Marcelo Alejandro Estigarribia Balmori (born 21 September 1987) is a Paraguayan footballer who plays as a left winger for Sportivo Ameliano in the Primera División Paraguaya.

Marcelo Estigarribia
Estigarribia in 2013
Personal information
Full name Marcelo Alejandro Estigarribia Balmori
Date of birth (1987-09-21) 21 September 1987 (age 37)
Place of birth Fernando de la Mora, Paraguay
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Left winger
Team information
Current team
Sportivo Ameliano
Youth career
Unión Pacífico
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2006 Sport Colombia 10 (0)
2006–2008 Cerro Porteño 45 (6)
2008–2011 Le Mans 12 (0)
2010–2011Newell's Old Boys (loan) 45 (0)
2011–2021 Deportivo Maldonado 15 (2)
2011–2012Juventus (loan) 14 (1)
2012–2013Sampdoria (loan) 34 (2)
2013–2014Chievo Verona (loan) 16 (0)
2014–2015Atalanta (loan) 25 (2)
2016–2017Cerro Porteño (loan) 22 (1)
2017Chiapas (loan) 6 (1)
2017–2020Colón (loan) 66 (4)
2021Olimpia (loan) 15 (0)
2022 Sol de América 35 (3)
2023– Sportivo Ameliano 10 (0)
International career
2007 Paraguay U20
2008– Paraguay 32 (1)
Medal record
Representing  Paraguay
Copa América
Runner-up 2011 Argentina Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16 January 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 1 July 2013

Estigarribia has been known since youth as Chelo,[1] as a diminutive of his name Marcelo.[2] He also has an Italian passport by way of his mother.[3] At club level, Estigarribia has played for teams in Paraguay, France, Uruguay, Argentina, Italy, and Mexico. At international level, he has represented the Paraguay national football team, and was member of the squad that finished second at the 2011 Copa América.

Biography

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Estigarribia was born and raised in Fernando de la Mora, one kilometer away from the Paraguayan capital Asunción.[2] He comes from a strongly Catholic family.[2]

Club career

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Club Unión Pacífico

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Estigarribia started his career in the youth divisions of Club Unión Pacífico before moving to Sport Colombia where he made his professional debut at the age of 17.[4]

Le Mans

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In 2006, Estigarribia moved to Paraguayan side Cerro Porteño, and in August 2008 he was transferred to Le Mans of the Ligue 1.[5]

Newell's Old Boys

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On 27 December 2009, Estigarribia signed for Newell's Old Boys on loan from Le Mans for 18 months.[6] In June 2011, it was reported by the Daily Record that Scottish Premier League club Rangers were chasing Estigarribia when their boss Ally McCoist spent a week scouting in Argentina.[7]

Juventus

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On 28 August 2011, Estigarribia moved to Juventus FC on a season loan for a €500,000 fee, with an option of making the transfer permanent for €5 million at the end of the season, from a proxy club Deportivo Maldonado.[8][9] He made his debut as a substitute against Chievo and got his first start against Genoa. He scored his first goal for Juventus against Napoli where the match ended in a 3–3 tie.

Sampdoria

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On 4 August 2012, Estigarribia moved to U.C. Sampdoria on a season-long loan for a €700,000 fee, with the option of making his stay with Sampdoria permanent for €5 million at the end of the season.[10][11] He made his debut with Blucerchiati against A.C. Milan, winning 0–1.

Chiapas

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On 25 January 2017, Estigarribia joined Liga MX side Chiapas on loan from Deportivo Maldonado.[citation needed]

Colón

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On 22 August 2017, Estigarribia joined Argentine club Club Atlético Colón.[12]

Olimpia Asunción

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In January 2021, it was announced that Estigarribia signed a one-year agreement with Olimpia Asunción.[13] The club announced the signing through its official website.[14] His arrival at the club was through a request of the coach, the Argentine Nestor Gorosito, who stated that Estigarribia can be used in three positions.[14]

International career

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Estigarribia received his first senior international cap for Paraguay in a friendly match against Ivory Coast on 22 May 2008. He scored his first international goal in a friendly match against South Africa on 31 March 2010. His performances in the 2011 Copa América, where Paraguay went on to reach the final of the tournament, only to lose out 3–0 to Uruguay,[15] prompted Italian giants Juventus to make a move for him.[16]

Career statistics

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Club

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As of 24 April 2019[17][18]
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Le Mans 2008–09 Ligue 1 7 0 1 0 - - - - 8 0
2009–10 5 0 0 0 - - - - 5 0
Total 12 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 13 0
Newell's Old Boys (loan) 2009–10 Argentine Primera División 15 0 0 0 1 0 - - 16 0
2010–11 30 0 0 0 6 1 - - 36 1
Total 45 0 0 0 7 1 0 0 52 1
Juventus (loan) 2011–12 Serie A 14 1 4 0 - - - - 18 1
Sampdoria (loan) 2012–13 Serie A 34 2 1 0 - - - - 35 2
Chievo (loan) 2013–14 Serie A 16 0 1 0 - - - - 17 0
Atalanta (loan) 2013–14 Serie A 12 1 0 0 0 0 - - 12 1
2014–15 9 1 1 0 0 0 - - 10 1
2015–16 4 0 1 0 0 0 - - 5 0
Total 25 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 27 2
Cerro Porteño (loan) 2016 Paraguayan Primera División 22 1 0 0 15 0 - - 37 1
Chiapas (loan) 2016–17 Liga MX 6 1 3 0 0 0 - - 9 1
Colón (loan) 2017–18 Argentine Primera División 23 3 1 0 1 0 - - 25 3
2018–19 22 1 4 0 5 1 - - 31 2
Total 45 4 5 0 6 1 0 0 56 5
Career total 219 11 17 0 28 2 0 0 264 13

International goals

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Honours

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Juventus[17]

References

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  1. ^ ""Il violoncello" suona per la Juve". Juventus Football Club. 28 August 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
  2. ^ a b c Enrico Zambruno (December 2011). "Estigarribia: "Qui realizzerò il mio sueño"" (PDF). Hurrà Juventus. pp. 10–11. Retrieved 15 December 2011.
  3. ^ Andrea Bonino (25 August 2011). "Juve, esterni ok: ecco Estigarribia". La Gazzetta dello Sport. Retrieved 22 September 2011.
  4. ^ "Fútbol paraguayo: Marcelo Estigarribia se sumará al Le Mans". Espanol.upi.com. 30 July 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
  5. ^ ""Chelo" se hace francés". Abc.com.py. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
  6. ^ "El volante paraguayo Marcelo Estigarribia podría ir a Newells". Paraguay.com. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
  7. ^ "Rangers want Paraguay star Marcelo Estigarribia and Crystal Palace ace Neil Danns". Daily Record. 11 June 2011. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
  8. ^ "Agreement with Deportivo Maldonado for the temporary acquisition of the player Marcelo Estigarribia" (PDF). Juventus FC. 28 August 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 June 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
  9. ^ "Transferts – ETE Saison 2011/2012". LFP (France) (in French). Archived from the original on 15 October 2010. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
  10. ^ Futbol Italia Staff (4 August 2012). "Estigarribia from Juve to Samp?". Retrieved 5 August 2012.
  11. ^ "Estigarribia resta in Italia: è ormai fatta con la Sampdoria, si limano i dettagli". breakingnews. 4 August 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2012.
  12. ^ "Marcelo Estigarribia llega a Colón" (Press release) (in Spanish). Santa Fe, Santa Fe Province: Club Atlético Colón. 22 August 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  13. ^ Marcelo Estigarribia es nuevo refuerzo del Olimpia ultimahora.com [permanent dead link]
  14. ^ a b "Crónica / El Chelo Estigarribia ya es del Olimpia". 21 January 2021.
  15. ^ "Uruguay goleó a Paraguay y ganó la Copa América" (in Spanish). ESPN FC. 24 July 2011. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  16. ^ "Estigarribia flies in for Juve". Football Italia. 25 August 2011. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  17. ^ a b Marcelo Estigarribia at Soccerway. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
  18. ^ "Marcelo Estigarribia » Club matches". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
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