Biography
Who is Antolín Alcaraz?
Early life and beginnings
Antolín Alcaraz Viveros was born in the town of San Roque González de Santa Cruz, Paraguay. During his teenage years, he worked as a builder's assistant in his hometown. He did not initially plan to pursue a career in professional sports. His start in football came at Club Teniente Fariña in Ñemby.
At the age of 18, while still employed as a builder, he met an agent named Carlos Bruni. This meeting led him to Argentina to join Racing Club de Avellaneda. He played very few matches during his time there. He was loaned to the Italian club ACF Fiorentina in 2002, but the team faced bankruptcy shortly after his arrival. He also participated in a trial at U.S. Città di Palermo, though it did not result in a permanent contract.
Professional club career in Europe
In January 2003, he signed with the Portuguese side S.C. Beira-Mar. After a brief period, he became a consistent starter for the club. By the 2005–06 season, he played 31 matches and helped the team secure a return to the Primeira Liga. In 2007, he moved to Belgium to play for Club Brugge K.V., where he eventually earned a spot as a first-choice defender.
Antolín Alcaraz moved to the English Premier League in 2010 to join Wigan Athletic on a free transfer. He scored his first goal for the club against Sunderland in September 2010. During his time at Wigan, he was involved in an incident where he was accused of spitting at Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Richard Stearman, which resulted in a three-game suspension. In 2013, he helped Wigan Athletic win the FA Cup by playing the full match in their victory over Manchester City. However, the team was relegated from the top division three days later.
International play and return to Paraguay
Alcaraz received his first call-up to the Paraguay national team in 2008 at the age of 26. He was selected for the 2010 FIFA World Cup squad. In the group stage match against Italy, he scored a goal with a header, helping his team secure a draw. He played in all matches for the quarter-finalists, missing only one due to suspension.
He was also a key player for Paraguay during the 2011 Copa América tournament held in Argentina. He scored an equalizer against Venezuela during the group stage. During the quarter-final match against Brazil, he was sent off following an altercation with Lucas Leiva. Paraguay ultimately finished as the runners-up of the tournament.
Birthday and age
Antolín Alcaraz was born on July 30, 1982, which makes Antolín 44 years old today. That birthday falls under the Leo sign. Antolín shares the date with 74 other famous people.
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