Juan Arango


Juan Fernando Arango Sáenz is a Venezuelan former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. Arango was considered by some in the sport as the greatest Venezuelan footballer of all time.
He spent the better part of his professional career in La Liga with Mallorca, appearing in 196 official games, and also played several years with Borussia Mönchengladbach for which he signed at the age of 29.
Arango was Venezuela's record holder in international caps and goals for several years, scoring 22 times in 129 matches between 1999 and 2015. He represented the nation in six Copa América tournaments.
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Club career

Early years and Mallorca

Arango's parents hailed from Colombia, having immigrated to Venezuela before he was born, in the city of Maracay. He started playing as a professional at the age of sixteen with Nueva Cádiz FC, which ascended to the Venezuelan Primera División the following season under the name Zulia FC.
The following year, Arango joined Caracas FC but, after six months playing with the team he was bought by Mexico's C.F. Monterrey. He represented two other clubs in the latter country, C.F. Pachuca and Puebla FC, until 2004, when he joined La Liga side RCD Mallorca in Spain on a one-year link, with an option for a further three.
On 20 March 2005, Arango suffered a serious injury after a brutal collision with Sevilla FC's Javi Navarro. He fell unconscious, broke his cheekbone, swallowed his tongue and got serious cuts in his face; he returned to play a month later and, in the following season, was the team's top scorer with 11 league goals.
In 2006, EFE chose Arango as the third best Latin American player in the Spanish league, with the first place taken by Pablo Aimar. The following year, he also obtained a Spanish passport, in March. On 9 March 2008, he scored his first hat-trick for Mallorca, in a 7–1 home thrashing of Recreativo de Huelva, with teammate Dani Güiza – who finished as the campaign's Pichichi – adding two; he only missed one league game from 2005 to 2008 combined.

Borussia Mönchengladbach

On 26 June 2009, as his contract was due to expire at the end of 2009–10, Arango was sold to Borussia Mönchengladbach for €3.6 million, penning a three-year contract. In his third season in the Bundesliga he netted six goals in 34 games and also provided 12 assists, as his team finished fourth and qualified for the UEFA Champions League.
On 10 December 2012, Gladbach manager Lucien Favre hailed Arango as one of the best left-footed players in the world, after the Venezuelan scored a 48-yard stunner in a 2–0 defeat of 1. FSV Mainz 05 the previous day. In the following year, he was ranked as the most popular footballer in the world by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics.
Arango scored his first goal of the 2013–14 campaign on 24 August 2013, but in a 2–4 away defeat to Bayer 04 Leverkusen. He also found the net in his team's next league fixture, opening the scoring in a 4–1 home success over SV Werder Bremen.

Tijuana

Arango returned to Mexico at the age of 34, signing with Club Tijuana on 22 May 2014. In April of the following year, he was handed a two-match ban by the Mexican Football Federation after footage showed him biting Monterrey player Jesús Zavala in an action that eluded the referee.

Late career

On 28 January 2016, Arango joined the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League. Aged 36, he returned to both his country and Zulia one year later.
Arango then had another spell with the Cosmos, leaving in January 2018.

International career

At the 2004 Copa América, Arango appeared in all three group stage matches for Venezuela. In the 2007 edition, held in his country, he helped the national team finish first in the group stage, and scored in the quarterfinals against Uruguay, but in a 4–1 defeat.
Also in that year, Arango was chosen national team captain by newly appointed coach César Farías. In the 2011 Copa América in Argentina, he helped the Vinotinto to a best-ever fourth-place finish in the continental competition, scoring in the third-place match, a 1–4 loss against Peru for what was his 100th cap.
In his 116th international appearance, Arango levelled the record for the most goals scored for Venezuela with 22 goals, scoring in the 56th minute against Bolivia in a 1–1 draw for the 2014 FIFA World Cup 2014 FIFA [World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)|qualifiers] on 7 June 2013.

Style of play

A left-footed playmaker, who was known for his technical skills, leadership and ability both to score and create goals, courtesy of his striking ability, crossing and passing, Arango was a classic number ten, who was capable of playing both as an attacking midfielder and as a winger. Nicknamed Arangol, he was also a dead ball specialist, who was highly regarded by pundits for his exceptional accuracy from free kicks and his ability to bend the ball.

Personal life

Arango is the son-in law of Argenis Tortolero, brother-in-law of Edson Tortolero, and father of Juan Arango Jr., all of whom were professional footballers.

Career statistics

International

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
124 April 2001Pueblo Nuevo, San Cristóbal, Venezuela2–12–22002 World Cup qualification
24 September 2001Estadio Nacional, Santiago, Chile2–02–02002 World Cup qualification
330 April 2003Pueblo Nuevo, San Cristóbal, Venezuela1–03–0Friendly
430 April 2003Pueblo Nuevo, San Cristóbal, Venezuela2–03–0Friendly
57 June 2003Lockhart Stadium, Fort Lauderdale, United States2–12–1Friendly
615 November 2003Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez, Barranquilla, Colombia1–01–02006 World Cup qualification
718 November 2003José Pachencho Romero, Maracaibo, Venezuela2–12–12006 World Cup qualification
819 February 2004Estadio Olímpico, Caracas, Venezuela1–11–1Friendly
93 March 2004Centenario, Montevideo, Uruguay3–03–02006 World Cup qualification
1028 April 2004Independence Park, Kingston, Jamaica1–21–2Friendly
1123 September 2005José Pachencho Romero, Maracaibo, Venezuela2–12–12006 World Cup qualification
1224 March 2007Metropolitano, Mérida, Venezuela1–03–1Friendly
137 July 2007Pueblo Nuevo, San Cristóbal, Venezuela1–11–42007 Copa América
1419 June 2008Estadio Olímpico, Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela2–22–32010 World Cup qualification
1515 October 2008Estadio Olímpico, Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela3–13–12010 World Cup qualification
1631 March 2009Polideportivo Cachamay, Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela2–02–02010 World Cup qualification
1713 October 2010Olímpico Benito Juárez, Ciudad Juárez, Mexico1–02–2Friendly
1813 October 2010Olímpico Benito Juárez, Ciudad Juárez, Mexico2–12–2Friendly
1923 July 2011Ciudad de la Plata, La Plata, Argentina1–21–42011 Copa América
207 September 2012Estadio Nacional, Lima, Peru1–01–22014 World Cup qualification
2116 October 2012Estadio Olímpico, Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela1–01–12014 World Cup qualification
227 June 2013Hernando Siles, La Paz, Bolivia1–01–12014 World Cup qualification

Honours

Pachuca
New York Cosmos
Individual