Juan Cuadrado

Juan Cuadrado

Cuadrado playing for Colombia against Brazil at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Personal information
Full name	Juan Guillermo Cuadrado Bello
Date of birth	(1988-05-26) 26 May 1988
Place of birth	Necoclí, Colombia
Height	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s)	Winger
Team information
Current team	Blackpool F.C.
Number	Undecided
Youth career
	Atlético Uraba
	Independiente Medellín
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2008–2009	Independiente Medellín	30	(2)
2009–2012	Udinese	20	(0)
2011–2012	→ Lecce (loan)	33	(3)
	Fiorentina
International career‡
	Colombia	31	(5)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11 May 2014 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 24 June 2014

Juan Guillermo Cuadrado Bello (locally [ˈhwaŋ ɡiˈʝermo kwaˈðɾaðo]; born 26 May 1988), usually referred to as just Cuadrado, is a Colombian footballer who plays as a winger for the English club Blackpool FC and the Colombian national team.

His pace and dribbling ability has allowed him to contribute greatly to both his club and national teams, while earning the reputation of one of world's most lethal players.

Cuadrado is famous for dancing in various styles when celebrating a goal.

Club career

Early career

Born in Necoclí, Cuadrado began his club career in Atlético Uraba. At Uraba, Cuadrado's preferred playing position was as a forward. However, due to the recommendation of club founder, Nelson Gallego, Cuadrado commenced to take on a midfielder role, preferably as a winger. Cuadrado's confidence and effectivity would later grant him ability to also act as a full-back. He later had a brief spell with no appearances at second division club, Rionegro, where he under the command of coach Víctor González Scott, but his potential was recognized by Juan José Peláez, who later proposed the idea of Cuadrado representing the colours of Independiente Medellin. He was eventually signed by Medellin in 2008, handing him the opportunity to play in the first division of Colombia. That same year, Cuadrado made his professional debut against Boyaca Chico, match where he would also score his first goal. Cuadrado lasted until 2009 at Medellin before making a leap into European football, most specifically the Italian Serie A.

Udinese

On 2 July 2009, Cuadrado signed for Italian Serie A side Udinese Calcio on a five-year deal. Nonetheless, the total amount of the transfer fee is unknown. On 1 November 2009, he played his first match for Udinese in a 1–1 draw with Chievo as a right wingback. In this match his countryman Cristián Zapata moved to a central defender and Dušan Basta who had been the primary right back was rested. Due to the fact that Cuadrado wasn't handed many minutes on the pitch, it was confirmed that he would be sent on loan to fellow Serie A team U.S. Lecce.

Loan to Lecce

On 3 August 2011, it was officially confirmed that Cuadrado would join Lecce for the 2011–12 season. He scored his first goal for the club against A.C. Cesena, the sole goal in 1-0 victory. Even though Cuadrado gave impressive performances, even being awarded as the player with most dribbling the whole season, Lecce finished 18th, thus being relegated from the Serie A. He later returned to Udinese to avoid playing in the second-tier of Italy.

Fiorentina

On 23 July 2012, Cuadrado completed a move to Serie A side Fiorentina. On 4 November 2012 he scored his first goal for the Florence club in a 4–1 victory at home to Cagliari. He finished the season with 5 goals and 6 assists, an integral part of a side that finished 4th in Serie A.

On 11 February 2014, Cuadrado scored Fiorentina's second goal of their 2-0 Coppa Italia semi-final second leg victory over his former club, Udinese, securing the Viola a 3-2 aggregate victory and a spot in the final.

On the 16 June 2014, Fiorentina agreed a deal to purchase full ownership over the sporting rights of Cuadrado's contract from Udinese.

Loan to Blackpool FC

On August 8th, in a somewhat surprising move Blackpool agreed a loan deal with his club for a period of 12 months. Cuadrado was quoted as saying "I wanted to ply my trade in England, and in order to get myself accustomed to the climate, I thought I could be a success in Blackpool".

International career

After being transferred to Udinese, Cuadrado received a spot in the Colombian starting XI in a game against Venezuela on 3 September 2010, he was the man of the match and scored the opening goal and his first with the national side. Colombia won 2–0 playing well.

Cuadrado was called up by José Pekerman, for a friendly against Mexico on 29 February 2012 taking place in Miami Gardens, Florida. He started the match and scored the second goal for the Colombian team who won the game 2–0. He scored his goal after receiving a pass from Pablo Armero into an empty goal.

On 2 June 2014, Cuadrado was named in Colombia's 23-man squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. In the third group match, a 4–1 defeat of Japan, he scored the team's opening goal from a penalty kick. He would end his World Cup campaign with 4 assists, tying with Toni Kroos as an assist leader.

Career statistics

Club

As of 11 May 2014

Club performance			League		Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Caps	Goals	Caps	Goals	Caps	Goals	Caps	Goals
Colombia			League		Cup		South America		Total
2008	Independiente Medellín	Primera A	21	2					21	2
2009			9	0			2	0	11	0
Italy			League		Coppa Italia		Europe		Total
2009–10	Udinese	Serie A	11	0	1	0			12	0
2010–11			9	0	3	0			12	0
2011–12	Lecce		33	3	0	0			33	3
2012–13	Fiorentina		36	5	4	0			40	5
2014-			Blackpool	36	5	4	0			40	5	Total	Colombia		30	2			2	0	32	2
Italy		121		19	11	1	8	3	140	23
Career total			151	21	11	1	10	3	172	25

International goals

Scores and results list Colombia's goal tally first.

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Final	Competition
1.	3 September 2010	Estadio José Antonio Anzoátegui, Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela	Venezuela	1–0	2–0	Friendly
2.	29 February 2012	Sun Life Stadium, Miami Gardens, United States	Mexico	2–0	2–0	Friendly
3.	14 November 2012	MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, United States	Brazil	1–0	1–1	Friendly
4.	6 June 2014	Estadio Pedro Bidegain, Buenos Aires, Argentina	Jordan	2–0	3–0	Friendly
5.	24 June 2014	Arena Pantanal, Cuiabá, Brazil	Japan	1–0	4–1	2014 FIFA World Cup

Personal life

Cuadrado was born in Necoclí to Marcela Bello Guerrero and Guillermo Cuadrado, a truck driver, and was raised in Tumaco. His father was shot during violence issues in Necoclí, when he was five years old. His mother stated in a Colombian Interview show that Cuadrado had to be a perfect student in order to be able to play soccer. Cuadrado lived with his family in Florence until his transfer to Blackpool in 2014.

External links

• Official DIM Site
• Juan Cuadrado at National-Football-Teams.com

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