Juan Antonio Pizzi

Football player infobox
playername = Juan Antonio Pizzi


fullname = Juan Antonio Pizzi Torroja
height =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1968|6|7
cityofbirth = Santa Fe
countryofbirth = Argentina
currentclub =
position = Striker (retired)
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1988-1990
1990-1991
1991-1993
1993-1994
1994-1996
1996-1998
1998-1999
1999-2000
2000
2001
2002
clubs = Rosario Central
Deportivo Toluca
Tenerife
Valencia C.F.
Tenerife
FC Barcelona
River Plate
Rosario Central
FC Porto
Rosario Central
Villarreal
Total
caps(goals) = 057 0(27)
030 0(12)
068 0(30)
019 00(4)
073 0(46)
048 0(12)
017 00(6)
028 0(19)
011 00(3)
028 0(11)
013 00(1)
364 (160)
nationalyears = 1994-1998
nationalteam = Spain
nationalcaps(goals) = 022 00(8)
manageryears = 2005
2006-2007
managerclubs = Colón de Santa Fe
Universidad San Martin

Juan Antonio Pizzi Torroja (born June 7 1968 in Santa Fe, Argentina) is an Argentine retired professional football striker who played for club teams in Argentina, Mexico and Spain, as well as internationally for the Spanish national side.

He started his professional career with Rosario Central, before transferring to Mexican Deportivo Toluca. After only one season in Mexico he moved to Tenerife, where he played from 1991 to 1996, except for the 1993/1994 season when he played for Valencia CF.

Pizzi played 22 matches, between 1994 and 1998, for Spain scoring 8 goals, including one at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.

During the 1995/1996 season, while playing for CD Tenerife, he won the "Pichichi" with 31 goals in 41 matches, and obtained the European Golden Boot.

After the successful season with Tenerife, he transferred to FC Barcelona, and even though he only played 2 seasons with in the Catalonian team, scoring less goals than with Tenerife, he became very popular among the "Culé" fans.

With Barcelona he won the Supercopa de España in 1996, the European Super Cup and Copa del Rey in 1997, and in 1998 again the Copa del Rey, and his only La Liga title.

Perhaps the most remembered accomplishment by Barcelona's fans was the decisive goal in the 5-4 victory over Atlético Madrid in the Quarter final match of the Copa del Rey, after Barcelona trailed 3-0 at half-time.

After the 1998 Spanish title, returned to Argentina to play for River Plate, before playing again for Rosario Central. After a brief return to Europe, playing only 11 matches for FC Porto in Portugal Pizzi retired from professional football. After his retirement, he played Polo in Catalonia.

Together with Peruvian José del Solar, Pizzi coached Argentine first division's Colón de Santa Fe at the beginning of the Clausura 2005, but both were sacked after 3 losses in their first 3 matches.

On April 13, 2006 he became the coach of Universidad San Martin, in the Peruvian first division.

Career

External links

*es [http://www.futbolxxi.com/Futbolista.aspx?ID=8896&SEOFutbolista=Pizzi+Juan+Antonio Argentine Primera statistics]
* [http://www.argentinesoccer.com/crpizzen.html Pizzi's Club Statistics]
* [http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/pizzi-intlg.html Pizzi's Spanish national team Statistics]
* [http://elmundodeporte.elmundo.es/elmundodeporte/especiales/2001/08/liga/primera/equipos/villarreal/pizzi.html Pizzi File] es icon
* [http://www.terra.com/deportes/articulo/html/fox236215.htm] es icon