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||
Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||
2000–2001 | Sporting Cristal | ||||||||||||||||||
Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||
2002–2006 | Sporting Cristal | 155 | (10) | ||||||||||||||||
2007–2011 | Braga | 79 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||
2011–2012 | Sporting CP | 7 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||
2012–2014 | Rio Ave | 32 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||
2015–2016 | Sporting Cristal | 28 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||
2016 | Melgar | 6 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||
2016–2017 | Universitario | 22 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||
2018 | Atlético Junior | 5 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||
2018–2019 | Universitario | 6 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||
2020– | Alianza Lima | 3 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||
National team‡ | |||||||||||||||||||
2003–2018 | Peru | 75 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||
Honours
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* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 8 March 2020 ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 17:16, 21 June 2018 (UTC) |
Club career
Born in Lima, Rodríguez joined Sporting Cristal's youth system at the age of 16. During his four full seasons he never appeared in less than 30 Primera División matches, with the capital side winning three Clausura titles.
On 28 December 2006, Rodríguez signed a three-and-a-half-year deal with Primeira Liga club S.C. Braga[4] and, on 18 February 2007, played his first league match against U.D. Leiria.[5] He finished his first season in Portugal with nine appearances, helping the Minho team finish fourth.
In the following four campaigns, Rodríguez was irregularly used by Braga due to constant injury problems, but contributed with 20 games as the team finished in a best-ever second place in 2010, adding seven matches in their subsequent runner-up run in the UEFA Europa League. On 27 May 2011, he agreed to a four-year contract with Sporting Clube de Portugal.[6]
Under former Braga boss Domingos Paciência, Rodríguez's first and only season with Sporting was again greatly undermined by physical problems, and he only appeared in 13 official matches.[7][8] In mid-July 2012 he was loaned to Deportivo de La Coruña in La Liga, moving to the Spanish club as many teammates,[9][10] but returned to Lisbon after failing his medical.[11][12]
On 24 July 2012, Rodríguez bought out his contract with Sporting and signed for one year with fellow league side Rio Ave FC.[13] After returning to his country, he represented in quick succession Sporting Cristal, FBC Melgar, Club Universitario de Deportes and Atlético Junior.[14]
International career
Rodríguez started representing Peru during the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, and quickly became a defensive cornerstone for the national side. He appeared for the country at the 2007 Copa América, in an eventual quarter-final exit.
Rodríguez was also selected for the 2011 Copa América squad, being an important defensive unit as the Sergio Markarián-led team finished in third place in Argentina.[15] At age 34, he was selected to the 2018 World Cup in Russia,[16] making his debut in the competition on 16 June by playing the entire 0–1 group stage loss against Denmark.[17]
Career statistics
Honours
Club
Sporting Cristal
- Peruvian Primera División: Clausura 2002, 2004, 2005
Braga
- UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2008
- UEFA Europa League: Runner-up 2010–11
Sporting
- Taça de Portugal: Runner-up 2011–12
Rio Ave
- Taça de Portugal: Runner-up 2013–14
- Taça da Liga: Runner-up 2013–14
International
- Copa América: Third-place 2011
References
- "2018 FIFA World Cup: List of players" (PDF). FIFA. 21 June 2018. p. 21. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 June 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
- "'Mudo' Rodríguez y su derrota en la Euro: "Es un sueño no cumplido"" ['Mute' Rodríguez and his Euro defeat: "It's an unfulfilled dream"] (in Spanish). El Comercio. 18 May 2011. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
- "El duro mensaje que el 'Mudo' Rodríguez recibió de un dirigente de Sporting Cristal – VIDEO" [The tough message 'Mute' Rodríguez received from a Sporting Cristal director – VIDEO] (in Spanish). La República. 19 December 2016. Retrieved 3 May 2017.
- Braga bring in Peruvian youngster; UEFA, 29 December 2006
- "U. Leiria-Sp. Braga, 1–0 (Slusarski 90+2)" (in Portuguese). Record. 18 February 2007. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
- Rodriguez assinou por quatro épocas: "Quero ser campeão" (Rodriguez signed for four seasons: "I want to be champion") Archived 30 May 2011 at the Wayback Machine; A Bola, 27 May 2011 (in Portuguese)
- Sporting: Rodríguez foi operado (Sporting: Rodríguez underwent surgery) Archived 7 March 2014 at the Wayback Machine; Relvado, 31 March 2012 (in Portuguese)
- Godinho Lopes admite número anormal de lesões (Godinho Lopes admits to abnormal number of injuries) Archived 1 July 2012 at the Wayback Machine; Record, 16 April 2012 (in Portuguese)
- Official: Alberto Rodriguez joins Deportivo on loan from Sporting Lisbon; Goal, 14 July 2012
- El Deportivo incorpora al peruano Alberto Rodríguez (Deportivo add Peruvian Alberto Rodríguez); El Correo Gallego, 14 July 2012 (in Spanish)
- D. Corunha: Alberto Rodríguez não passou nos exames médicos (D. Corunha: Alberto Rodríguez did not pass medical); Mais Futebol, 18 July 2012 (in Portuguese)
- Alberto Rodríguez no fichará por falta de acuerdo (Alberto Rodríguez will not sign for lack of agreement); Diario AS, 22 July 2012 (in Spanish)
- "Alberto Rodriguez trocou o Sporting pelo Rio Ave" [Alberto Rodriguez switched Sporting for Rio Ave] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 25 July 2012. Retrieved 24 March 2017.
- "'No dudé en venir a Junior, yo sigo el fútbol colombiano': Rodríguez" ['I did not hesitate in coming to Junior, I follow Colombian football': Rodríguez] (in Spanish). Fútbol Red. 6 January 2018. Retrieved 8 January 2018.
- "Peru through, Uruguay spoil the party". FIFA. 17 July 2011. Retrieved 7 March 2014.
- "Perú en Rusia 2018: el perfil de los 23 convocados por Gareca para el Mundial [GALERÍA]" [Peru in Russia 2018: the profile of the 23 selected by Gareca to the World Cup [GALLERY]] (in Spanish). Depor.com. 30 May 2018. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
- Emons, Michael (16 June 2018). "Peru 0–1 Denmark". BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 June 2018.
- Alberto Rodríguez at National-Football-Teams.com
- "A. Rodríguez – Matches". Soccerway. Retrieved 21 June 2018.
External links
- Alberto Rodríguez at ForaDeJogo
- Alberto Rodríguez at National-Football-Teams.com
- Alberto Rodríguez – FIFA competition record
- Alberto Rodríguez – UEFA competition record
- Alberto Rodríguez at Soccerway