Diego Gavilán
Encyclopedia
Diego Antonio Gavilán Zarate (born 1 March 1980, Asunción
) is a Paraguay
an footballer. He currently plays for Juan Aurich
and the Paraguay national football team
.
, and he became the first ever Paraguayan to play in England, when he signed for Newcastle United
in 2000.
Gavilán cost Newcastle £2m when he left his native Paraguay behind at the age of just 19. He made his Premiership
debut in a 2-2 draw at Sunderland. He struggled however, to stake a real claim for a first team place, making some appearances for the club as a substitute. He scored once in the league, against Coventry in a 2-0 win in April 2000.
Gavilán was loaned out to Tecos UAG in Mexico for the year 2002, by which time he had played only two further games for the club.
In 2003, he joined Internacional
of Brazil. In 2006, Gavilán signed with the Argentinian side Newell's Old Boys
. He signed the following year with Grêmio, returning to the city of Porto Alegre
in Brazil
.
Gavilán then joined Independiente on loan, and is currently with Portuguesa until November.
Asunción
Asunción is the capital and largest city of Paraguay.The "Ciudad de Asunción" is an autonomous capital district not part of any department. The metropolitan area, called Gran Asunción, includes the cities of San Lorenzo, Fernando de la Mora, Lambaré, Luque, Mariano Roque Alonso, Ñemby, San...
) is a Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
an footballer. He currently plays for Juan Aurich
Juan Aurich
Juan Aurich is a Peruvian football club located in Chiclayo, Peru. They play their home games at the Estadio Elías Aguirre and currently play in Peru's First Division.-History:...
and the Paraguay national football team
Paraguay national football team
The Paraguay national football team is controlled by the Paraguayan Football Association and represents Paraguay in men's international football competitions. The team has reached the second round of the World Cup on four occasions . The 2010 trip also featured their first appearance in the...
.
Career
Gavilán's nickname pampero - meaning the horse that runs like the wind - offers a fair indication of his purposeful and hard-running style. He began his top-flight career at Cerro PorteñoCerro Porteño
Club Cerro Porteño is a professional Paraguayan football club, based in the neighbourhood of Barrio Obrero in Asunción. Founded in 1912, Cerro has won 28 Primera División titles and is one of the most popular football club in Paraguay...
, and he became the first ever Paraguayan to play in England, when he signed for Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
in 2000.
Gavilán cost Newcastle £2m when he left his native Paraguay behind at the age of just 19. He made his Premiership
FA Premier League
The Premier League is an English professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the English football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with The Football League. The Premier...
debut in a 2-2 draw at Sunderland. He struggled however, to stake a real claim for a first team place, making some appearances for the club as a substitute. He scored once in the league, against Coventry in a 2-0 win in April 2000.
Gavilán was loaned out to Tecos UAG in Mexico for the year 2002, by which time he had played only two further games for the club.
In 2003, he joined Internacional
Sport Club Internacional
Sport Club Internacional is a Brazilian football team and multi-sport club from Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, founded on April 4, 1909, and are one of the only five clubs to have never been relegated, along with Santos, São Paulo, Flamengo and Cruzeiro. They play in red shirts, white shorts and...
of Brazil. In 2006, Gavilán signed with the Argentinian side Newell's Old Boys
Newell's Old Boys
Club Atlético Newell's Old Boys is an Argentine sports club based in Rosario. The club was founded on November 3, 1903, and is named after Isaac Newell, one of the pioneers of Argentine football...
. He signed the following year with Grêmio, returning to the city of Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre
Porto Alegre is the tenth most populous municipality in Brazil, with 1,409,939 inhabitants, and the centre of Brazil's fourth largest metropolitan area . It is also the capital city of the southernmost Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The city is the southernmost capital city of a Brazilian...
in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
Gavilán then joined Independiente on loan, and is currently with Portuguesa until November.