Franco Zuculini

Franco Zuculini

Zuculini training with Hoffenheim in 2009
Personal information
Full name Franco Zuculini
Date of birth (1990-09-05) 5 September 1990
Place of birth La Rioja, Argentina
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position Defensive midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Hellas Verona F.C.
Number 14
Youth career
Racing Club
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2009 Racing Club 38 (2)
2009–2012 1899 Hoffenheim 7 (1)
2010–2011 → Genoa (loan) 4 (0)
2011 → Racing Club (loan) 15 (0)
2011–2012 → Zaragoza (loan) 21 (0)
2012–2013 Zaragoza 16 (1)
2014 Arsenal Sarandí 12 (0)
2014–2016 Bologna 28 (3)
2016– Hellas Verona F.C. 0 (0)
National team‡
2007 Argentina U17 4 (0)
2009 Argentina U20 6 (0)
2009– Argentina 1 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 04:29, 24 May 2015 (UTC).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 20 May 2009

Franco Zuculini (born 5 September 1990) is an Argentine footballer who plays for Italian club Hellas Verona F.C. as a defensive midfielder.

Club career

Racing Club

Born in La Rioja, Zuculini made his professional debut with Racing Club de Avellaneda on 13 April 2008 at not yet 18, starting in a 1–0 home win against Arsenal de Sarandí for the Primera División championship.

He appeared in 29 league games and scored two goals in his first full season, helping his team narrowly avoid relegation.

Hoffenheim

On 26 June 2009, Zuculini signed with TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in Germany.[1] He appeared in only seven Bundesliga games during his short spell, scoring on 24 October in a 3–0 home win against 1. FC Nuremberg after coming on as a second half substitute.[2]

Subsequently Zuculini began a series of loans, which saw him appear for Genoa C.F.C. in Italy, former club Racing and Spain's Real Zaragoza.

Real Zaragoza

On 12 August 2011 Zaragoza announced the signing of Zuculini on a season-long loan, with a view to a permanent transfer later in the year.[3] He made his La Liga debut sixteen days later, starting and featuring 52 minutes in a 0–6 home loss to Real Madrid.[4]

Zuculini agreed to a three-year deal with the Aragonese in the subsequent off-season,[5] He netted his first goal (two in all competitions) for the side on 10 December 2012 in a 2–0 success at Rayo Vallecano,[6] being released at the end of the campaign after it ended in relegation.

Arsenal de Sarandí

In February 2013, Zuculini suffered a knee ligament injury that ended his season.[7] While recovering from the operation, Arsenal de Sarandí allowed him to get into exercise programs and train along with the team players. In January 2014, after a nearly one-year period of inactivity, he signed for six months with the club.[8]

Bologna

On 8 July 2014, Zuculini joined Italian side Bologna F.C. 1909 on a two-year contract.[9]

Hellas Verona

On 8 July 2016, Zuculini signed for Hellas Verona.[10]

International career

In January 2009, Zuculini was selected for the Argentina under-20 team for the 2009 South American Youth Championship in Venezuela. He was named by full side manager Diego Maradona in a squad of 14 local players in late May of that year,[11] and made his debut on the 20th – aged just 18 – in a friendly with Panama (2–0 win in Santa Fe).

Personal life

Zuculini's younger brother, Bruno, is also a footballer and a midfielder. He too represented Racing de Avellaneda.[12]

References

  1. ↑ "Hoffenheim schnappt Zuculini" [Hoffenheim gets Zuculini] (in German). kicker. 26 June 2009. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  2. ↑ "Eichner trifft leidenschaftlichen Club ins Herz" [Eichner hits passionate club to the core] (in German). kicker. 24 October 2009. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  3. ↑ "El Zaragoza ficha a Zuculini" [Zaragoza signs Zuculini] (in Spanish). Marca. 12 August 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  4. ↑ "Ronaldo gets Madrid show underway". ESPN Soccernet. 28 August 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  5. ↑ "Zuculini renueva por tres temporadas" [Zuculini renews for three seasons] (in Spanish). Real Zaragoza. 5 July 2012. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  6. ↑ "Zaragoza nets first win". ESPN FC. 10 December 2012. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  7. ↑ "Zuculini, intervenido en Buenos Aires de una rotura de ligamento cruzado" [Zuculini underwent cruciate ligament rupture surgery in Buenos Aires] (in Spanish). Marca. 9 February 2013. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  8. ↑ "Zuculini firmó por seis meses" [Zuculini signed for six months] (in Spanish). Arsenal de Sarandí. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  9. ↑ "Zuculini al Bologna" [Zuculini to Bologna] (in Italian). Bologna F.C. 8 July 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  10. ↑ "Ufficiale: Zuculini al Verona / VIDEO" [Official: Zuculini joins Verona / VIDEO] (in Italian). Hellas Verona F.C. 8 July 2016. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  11. ↑ "Previa amistoso: La Argentina 'local' de Maradona enfrenta a Panamá" [Friendly preview: Maradona's 'local' Argentina takes on Panama] (in Spanish). Goal.com. 20 May 2009. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  12. ↑ "Franco & Bruno Zuculini to play together for the first time for Racing Club". Goal.com. 12 May 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
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