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Franco Zuculini

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Franco Zuculini
Zuculini in 2023
Personal information
Date of birth (1990-09-05) 5 September 1990 (age 34)
Place of birth La Rioja, Argentina
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Youth career
Racing Club
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2009 Racing Club 38 (2)
2009–2012 1899 Hoffenheim 7 (1)
2010–2011 → Genoa (loan) 4 (0)
2011 → Racing Club (loan) 15 (0)
2011–2012 → Zaragoza (loan) 21 (0)
2012–2013 Zaragoza 16 (1)
2014 Arsenal Sarandí 12 (0)
2014–2016 Bologna 29 (3)
2016–2018 Verona 25 (0)
2018–2019 Colón 15 (0)
2019–2020 Venezia 18 (0)
2020–2021 Defensor Sporting 13 (1)
2021–2023 SPAL 9 (0)
International career
2007 Argentina U17 4 (0)
2009 Argentina U20 6 (0)
2009 Argentina 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19 May 2023

Franco Zuculini (born 5 September 1990) is an Argentine footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder.

Club career

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Racing Club

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Born in La Rioja, Zuculini made his professional debut with Racing Club de Avellaneda on 13 April 2008 at not yet 18, starting in a 1–0 home win against Arsenal de Sarandí for the Primera División championship.

He appeared in 29 league matches and scored two goals in his first full season, helping his team narrowly avoid relegation.

Hoffenheim

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On 26 June 2009, Zuculini signed with TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in Germany.[1] He appeared in only seven Bundesliga games during his short spell, scoring on 24 October in a 3–0 home victory over 1. FC Nürnberg after coming on as a second half substitute.[2]

Subsequently, Zuculini began a series of loans which saw him appear for Genoa C.F.C. in Italy, former club Racing and Spain's Real Zaragoza.[3]

Real Zaragoza

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On 12 August 2011, Zaragoza announced the signing of Zuculini on a season-long loan, with a view to a permanent transfer later in the year.[4] He made his La Liga debut 16 days later, starting and featuring 52 minutes in a 0–6 home loss to Real Madrid.[5]

Zuculini agreed to a three-year deal with the Aragonese in the subsequent off-season,[6] He opened his scoring account (two in all competitions) for the side on 10 December 2012 in a 2–0 away defeat of Rayo Vallecano which was also the 5,000 goal in their history,[7] being released at the end of the campaign after it ended in relegation.[3]

Arsenal de Sarandí

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In February 2013, Zuculini suffered a knee ligament injury that ended his season.[8] While recovering from the operation, Arsenal de Sarandí allowed him to get into exercise programs and train along with the team players; in January 2014, after a nearly one-year period of inactivity, he signed for six months with the club.[9]

Return to Italy

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On 8 July 2014, Zuculini joined Italian side Bologna F.C. 1909 on a two-year contract.[10] He scored three times from 28 appearances in his first season, helping to promotion to Serie A.

Exactly two years after arriving at the Stadio Renato Dall'Ara, Zuculini returned to the Serie B when he signed for Hellas Verona F.C.[11] as a free agent[12][13] on a reported one-year contract, with an option for another year.[14] On 12 July 2017, he agreed to a new two-year deal.[15]

Later years

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Zuculini returned to his homeland after four years on 27 July 2018, joining Club Atlético Colón for free.[16] He went back to the Italian second division one year later, agreeing to a one-year deal at Venezia F.C. with an option for a second one.[17]

On 26 August 2021, he returned to Italy once again and signed a two-year contract with SPAL.[18]

International career

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In January 2009, Zuculini was selected for the Argentina under-20 team for the 2009 South American Youth Championship in Venezuela. He was named by full side manager Diego Maradona in a squad of 14 local players in late May of that year,[19] and made his debut on the 20th – aged just 18 – in a friendly with Panama (3–1 win in Santa Fe).[20]

Personal life

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Zuculini's younger brother, Bruno, is also a footballer and a midfielder. He too represented Racing de Avellaneda.[21][22]

References

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  1. ^ "Hoffenheim schnappt Zuculini" [Hoffenheim get Zuculini] (in German). kicker. 26 June 2009. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  2. ^ "Eichner trifft leidenschaftlichen Club ins Herz" [Eichner hits passionate club to the core] (in German). kicker. 24 October 2009. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  3. ^ a b Blasco Varón, Christian (18 February 2015). "Yo jugué en el Real Zaragoza: Franco Zuculini" [I played for Real Zaragoza: Franco Zuculini] (in Spanish). Vavel. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  4. ^ "El Zaragoza ficha a Zuculini" [Zaragoza sign Zuculini]. Marca (in Spanish). 12 August 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  5. ^ "Ronaldo gets Madrid show underway". ESPN Soccernet. 28 August 2011. Archived from the original on 2 November 2012. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  6. ^ "Zuculini renueva por tres temporadas" [Zuculini renews for three seasons] (in Spanish). Real Zaragoza. 5 July 2012. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  7. ^ "Zaragoza nets first win". ESPN FC. 10 December 2012. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  8. ^ "Zuculini, intervenido en Buenos Aires de una rotura de ligamento cruzado" [Zuculini underwent cruciate ligament rupture surgery in Buenos Aires]. Marca (in Spanish). 9 February 2013. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  9. ^ "Zuculini firmó por seis meses" [Zuculini signed for six months] (in Spanish). Arsenal Sarandí. 23 January 2014. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 25 January 2014.
  10. ^ "Zuculini al Bologna" [Zuculini to Bologna] (in Italian). Bologna F.C. 1909. 8 July 2014. Archived from the original on 14 July 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  11. ^ "Ufficiale: Zuculini al Verona / VIDEO" [Official: Zuculini to Verona / VIDEO] (Press release) (in Italian). Hellas Verona F.C. 8 July 2016. Archived from the original on 11 July 2016. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  12. ^ "Calcio Mercato – Campionato Serie B 2015/2016" [Transfer Market – Serie B Championship 2015/2016] (in Italian). Lega Serie B. 26 July 2016. Archived from the original on 27 July 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  13. ^ "Zuculini al Verona dopo il 30 giugno" [Zuculini to Verona after 30 June] (in Italian). Bologna: Tutto Bologna Web. 24 June 2016. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  14. ^ "Zuculini al Verona, la formula" [Zuculini to Verona, the formula] (in Italian). Verona: Hellas 1903. 13 June 2016. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  15. ^ "Bentornati Alex Ferrari Franco Zuculini" [Welcome back Alex Ferrari Franco Zuculini] (Press release) (in Italian). Hellas Verona F.C. 12 July 2017. Archived from the original on 17 July 2017. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  16. ^ Maschio, Tommaso (27 July 2018). "UFFICIALE: Colon, arriva l'ex Hellas Franco Zuculini" [OFFICIAL: Colon, Franco Zuculini formerly of Hellas arrives] (in Italian). Tutto Mercato Web. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  17. ^ Maschio, Tommaso (25 July 2019). "UFFICIALE: Venezia, in mezzo al campo arriva Franco Zuculini" [OFFICIAL: Venezia, Franco Zuculini arrives to midfield] (in Italian). Tutto Mercato Web. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  18. ^ "IL CENTROCAMPISTA FRANCO ZUCULINI IN BIANCAZZURRO" (in Italian). SPAL. 26 August 2021. Archived from the original on 28 August 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  19. ^ "Previa amistoso: La Argentina 'local' de Maradona enfrenta a Panamá" [Friendly preview: Maradona's 'local' Argentina take on Panama] (in Spanish). Goal. 20 May 2009. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
  20. ^ "Con destellos, la Argentina venció a Panamá 3 a 1" [With flashes, Argentina beat Panama 3 to 1]. La Nación (in Spanish). 20 May 2009. Archived from the original on 16 November 2018. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  21. ^ "Zuculini hermanos, buscados en Europa" [Zuculini brothers, coveted in Europe]. Clarín (in Spanish). 3 June 2009. Retrieved 30 October 2017.
  22. ^ Edwards, Daniel (12 May 2011). "Franco & Bruno Zuculini to play together for the first time for Racing Club". Goal. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
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