Matías Rodríguez (footballer, born 1986)

Matías Nicolás Rodríguez (Latin American Spanish: [maˈti.as nikoˈlas roˈðɾiɣes], born 14 April 1986) is an Argentine naturalized Chilean professional footballer who plays as a right-back or right midfielder for Deportes Melipilla.

Matías Rodríguez
Rodríguez with Universidad de Chile in 2019
Personal information
Full name Matías Nicolás Rodríguez
Date of birth (1986-04-14) 14 April 1986 (age 38)
Place of birth San Luis, Argentina
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position(s) Right back, Right midfielder
Team information
Current team
Deportes Melipilla
Youth career
1998–2006 Boca Juniors
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006 Aucas 11 (2)
2007 LASK Linz 1 (0)
2008–2009 Nacional 42 (3)
2010–2013 Universidad de Chile 97 (22)
2013–2015 Sampdoria 3 (0)
2014–2015Grêmio (loan) 10 (1)
2015–2021 Universidad de Chile 138 (19)
2021–2022 Defensa y Justicia 10 (0)
2024– Deportes Melipilla 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16 January 2024

Club career

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After years spending in Boca Juniors academy, he moved Ecuadorian Serie A club Aucas in mid-2006 (after fail joined on trial to Barcelona de Guayaquil), where scored three goals in 13 league matches, which his transfer fee was appraised in US$1 million, because their well performances.[2] Following his success, he returned to Boca and had an horrible 2007, after have a seriously tibia and fibula injury.[2] Finally, after one-and-half year without play, he joined Nacional Montevideo in June 2008.

In January 2010, following Gerardo Pelusso's departure (coach of Rodríguez at Nacional) to Universidad de Chile, he also joined Chilean club,[3] where he won three league titles and the 2011 Copa Sudamericana title with Santiago-based club. However, all of these title was under manager Jorge Sampaoli, who replaced former coach Pelusso after bad results in 2010. Their most important goals with The Blues were in two derbies against Colo-Colo[4][5] and in a 2010 Copa Libertadores game too with Flamengo, where he scored a last-minute equalizer goal that sealed a 2–2 away draw at Maracanã.[6]

He also had serious possibilities of a move to Europe because his performances, being heavily linked with Portugal's Benfica in January 2012 after reach Copa Sudamericana title.[7] However, on 29 January 2013, Rodríguez joined Italian Serie A club Sampdoria in a transfer fee a US$4.2 million (3.28 million).[8][9][10][11] He signed a 4+12-year contract.[11] (in Italian)

On 30 May 2014, Rodríguez was loaned from Serie A side Sampdoria to Grêmio until June 2015.[12]

On 19 July 2015 Rodríguez was re-signed by Universidad de Chile.[13]

On March 8, 2021, it was made official Rodríguez joined Argentine club Defensa y Justicia,[14] arriving to Argentine Primera División by first time in his career.

In June 2022, he decided to leave the football activity after ending his contract with Defensa y Justicia, stating his desire of working as a sport manager.[15]

In January 2024, he returned to professional football by signing with Deportes Melipilla in the Segunda División Profesional de Chile.[16]

International career

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In June 2012, Rodríguez was selected by Alejandro Sabella for the Argentina national team as part of the squad for the matchday 5 of the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification against Ecuador, as well as an International Friendly against Brazil in New Jersey. He was only a substitute in both matches. Later, Rodríguez was selected again in October 2012 for the matchday 10 against Chile, where he did not play either.[17]

Personal life

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In February 2022, he acquired the Chilean nationality by residence,[18] keeping the Argentine nationality.[19]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of 12 April 2015.[20]
Club Season League National Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Nacional 2008-09 Primera División 29 1 0 0 7 0 0 0 36 1
2009-10 13 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 2
Total 42 3 0 0 7 0 0 0 49 3
Universidad de Chile 2010 Primera División 27 5 0 0 13 2 0 0 40 7
2011 36 4 6 0 10 1 0 0 52 5
2012 34 13 7 2 17 4 1 0 59 19
Total 97 22 13 2 40 7 1 0 151 31
Sampdoria 2012-13 Serie A 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
2013-14 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
Total 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
Grêmio (loan) 2014 Série A 8 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 9 0
2015 0 0 1 0 0 0 12 0 13 0
Total 8 0 2 0 0 0 12 0 22 0
Career total 150 25 17 2 47 7 13 0 227 34

Honours

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Club

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Nacional
Universidad de Chile

Individual

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References

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  1. ^ Profile at Universidad de Chile Archived 23 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  2. ^ a b Encalada, Edwing (9 May 2012). "Entre Católica y Aucas le pagaban a Matías Rodríguez" (in Spanish). Ultimasnoticias.com. Archived from the original on 23 March 2014. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
  3. ^ Delgado, Felipe (15 January 2010). "U. de Chile presentó a Matías Rodríguez como su séptimo y último refuerzo" (in Spanish). Bio-Bio.cl.
  4. ^ "Colo-Colo logra agónico empate ante la "U"". La Tercera. Archived from the original on 25 October 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
  5. ^ "Universidad de Chile humilla a Colo Colo y logra goleada histórica en Superclásicos". La Tercera. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
  6. ^ "Copa Libertadores 2010: Flamengo 2 v/s 2 Universidad de Chile partido". YouTube. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
  7. ^ "Matías Rodríguez: "Si el Benfica viene por mí, es imposible decirle que no"". Emol.com. 14 January 2012.
  8. ^ "Sampdoria sube oferta y Matías Rodríguez se marcha a Italia". Terra Chile. 27 January 2013.
  9. ^ "Matías Rodríguez llegó como crack a Sampdoria". Yahoo. 27 January 2013.
  10. ^ Le cifre dell'affare Matías Rodríguez (Matías Rodríguez's deal numbers); Samp News 24, 27 January 2013
  11. ^ a b U.C. Sampdoria S.p.A. bilancio (financial report and accounts) on 31 December 2013 (in Italian), PDF purchased from Italian C.C.I.A.A.
  12. ^ "Matías Rodríguez é oficialmente apresentado". Portal Oficial do Grêmio. Archived from the original on 31 May 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  13. ^ "Está de vuelta" (in Spanish). Club Universidad de Chile. 19 July 2015. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
  14. ^ @ClubDefensayJus (8 March 2021). "¡Bienvenido a Defensa y Justicia, Matías Rodríguez!" (Tweet) (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 March 2021 – via Twitter.
  15. ^ Merlo, César Luis (14 June 2022). "Exclusivo: Matías Rodríguez se retira del fútbol: "Sólo hubiese seguido si me llamaban de la U"". www.encancha.cl (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 June 2022.
  16. ^ Zamorano, Javier (16 January 2024). "Matías Rodríguez vuelve al fútbol chileno: buscará el ascenso con equipo de Segunda División". BioBioChile (in Spanish). Radio Bío-Bío. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
  17. ^ FIFA Report: Full Time CHILE 1-2 ARGENTINA
  18. ^ "Matías Rodríguez completó trámites de su nacionalización: Muchas gracias Chile". alairelibre.cl (in Spanish). Radio Cooperativa. 1 February 2022. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  19. ^ "Doble Nacionalidad". Argentina.gob.ar (in Spanish). 12 April 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2022.
  20. ^ "Matías Rodríguez". Soccerway.
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