Óscar Córdoba
Encyclopedia
Óscar Eduardo Córdoba Arce (born 3 February 1970 in Cali
, Valle
) is a retired Colombia
n football (soccer)
goalkeeper who has played more than 70 games for the Colombia national team
. He last played in Millonarios
from Bogotá
, Colombia
.
in 1988, but transferred to Deportivo Cali
in 1989 and loaned to Deportes Quindío
in 1990. In 1991 he moved to Millonarios
, and in 1993 he played for Once Caldas
, and América de Cali
, with which he would win the Colombian Championship in 1997. The Scottish jazz rock/fusion band "Oscar Cordoba" are named in his honour.
After the title, he moved to Argentine
team Boca Juniors
to what was probably his most successful time, winning the Argentine Championships
Apertura 1998, Clausura 1999 and Apertura 2000, the Copa Libertadores 2000 and 2001, and the Intercontinental Cup
of 2000.In 2000 and 2001 was part of the dream team of America.
Ready to make the jump to Europe, Córdoba moved to Italian Perugia Calcio, but after only half season he transferred to Turkish
Beşiktaş Istanbul
. In Turkey he often played against another Colombian goalkeeper of the Super Lig
; Faryd Mondragón of Galatasaray
. After 4 seasons and after winning the 2002-03 Turkish First Football League and the 2005-2006 Turkey Cup, he transferred to Antalyaspor
, club in which he announced his retirement after the 2006/07 season. In spite of the announcement, he returned to Colombia and signed for Deportivo Cali
to play the following season.
His contract with the Colombian side expired after Deportivo Cali were eliminated in the semi-finals of the Copa Mustang in the Apertura of 2008. In December 2008 he was nominated by the American channel Fox Sports as "Outstanding Carrer" Award given annually by such means the best athletes in the world. Oscar will be awarded with special recognition for Outstanding Career with Argentine striker Gabriel Batistuta
.
After his experience at Deportivo Cali, Córdoba expressed his interest in either returning to Argentina, returning to Turkey, or retiring from football itself. He finally signed for Millonarios
where he played until his retirement in December 2009.
in a friendly against Costa Rica
on March 31, 1993. He has gone on to make over 70 appearances for his country, making him the most capped
goalkeeper in the history of Colombian international football.
In the qualifiers for the FIFA 1994 World Cup he started in every game and conceded only two goals making him the best goalkeeper in the playoffs and received the fewest goals. In 2001 America Cup he played a key role playing five of six games as possible, leaving the clean sheet throughout the tournament which holds the record along with a deputy in the competition Miguel Calero to be the only ones to leave the shutout in a Copa America, also he won the award for best goalkeeper in the Copa America. He played in the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup
where Colombia came fourth.
On September 10, 2003 Córdoba surpassed René Higuita
's record of 68 caps, to become Colombia's all time record goalkeeper. He was called up to the Colombia national football team
for his final time in October 2009 as the third goalkeeper in a FIFA World Cup
qualifier for the CONMEBOL
. In 2008 he joined Millonarios
and was nominated and won the "Outstanding Career" Award of Fox Sports Radio
besides other three Colombians: The Formula 3 pilot Gustavo Yacaman
and the Paralympic athlete
bronze medal Elkin Serna
.
Boca Juniors
Beşiktaş
Colombia
Individual
Calì
Calì, also written in English as Cali, is an Italian surname, widespread mainly in the Ionian side of Sicily.For the surname Calì is assumed the origin of the Greek word kalos , or from its Sanskrit root kali, "time."The surname refers to:...
, Valle
Valle del Cauca Department
Valle del Cauca is a department of Colombia. It is in the western side of the country, facing the Pacific Ocean, and it is considered one of the most important departments in the Republic of Colombia. Its capital is Santiago de Cali...
) is a retired Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n football (soccer)
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
goalkeeper who has played more than 70 games for the Colombia national team
Colombia national football team
The Colombian national football team represents Colombia in international football competitions and is controlled by the Colombian Football Federation. It is a member of the CONMEBOL...
. He last played in Millonarios
Millonarios
Millonarios Fútbol Club is a Colombian football club based in Bogotá. As of 2011, Millonarios shares with rivals América de Cali the most Fútbol Profesional Colombiano championships, 13 in total, although Millonarios haven't won this tournament since 1988. They are also the third Colombian team to...
from Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
.
Club career
Córdoba started playing professionally with Atlético NacionalAtlético Nacional
Corporación Deportiva Atlético Nacional is a Colombian football team based in Medellín. They play their home games at the Estadio Atanasio Girardot stadium which also serves as home to Deportivo Independiente Medellín...
in 1988, but transferred to Deportivo Cali
Deportivo Cali
Asociación Deportivo Cali is a Colombian sports club based in Cali, Colombia. Mostly known for its football team, it also sponsors basketball, volleyball and swimming...
in 1989 and loaned to Deportes Quindío
Deportes Quindío
Deportes Quindío, is a Colombian football club based in the city of Armenia. The club was founded January 8, 1951 and play their home games at the Centenario de Armenia stadium, which has a capacity of approximately 29,000.-National Honours:...
in 1990. In 1991 he moved to Millonarios
Millonarios
Millonarios Fútbol Club is a Colombian football club based in Bogotá. As of 2011, Millonarios shares with rivals América de Cali the most Fútbol Profesional Colombiano championships, 13 in total, although Millonarios haven't won this tournament since 1988. They are also the third Colombian team to...
, and in 1993 he played for Once Caldas
Once Caldas
Corporación Deportiva Once Caldas is a Colombian association football team, based in Manizales. They were the surprise winners of Copa Libertadores de América in 2004, mainly due to the performances of Juan Carlos Henao and Jhon Viáfara...
, and América de Cali
América de Cali
Corporación Deportiva América, commonly known as América de Cali or simply América is a Colombian football club based in Cali. They currently play in the Categoría Primera A, the top-flight professional league in the country....
, with which he would win the Colombian Championship in 1997. The Scottish jazz rock/fusion band "Oscar Cordoba" are named in his honour.
After the title, he moved to Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
team Boca Juniors
Boca Juniors
Club Atlético Boca Juniors is an Argentine sports club based in La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It is best known for its professional football team, which currently plays in the Primera División....
to what was probably his most successful time, winning the Argentine Championships
Primera División Argentina
The Primera División is a professional football league in Argentina. It is the country's premier football division and is at the top of the Argentine football league system. Contested by twenty clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Primera B Nacional. The season runs...
Apertura 1998, Clausura 1999 and Apertura 2000, the Copa Libertadores 2000 and 2001, and the Intercontinental Cup
Intercontinental Cup (football)
The European/South American Cup, commonly referred to as the World Club Championship, Intercontinental Cup or Toyota Cup, was a football competition endorsed by UEFA and CONMEBOL, contested between the winners of the European Cup and the South American Copa Libertadores...
of 2000.In 2000 and 2001 was part of the dream team of America.
Ready to make the jump to Europe, Córdoba moved to Italian Perugia Calcio, but after only half season he transferred to Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
Beşiktaş Istanbul
Besiktas J.K.
Beşiktaş Jimnastik Kulübü , or simply Beşiktaş , is a Turkish sports club. The club's football team is one of the major teams in Turkey. The professional sports club, founded in 1903, is based in the Beşiktaş district in Istanbul, Turkey...
. In Turkey he often played against another Colombian goalkeeper of the Super Lig
Turkcell Super League
The Süper Lig is a Turkish professional league for association football clubs. It is the top-flight of the Turkish football league system. It is one of the top leagues in the UEFA confederation and the winner of the competition automatically qualifies for the UEFA Champions League...
; Faryd Mondragón of Galatasaray
Galatasaray S.K. (football team)
Galatasaray Anonim Şirketi is a Turkish football club, part of the Galatasaray S.K. multi-sport club of Istanbul. Galatasaray is a major sports club in Turkey, holding 17 Turkish Super League titles and the highest number of Turkish Cups....
. After 4 seasons and after winning the 2002-03 Turkish First Football League and the 2005-2006 Turkey Cup, he transferred to Antalyaspor
Antalyaspor
Antalyaspor, known as Medical Park Antalyaspor for sponsorship reasons, is a professional Turkish football club located in the city of Antalya. The club colours are red and white and they play their home matches at Mardan Sports Complex...
, club in which he announced his retirement after the 2006/07 season. In spite of the announcement, he returned to Colombia and signed for Deportivo Cali
Deportivo Cali
Asociación Deportivo Cali is a Colombian sports club based in Cali, Colombia. Mostly known for its football team, it also sponsors basketball, volleyball and swimming...
to play the following season.
His contract with the Colombian side expired after Deportivo Cali were eliminated in the semi-finals of the Copa Mustang in the Apertura of 2008. In December 2008 he was nominated by the American channel Fox Sports as "Outstanding Carrer" Award given annually by such means the best athletes in the world. Oscar will be awarded with special recognition for Outstanding Career with Argentine striker Gabriel Batistuta
Gabriel Batistuta
Gabriel Omar Batistuta , nicknamed Batigol, is a former professional footballer. The prolific Argentine striker played most of his club football at Fiorentina in Italy, and he is the tenth top scorer of all-time in the Italian Serie A league, with 184 goals in 318 matches...
.
After his experience at Deportivo Cali, Córdoba expressed his interest in either returning to Argentina, returning to Turkey, or retiring from football itself. He finally signed for Millonarios
Millonarios
Millonarios Fútbol Club is a Colombian football club based in Bogotá. As of 2011, Millonarios shares with rivals América de Cali the most Fútbol Profesional Colombiano championships, 13 in total, although Millonarios haven't won this tournament since 1988. They are also the third Colombian team to...
where he played until his retirement in December 2009.
International career
Córdoba made his debut for the Colombia national teamColombia national football team
The Colombian national football team represents Colombia in international football competitions and is controlled by the Colombian Football Federation. It is a member of the CONMEBOL...
in a friendly against Costa Rica
Costa Rica national football team
The Costa Rica national football team, nicknamed La Sele, is the national team of Costa Rica and is controlled by the Federación Costarricense de Fútbol. Costa Rica is the third most successful team in CONCACAF after Mexico and the United States...
on March 31, 1993. He has gone on to make over 70 appearances for his country, making him the most capped
Cap (sport)
In sports, a cap is a metaphorical term for a player's appearance on a select team, such as a national team. The term dates from the practice in the United Kingdom of awarding a cap to every player in an international match of association football...
goalkeeper in the history of Colombian international football.
In the qualifiers for the FIFA 1994 World Cup he started in every game and conceded only two goals making him the best goalkeeper in the playoffs and received the fewest goals. In 2001 America Cup he played a key role playing five of six games as possible, leaving the clean sheet throughout the tournament which holds the record along with a deputy in the competition Miguel Calero to be the only ones to leave the shutout in a Copa America, also he won the award for best goalkeeper in the Copa America. He played in the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup
2003 FIFA Confederations Cup
The 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup football tournament was the sixth FIFA Confederations Cup, held in France in June 2003. France retained the title they had won in 2001, but the tournament was overshadowed by the death of Cameroon player Marc-Vivien Foé, who died of heart failure in his side's...
where Colombia came fourth.
On September 10, 2003 Córdoba surpassed René Higuita
René Higuita
José René Higuita Zapata is a former Colombian football goalkeeper nicknamed El Loco...
's record of 68 caps, to become Colombia's all time record goalkeeper. He was called up to the Colombia national football team
Colombia national football team
The Colombian national football team represents Colombia in international football competitions and is controlled by the Colombian Football Federation. It is a member of the CONMEBOL...
for his final time in October 2009 as the third goalkeeper in a FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
qualifier for the CONMEBOL
CONMEBOL
The South American Football Confederation , commonly known as CONMEBOL , is the continental governing body of association football in South America and it is one of FIFA's six continental confederations...
. In 2008 he joined Millonarios
Millonarios
Millonarios Fútbol Club is a Colombian football club based in Bogotá. As of 2011, Millonarios shares with rivals América de Cali the most Fútbol Profesional Colombiano championships, 13 in total, although Millonarios haven't won this tournament since 1988. They are also the third Colombian team to...
and was nominated and won the "Outstanding Career" Award of Fox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio
Fox Sports Radio, abbreviated FSR, is an international radio network consisting of sports talk programming. The network is a service of Premiere Networks...
besides other three Colombians: The Formula 3 pilot Gustavo Yacaman
Gustavo Yacamán
Gustavo "Tigrillo" Yacamán Aristizabal is a Colombian racing driver from Santiago de Cali.-Early career:After winning the American Stars of Karting competition in 2005, he moved immediately to the Spanish Formula Three Championship for the 2006 season, a significant jump for a young driver. He...
and the Paralympic athlete
2008 Summer Paralympics
The 2008 Summer Paralympic Games, the thirteenth Paralympics, took place in Beijing, China from September 6 to September 17, 2008. As with the 2008 Summer Olympics, equestrian events were held in Hong Kong and sailing events in Qingdao....
bronze medal Elkin Serna
Elkin Serna
Elkin Serna is a Paralympian athlete from Colombia competing mainly in category T12 long distance events.He competed in the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, China...
.
Honours
América de Cali- Categoría Primera A: 1
-
- 1996–97
Boca Juniors
- Argentine Primera División: 3
-
- 1998 Apertura, 1999 Clausura, 2000 Apertura
- Copa Libertadores: 2
- 2000, 2001
- Intercontinental CupIntercontinental Cup (football)The European/South American Cup, commonly referred to as the World Club Championship, Intercontinental Cup or Toyota Cup, was a football competition endorsed by UEFA and CONMEBOL, contested between the winners of the European Cup and the South American Copa Libertadores...
: 1
- Intercontinental Cup
- 20002000 Intercontinental CupThe 2000 Intercontinental Cup, officially the 2000 Toyota European / South American Cup for sponsorship reasons, was a football match played on 27 November 2000 between Real Madrid, winners of the 1999–2000 UEFA Champions League, and Boca Juniors, winners of the 2000 Copa Libertadores. The match...
- 1998 Apertura, 1999 Clausura, 2000 Apertura
Beşiktaş
- Süper Lig: 1
-
- 2002–03
- Turkish Cup: 1
- 2005–06
- 2002–03
Colombia
- Copa AméricaCopa AméricaThe Copa América —previously known as South American Championship—is an international football competition contested between the men's national teams of CONMEBOL, the sport's continental governing body...
:
-
- 2001
Individual
- Best Goalkeeper of the Copa America 2001
- Best Goalkeeper of the Copa Libertadores 2000,2001
- Part of the dream team of America 2000,2001
External links
- Career details at National Football Teams
- International statistics at rsssf