Biography
Who is Juan Román Riquelme?
Early life and professional start
Juan Román Riquelme was born in San Fernando, Argentina. He started his path playing football for local clubs in that area. His talent led him to secure a trial with the junior teams of Argentinos Juniors. He eventually signed with that club and developed as a central midfielder. Boca Juniors and River Plate both scouted him while he was a youth player.
In 1996, the club transferred him to the Boca Juniors youth system for a fee of 800,000 US dollars. This move occurred following an operation insisted upon by trainer Carlos Salvador Bilardo.
Success at Boca Juniors
He made his first appearance for the senior team on November 10, 1996, in a match against Unión de Santa Fe. Two weeks later, he scored his first goal during a victory over Huracán. Under the leadership of coach Carlos Bianchi, he helped the team enter a highly successful era. They won three Argentine Primera División titles and two consecutive Copa Libertadores championships.
A major highlight occurred in Tokyo during the 2000 Intercontinental Cup when they defeated Real Madrid. He became a key figure in the team alongside teammates Guillermo Barros Schelotto and Martín Palermo. During the 2001 Copa Libertadores, he provided critical assists and goals to help his team defeat Palmeiras in the semifinals. He was recognized as the tournament MVP for his efforts.
European football career
In July 2002, he left for Spain to join Barcelona for a transfer fee of 11 million euros. His time there proved difficult due to a strained relationship with manager Louis van Gaal. He found himself deployed as a winger rather than his preferred central role.
Following this period, he joined Villarreal on a two-year loan. Playing with fellow countrymen like Rodolfo Arruabarrena and Juan Pablo Sorín, he thrived. The team achieved a third-place league finish in the 2004-05 La Liga season. They also reached the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in their history during the 2005-06 campaign. Spanish media awarded him the title of Most Artistic Player for his performance during the 2004-05 season.
National team achievements
Internationally, he represented Argentina in several major tournaments. He won the 1997 South American U-20 Championship and the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship held in Malaysia. He earned his first call-up to the senior national team in 1997.
Over the next eleven years, he appeared 57 times and scored 17 goals. He played for his country at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. One of his most well-known achievements involved captaining the team to a gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. He played alongside Lionel Messi during that successful campaign.
Retirement and current role
After returning to Boca Juniors in 2007, he helped the team win another Copa Libertadores title. He served as the top scorer and MVP of that specific tournament. He also secured two more Primera División titles, a Copa Argentina, and one Recopa Sudamericana.
Following a loss in the 2012 Copa Libertadores final, he left the club briefly before returning later that year. He eventually ended his playing career in 2015 while at Argentinos Juniors, his former youth club. He helped them achieve a return to the Primera División during the 2014 season. Today, he serves as the president of Boca Juniors.
Birthday and age
Juan Román Riquelme was born on June 24, 1978, which makes Juan 48 years old today. That birthday falls under the Cancer sign. Juan shares the date with 40 other famous people.
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