Carlos Valderrama

Carlos Valderrama

Valderrama in 2016
Personal information
Full name	Carlos Alberto Valderrama Palacio
Date of birth	(1961-09-02) 2 September 1961 (age 62)
Place of birth	Santa Marta, Colombia
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[1][2]
Position(s)	Attacking midfielder
Youth career
	Liceo Celedón
	Unión Magdalena
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1980–1984	Unión Magdalena	94	(5)
1984–1985	Millonarios	33	(0)
1985–1987	Deportivo Cali	131	(22)
1987–1991	Montpellier	77	(4)
1991-1992	Real Valladolid	17	(1)
1992–1993	Independiente Medellín	10	(1)
1993–1995	Atlético Junior	82	(5)
1995–1997	Tampa Bay Mutiny	43	(7)
1996–1997	→ Deportivo Cali (loan)	19	(4)
1997–1999	Miami Fusion	24	(3)
1999–2001	Tampa Bay Mutiny	71	(5)
2001–2002	Colorado Rapids	39	(1)
Total		619	(54)
International career
1985–1998	Colombia	111	(11)
Managerial career
2007	Atlético Junior (assistant manager)
Medal record Representing  Colombia Copa América 1987 Argentina 1993 Ecuador 1995 Uruguay
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Carlos Alberto Valderrama Palacio (Colombian Spanish: [ˈkaɾlos alˈβeɾto βaldeˈrama paˈlasjo]; born 2 September 1961), also known as "El Pibe" ("The Kid"),^[3] is a Colombian former professional footballer and sports commentator for Fútbol de Primera, who played as an attacking midfielder. Valderrama is considered by many to be one of the greatest South American players in history and one of the best players of his era.^[4][5] In 2004, he was named by Pelé in the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players.^{[6][7][8][9][10][11]}

A creative playmaker, he is regarded as one of the best Colombian footballers of all time, and by some, as Colombia's greatest player ever. His distinctive hairstyle, as well as his precise passing and technical skills made him one of South America's most recognisable footballers in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He won the South American Footballer of the Year award in 1987 and 1993, He is the fifth highest assister in the history of national teams and the twelfth overall, including clubs, and in 1999, he was also named one of the top 100 players of the 20th century by World Soccer.

Valderrama was a member of the Colombia national football team from 1985 until 1998. He represented Colombia in 111 full internationals and scored 11 times, making him the second-most capped player in the country's history, behind only David Ospina.^[12] He played a major role during the golden era of Colombian football in the 1990s, representing his national side in three FIFA World Cups and five Copa América tournaments.

After spending most of his career playing club football in South America and Europe, towards the end of his career Valderrama played in Major League Soccer, joining the league in its first season. One of the most recognisable players in the league at the time of its inception, he helped popularise the league during the second half of the 1990s. To this day, he is an icon and is considered one of the most decorated players to ever play in MLS; in 2005, he was named to the MLS All-Time Best XI.^{[13][14][15][16][17]}