Biography
Who is Carlos Sánchez?
Early life and real name
Carlos Sánchez Alberto Sánchez Moreno was born on February 6, 1986, in Quibdó, Colombia. He grew up in the country and later moved to a football school in Medellín to pursue his athletic career. His strength on the pitch eventually earned him the nickname La Roca, which translates to The Rock.
He moved abroad to Uruguay to join Danubio, where he signed his first professional contract in 2003 as a teammate of Edinson Cavani. After leaving that club without making a first team appearance, he joined River Plate Montevideo in 2005. He played in forty matches during his two-year spell there and scored one goal.
Club career in Europe
In July 2007, Carlos moved to French side Valenciennes on a five-year deal. He became an important player for the team in Ligue 1, making 178 appearances and scoring ten goals across six seasons. In March 2010, he suffered a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury that kept him sidelined for nearly a year. After a brief period away, he rejoined Valenciennes in August 2012 before moving on to Spanish club Elche in 2013 for a fee of 3.7 million euros.
In August 2014, Carlos signed a four-year contract with English Premier League club Aston Villa for a reported fee of around 4.7 million pounds. During his time with Aston Villa, he scored his first goal against Manchester City and played as a substitute in the 2015 FA Cup Final. Following Villa's relegation, he joined Italian club Fiorentina on loan in August 2016, a move that was later made permanent. He also had loan spells and permanent stints with Espanyol, West Ham United, and Watford before eventually continuing his career elsewhere.
International career
Carlos made his senior international debut for Colombia against Panama on May 9, 2007. He established himself as a regular starter in defensive midfield, playing a crucial role that allowed teammates like James Rodríguez and Juan Cuadrado to push forward into attacking positions. He featured in all five matches for Colombia during the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
He also represented his country in multiple editions of the Copa América, helping the squad reach the quarter-finals in 2011 and 2014, and finishing in third place during the 2016 Copa América Centenario. During the 2018 FIFA World Cup, he received a red card in a match against Japan and later faced harsh public scrutiny. Despite these challenges, he earned over 80 caps for his national team throughout his career.
Birthday and age
Carlos Sánchez was born on February 6, 1986, which makes Carlos 40 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aquarius sign. Carlos shares the date with 35 other famous people.
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