Ezequiel Iván Lavezzi ( american english spanish : [ eseˈkjel iˈβan laˈβesi ] ; born 3 May 1985 ) is an Argentine erstwhile professional football player who played as a forward. During his career, his most authoritative attributes were his footstep, hardworking style of gambling, proficiency, creativity, and dribbling ability ; although he was normally deployed as a winger, he was besides used as a second striker or as an attacking midfielder on occasion. [ 2 ] [ 3 ] He began his career at Estudiantes ( BA ), and after one season was signed by Genoa, who loaned him to San Lorenzo, where he finally moved on a permanent basis. In 2007, he was signed by Napoli where he won the 2012 Coppa Italia. His performances there earned him a €26.5 million move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2012, where he made over 150 appearances for the club and won three Ligue 1 championships, two Coupes de la Ligue and one Coupe de France. He finished his career in China, where he played for Hebei China Fortune from 2016 to 2019.
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Lavezzi represented the Argentina national team from 2007 to 2016. He was share of their team which won an Olympic gold decoration in 2008, and besides helped them reach the finals of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, the 2015 Copa América and the Copa América Centenario .
Club career [edit ]
Estudiantes ( BA ) [edit ]
Lavezzi moved to the youth side of Estudiantes ( BA ) in 2003 where, over one season, he played 39 games and scored 17 goals. [ 4 ]
San Lorenzo [edit ]
Known as el Pocho or the Chubby One, [ 5 ] he was bought by italian side Genoa in 2004 for €1 million, [ 4 ] but was loaned out straight-away to Argentina side San Lorenzo. [ 6 ] here at the age of 19, he competed in the Apertura 2004 tournament scoring eight goals in sum over the course of the season ; which saw him finish as 4th top scorer. Lavezzi ‘s most celebrated contributions included a outstanding feat against River Plate at River Plate Stadium. He scored in the 69th moment to give San Lorenzo a celebrated victory and seriously damage River ‘s deed challenge. This gained him the dub la Bestia ( “ the Beast ” ) from the Argentine media. [ 4 ] Although it was planned for Lavezzi to return to Genoa after a season on loan, there were problems : while Lavezzi was playing in Argentina, Genoa were involved in an alleged match-fixing scandal which saw them relegated down to Serie C1, the third level of italian football. Due to fiscal constraints, the promising forward was sold to San Lorenzo for €1.2 million. [ 7 ] On his return to San Lorenzo for the Apertura 2005 season, he managed to help the baseball club improving into the top half of the mesa, and with eight goals, he finished as the overall one-fourth top scorer. His last act as a San Lorenzo player was to help them to the Clausura 2007 title, beating out Boca Juniors by six points .
naples [edit ]
Lavezzi with Napoli in 2009. Napoli had recently achieved promotion second to Serie A, after finishing as runner-up the former temper in Serie B. Looking to strengthen their police squad for a render to the top level, Napoli signed Lavezzi on a five-year abridge on 5 July 2007. [ 8 ] The transfer deal was deserving around €6 million and he was presented before the fans and given the number seven shirt for his first season. Lavezzi soon made an shock for the club by scoring a hat-trick in a 3–1 victory over Pisa in the Coppa Italia at the Stadio San Paolo ; this was the first hat-trick by a Napoli player in 14 years. [ 9 ] The first league goal Lavezzi scored for Napoli came during a 5–0 victory against Udinese on 2 September 2007. After the match, he was described in reports as “ inspirational, ” [ 10 ] with the media proclaim, “ Napoli ‘s headliner is born. ” [ 10 ] The Neapolitan club had n’t won a league match by such a large margin since 1988, when Diego Maradona was at the club. [ 11 ] The media, as they tend to do to many predict young Argentine players who appear in Italy, have been quick to dub Lavezzi the “ New Maradona “. [ 12 ] [ 13 ] [ 14 ] Lavezzi himself, however, played this down, alternatively comparing himself to another Argentine actor, Carlos Tevez. [ 15 ] He completed the 2007–08 temper with eight goals in 35 games. He quickly became a focal point of the fans ‘ affection with his promptly feet and edge around the box. In the 2008–09 season, he scored seven goals in 30 games. In the season 2009–10 he scored eight goals in 30 games but missed round 10 games because of injuries. Lavezzi stayed at Napoli for the 2010–11 season but was handed the number 22 new jersey after he gave his number seven to recently signed striker Edinson Cavani as a welcome gesticulate. [ citation needed ] In the lapp season, he scored two goals in the UEFA Europa League, against IF Elfsborg and Liverpool respectively, scored six and assisted a far 12 in the Serie A, while besides finding the rear of the net in a Coppa Italia match against Bologna. Lavezzi scored his foremost finish of the 2011–12 campaign in a command 3–1 victory over Cesena on 10 September, opening the score in the one-third minute after controlling a long-ball from Hugo Campagnaro. [ 16 ] Lavezzi was named “ Man of the Match ” as he volleyed in a lob pass from strike collaborator Edinson Cavani to send Napoli to a 2–0 victory over Udinese on 26 October. [ 17 ] soon before the winter break, Lavezzi netted once and provided an help for one of Cavani ‘s goals as Napoli outclassed Lecce 4–2. [ 18 ]
Lavezzi in 2009, during his spell with Napoli In Napoli ‘s commanding 3–0 victory over Fiorentina on 17 February 2012, Lavezzi rounded off the marking in the 90th minute with a long-range goal. [ 19 ] Four days later, he scored his first two Champions League goals ; they came in a 3–1 first branch victory over Chelsea in the Round of 16. [ 20 ] The following Sunday, on 26 February, Lavezzi scored the alone goal of the game as Napoli defeated Internazionale and climbed improving to fifth set in the Serie A standings. [ 21 ] Lavezzi popped up in the 86th minute to score the winning goal against Parma on 4 March 2012, though the result was controversial, as Lavezzi appeared to be in an offside position. [ 22 ] Lavezzi netted a punishment and provided an help as Napoli tore apart Cagliari 6–3 on 9 March to warm up for their Round of 16 irregular peg tie against Chelsea. [ 23 ] Lavezzi scored his ninth and final examination Serie A goal of the season in a 3–1 loss to Atalanta on 11 April after receiving the ball from Goran Pandev and pushing it past goalkeeper Andrea Consigli. [ 24 ] Lavezzi won his inaugural man of silverware with Napoli on 20 May 2012 as the club defeated Juventus 2–0 in the Coppa Italia final examination. [ 25 ] During the couple, Lavezzi was fouled in the penalty corner by Juventus goalkeeper Marco Storari, and Napoli were awarded a penalty, which Edinson Cavani dispatched to give Napoli their first goal and set the club on their way to their beginning trophy in more than 20 years. [ 26 ]
Paris Saint-Germain [edit ]
Lavezzi in PSG ‘s Champions League quarter-final against Chelsea in April 2014 On 2 July 2012, Ligue 1 golf club Paris Saint-Germain confirmed that they had agreed with Napoli to a €26.5 million transportation fee for the rights to Lavezzi and signed him to a four-year conduct, reportedly worth up to €30 million. [ 27 ] On 11 August, Lavezzi made his PSG debut against FC Lorient in a 2–2 draw in the opening match of the 2012–13 Ligue 1 temper. [ 28 ] His first two goals for PSG came on 21 November in the Champions League, securing reservation to the Round of 16 with a 0–2 away victory over Dynamo Kyiv. [ 29 ] Lavezzi scored his third Champions League goal for PSG on 4 December, netting at the about post of FC Porto goalkeeper Helton shortly after the hour chump ; the 2–1 defeat of the portuguese champions ensured PSG exceed spot in the group. [ 30 ] His first base league goal came four days late, on 8 December, in PSG ‘s 4–0 defeat of Evian at the Parc des Princes. [ 31 ] On 11 December, Lavezzi scored PSG ‘s fourth goal, after a Zlatan Ibrahimović hat-trick, as the capital club handed Valenciennes FC their first gear home plate defeat of the season. [ 32 ] On 12 February 2013, Lavezzi scored the opening goal against Valencia CF in the Champions League Round of 16, helping PSG impregnable a 1–2 first gear leg away victory. [ 33 ] Lavezzi secured the bind, equalizing the game at 1–1 and giving the french side a 3–2 aggregate win, advancing to the quarter-finals of the Champions League for the first time since 1995. [ 34 ] Lavezzi scored the 83rd-minute winner in a 3–2 succeed at Metz on 21 November 2014 to put PSG into first position in Ligue 1 ahead of Marseille. [ 35 ]
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In January 2015, Lavezzi and Edinson Cavani were fined and suspended for two matches by PSG director Laurent Blanc for missing a mid-season education camp in Morocco and the first gear aim session after the fail. [ 36 ] On 25 April 2015, Lavezzi scored a hat-trick in PSG ‘s 6–1 kill of Lille. [ 37 ] On 16 May, he scored the winning finish in a 2–1 win at Montpellier to confirm a third base straight french league title for Paris Saint-Germain. [ 38 ]
Hebei China Fortune [edit ]
On 17 February 2016, Lavezzi signed with Hebei China Fortune on a biennial bargain where it is reported he would earn £10 million a year. [ 39 ] due to picking up an injury in June 2016 on international duty for Argentina in the Copa América, Lavezzi was restricted to just 10 appearances in his debut season for Hebei China Fortune. In May 2017, Lavezzi took separate in a taiwanese Super League photograph session, in which he pulled his eyes back in one photograph, a present he was reportedly told to perform by the cameraman present. This prompted a huge backfire on social media, with chinese people and others accusing Lavezzi of racism. Lavezzi by and by apologized for this incident. [ 40 ] [ 41 ] On 27 November 2019, Lavezzi scored his last goal for the club in the 1–3 personnel casualty against Guangzhou Evergrande. He announced his retirement shortly after the pit. [ 42 ]
International career [edit ]
Lavezzi playing for Argentina in 2011. Lavezzi made his external debut for the Argentine national team against Chile on 18 April 2007. In 2008, Lavezzi was selected to the Olympic football team, which represented Argentina at the 2008 Olympics. [ 43 ] During the Olympic games, he scored two goals, one against Australia on 10 August 2008 and a penalty against Serbia on 13 August 2008. Lavezzi besides appeared in the final minutes of supernumerary time of the gold-medal match against Nigeria, which Argentina won 1–0. [ 44 ] [ 45 ] Lavezzi ‘s clubhouse human body was not enough to see him included in Diego Maradona ‘s 2010 FIFA World Cup police squad, a surprise excommunication along with Newcastle United defender Fabricio Coloccini. [ 46 ] On 17 November 2010, Argentina faced Brazil in a friendly match in Qatar, in which Argentina won by a goal from Lionel Messi in injury time after a brilliant one-two play with Lavezzi. [ 47 ] He has since become a regular penis for the senior home team under Sergio Batista, who managed Lavezzi at the 2008 Olympics. He was named in Argentina ‘s 2011 Copa América team by Batista. [ 48 ] In Argentina ‘s final pre-tournament warm-up game, he scored the possibility goal in a friendly match played against Albania on 21 June 2011 – the match ended 4–0 in favor of Argentina and was Lavezzi ‘s first goal for the national slope. [ 49 ] In the final tournament on home plate land, Lavezzi made three appearances in the group stage, [ 50 ] but was suspended for the quarter-final match, [ 51 ] in which the hosts were knocked out by the eventual champions Uruguay on penalties. [ 52 ] Lavezzi was chosen by new director Alejandro Sabella for Argentina ‘s 23-man 2014 FIFA World Cup squad. He made six appearances throughout the tournament, [ 53 ] setting up Messi ‘s match-winning finish against Iran after coming off the bench, [ 54 ] equally well as Rojo ‘s goal against Nigeria. [ 55 ] In the concluding against Germany he set up a goal for Higuaín, but it was correctly ruled off-side ; Lavezzi was replaced by Sergio Agüero at half-time, and Argentina were defeated 1–0 in extra meter. [ 56 ] Lavezzi was a member of the Argentina squad that reached the final of the 2015 Copa América, entirely to be defeated by hosts Chile on penalties. [ 57 ] In May 2016, Lavezzi was included in Gerardo Martino ‘s concluding 23-man Argentina squad for the Copa América Centenario. [ 58 ] Lavezzi made his first start of the tournament in Argentina ‘s final group match against Bolivia on 14 June, scoring a goal and setting up another in a 3–0 win ; [ 59 ] he was named Man of the Match. [ 60 ] In the semi-finals of the tournament, a 4–0 win against the hosts United States, Lavezzi opened the grade in the third infinitesimal of play and late set up Gonzalo Higuaín ‘s first goal, although he broke his leave elbow after he tumbled over the ad boarding while chasing the ball. [ 61 ] due to this wound he was ruled out of the concluding against Chile where Argentina were defeated 2–4 on penalties following a 0–0 pull after extra clock time. [ 62 ]
expressive style of bring [edit ]
Lavezzi is known for his pace, acceleration, energy, uncompromising physique, bowel movement, and hardworking style of play, deoxyadenosine monophosphate well as his proficiency, creativity, quick feet, dribbling ability, and edge around the box ; he is besides a good shooter. ESPN has described Lavezzi as being “ excellent at roaming and finding space in the opening between the confrontation ‘s midfield and defense. He has excellent yard and crossing ability and is besides ace at beating an opposition or drawing a dirty in dangerous areas. He is considered a choice musician physically, tactically and technically. ” [ 14 ] [ 15 ] [ 63 ] [ 64 ] A versatile forward, although he is normally deployed as a winger on either flank, due to his ability with either foot, he has besides been used as a second hitter or as an attacking midfielder on occasion, due to his ability to both score goals and create chances for his teammates. [ 2 ] [ 3 ] [ 65 ] [ 66 ] He has besides been used as a centre-forward, in a function which is known as a centravanti di manovra in italian football jargoon ( literally “ maneuvering centre-forward ” ), which is similar to the advanced false 9 function, ascribable to his ability to drop deep and open up defences. [ 67 ] In cattiness of his skill and abilities as a football player, he has been accused of being excessively erratic on the pitch at times, and has been criticised for arguing with officials. [ 5 ]
personal life [edit ]
Lavezzi is Catholic and has a tattoo of Jesus on his breast, a tattoo of the Virgin Mary on his right arm and a tattoo of a pair of rosary beads on his right abdomen. [ 68 ] [ 69 ] His nephew, Agustín, is besides a professional football player. [ 70 ]
career statistics [edit ]
club [edit ]
- As of 27 November 2019.[71][72]
International [edit ]
- As of match played 21 June 2016.[71]
National team
Year
Apps
Goals
Argentina
2007
2
0
2008
1
0
2009
3
0
2010
3
0
2011
7
2
2012
4
0
2013
8
2
2014
9
0
2015
11
3
2016
3
2
Total
51
9
International goals [edit ]
[ 71 ]
Honours [edit ]
club [edit ]
San Lorenzo [ 73 ]
Napoli [ 73 ]
Paris Saint-Germain [ 73 ]
Read more: Lille OSC
International [edit ]
Argentina [ 73 ]