Abel Aguilar

Abel Enrique Aguilar Tapias (Spanish pronunciation: [aˈβel aɣiˈlaɾ]; born 6 January 1985) is a Colombian former footballer who played as a central or defensive midfielder.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Aguilar and the second or maternal family name is Tapias.

Abel Aguilar
Aguilar with Colombia at the 2018 World Cup
Personal information
Full name Abel Enrique Aguilar Tapias[1]
Date of birth (1985-01-06) 6 January 1985
Place of birth Bogotá, Colombia
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2005 Deportivo Cali 102 (3)
2005–2010 Udinese 2 (0)
2005 → Ascoli (loan) 0 (0)
2007–2008 → Xerez (loan) 48 (3)
2008–2009 → Hércules (loan) 34 (9)
2009–2010 → Zaragoza (loan) 27 (4)
2010–2013 Hércules 73 (4)
2012–2013 → Deportivo La Coruña (loan) 28 (3)
2013–2016 Toulouse 49 (1)
2015–2016 Toulouse B 3 (0)
2016 Belenenses 9 (1)
2016–2018 Deportivo Cali 55 (1)
2018 FC Dallas 4 (0)
2019 Unión Magdalena 41 (4)
Total 475 (33)
National team
2004–2018 Colombia 71 (7)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Having started his career at Deportivo Cali, Aguilar signed with Italian club Udinese at the age of 20 then spent seven seasons in Spanish football with four teams, appearing in La Liga for Zaragoza, Hércules and Deportivo. He also competed professionally in France, Portugal and the United States.

A Colombian international since 2004, Aguilar represented the nation in two World Cups and as many Copa América tournaments while playing 71 matches.

Club career

Italy

Aguilar was born in Bogotá. Serie A club Udinese Calcio bought his rights in the summer of 2005, from local Deportivo Cali, and loaned him immediately to fellow league team Ascoli Calcio 1898 due to the excess of foreign players in the roster;[2] however, after some problems in the arrival of the transfer, the player missed pre-season training, only joining it a month into the season.

Aguilar returned to Udinese in January 2006, after having never played for Ascoli,[3] but received few playing opportunities in the following months (two league matches and the UEFA Cup 0–1 loss at RC Lens, all incomplete).[4]

Spain

For the following three years, Aguilar was also loaned, always in the Spanish second division. He started out in January 2007 at Xerez CD,[5] where he remained until the end of the 2007–08 campaign, always as first choice.[6]

In 2008–09, Aguilar represented Hércules CF,[7] being a permanent fixture as the Alicante side fell three points short of a return to La Liga.[6] On 24 July 2009 he was again loaned, now to Real Zaragoza,[8] which in turn promoted to the top flight; he made his debut in the competition on 29 August, starting and playing 71 minutes in a 1–0 home win against CD Tenerife,[9] and scored all his four league goals during the first two months of competition.[10]

Aguilar was released by Udinese in July 2010, immediately signing a four-year contract with former club Hércules, returned to the top division after an absence of 13 years.[11] He appeared in 34 scoreless games during the season, which ended in relegation.

Aguilar returned to the Spanish top tier in the 2012–13 campaign, being loaned to Deportivo de La Coruña.[12] He netted twice in just his second league appearance to help to a 3–3 draw at Valencia CF,[13][14] but his team was again eventually relegated.

Toulouse

On 22 August 2013, Aguilar agreed to a three-year deal with Toulouse FC.[15] His maiden appearance in Ligue 1 occurred nine days later, putting on an average performance and being booked in a 1–2 away loss to SC Bastia.[16]

Aguilar spent his third year in France on the sidelines, nursing a serious ankle injury.[17] In the very last moments of the 2016 January transfer window, he joined C.F. Os Belenenses from Portugal.[18]

Return home

On 12 June 2016, after 11 years playing in Europe, Aguilar returned to his country and Deportivo Cali, signing a three-year contract.[19] He scored his first goal for the team on 29 July, in the 2–1 victory against América de Cali for the Copa Colombia.[20]

FC Dallas

On 27 August 2018, Aguilar joined Major League Soccer side FC Dallas.[21] At the end of the season, he was released.[22]

Unión Magdalena

Aged 33, Aguilar returned to his country in December 2018, agreeing to a deal at Unión Magdalena for the upcoming season.[23] On 18 February 2020, he announced his retirement.[24]

International career

Aguilar was the captain of the Colombian national team at under-17 and under-20 levels. He rose to stardom as leader of the latter side that finished third at the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship.

Aguilar was then promoted to the senior squad for the 2004 Copa América held in Peru. There, he scored two goals, helping his country to the semi-finals.[25]

Subsequently, Aguilar returned to the under-20 (again as captain), helping them to a first-place finish at the 2005 South American Youth Cup with the consequent qualification for the World Championship of the category in the Netherlands. After helping the national team to three group stage wins, he could not prevent a round-of-16 1–2 ousting at the ends of Argentina.

Aguilar was selected by José Pekerman for his 2014 FIFA World Cup squad.[26] He played his first-ever game in the tournament on 14 June, starting in a 3–0 group stage win against Greece which was also his 50th cap.[27]

Aguilar was also picked for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.[28]

Career statistics

International

[29][30]

Colombia
YearAppsGoals
200472
200552
200600
200700
200810
200970
201020
201190
201220
2013111
201490
201521
201631
2017100
201830
Total717

International goals

(Colombia score listed first, score column indicates score after each Aguilar goal)[30]

#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.12 July 2004Estadio Mansiche, Trujillo, Peru Peru
2–1
2–2
2004 Copa América
2.17 July 2004 Costa Rica
1–0
2–0
3.12 July 2005Orange Bowl, Miami, United States Trinidad and Tobago
2–1
2–1
2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup
4.17 July 2005Reliant Stadium, Houston, United States Mexico
2–1
2–1
5.6 February 2013Sun Life, Miami Gardens, United States Guatemala
3–0
4–1
Friendly
6.30 March 2015Mohammed Bin Zayed, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Kuwait
1–0
3–1
7.11 October 2016Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez, Barranquilla, Colombia Uruguay
1–0
2–2
2018 World Cup qualification

References
  1. "2018 FIFA World Cup Russia: List of players: Colombia" (PDF). FIFA. 10 June 2018. p. 5. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 June 2018. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
  2. Calfapietra, Alessio (14 October 2005). "Ascoli, il profilo di Aguilar" [Ascoli, Aguilar's profile] (in Italian). Tutto Mercato Web. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  3. "L'Udinese richiama Aguilar" [Udinese recall Aguilar] (in Italian). UEFA. 4 January 2006. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  4. "L'Udinese cade contro il Lens ma si qualifica agli ottavi" [Udinese fall to Lens but qualify to the last-16]. La Repubblica (in Italian). 23 February 2006. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  5. "Contratación de Abel Aguilar" [Abel Aguilar's signing] (in Spanish). Xerez CD. 13 August 2007. Archived from the original on 27 July 2009. Retrieved 10 July 2009.
  6. Badallo, Óscar (5 August 2011). "Carlos Vela y Abel Aguilar son los dos fichajes que pueden llegar" [Carlos Vela and Abel Aguilar are the two signings that may arrive]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  7. "Aguilar, objetivo blanquiazul, ficha por el Hércules" [Aguilar, white-and-blue desire, signs for Hércules] (in Spanish). Canarias Ahora. 5 August 2008. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  8. "El Zaragoza cierra las incorporaciones de Juan Pablo Carrizo y Abel Aguilar" [Zaragoza complete Juan Pablo Carrizo and Abel Aguilar deals]. Marca (in Spanish). 24 July 2009. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  9. Pardo Latre, Clara (29 August 2009). "El Zaragoza regresa a Primera con victoria" [Zaragoza return to Primera with win]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  10. Ferrer, Pedro Luis (29 September 2009). "Abel Aguilar, el alquiler más rentable del Zaragoza" [Abel Aguilar, Zaragoza's most lucrative rental]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  11. "Abel Aguilar vuelve a vestir de blanquiazul" [Abel Aguilar again in white-and-blue] (in Spanish). Hércules CF. 24 July 2010. Archived from the original on 17 September 2010. Retrieved 27 July 2010.
  12. "El Hércules cede a Abel Aguilar al Deportivo" [Hércules loan Abel Aguilar to Deportivo]. Marca (in Spanish). 18 July 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  13. "Crónica del Valencia-Deportivo, 3–3" [Valencia-Deportivo match report, 3–3] (in Spanish). Europa Press. 27 August 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  14. ""Pocas veces he hecho dos goles en un partido": Abel Aguilar" ["Not very often have I scored two goals in a match": Abel Aguilar]. El Colombiano (in Spanish). 27 August 2012. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  15. Chapuis, Frédéric (22 August 2013). "Toulouse FC: le colombien Abel Aguilar signe pour 3 ans (officiel)" [Toulouse FC: Colombian Abel Aguilar signs for 3 years (official)] (in French). France Bleu. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  16. Guidicelli, Franck (31 August 2013). "La solidarité bastiaise a payé face à Toulouse" [Bastiaise solidarity paid off against Toulouse] (in French). Football365. Archived from the original on 13 July 2019. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  17. "Aguilar prêt à sortir du "placard"" [Aguilar ready to leave the "stretcher"]. La Dépêche du Midi (in French). 26 October 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  18. Lima, Fábio (1 February 2016). "Abel Aguilar reforça azuis" [Abel Aguilar bolsters blues]. Record (in Portuguese). Retrieved 14 November 2017.
  19. "El volante Abel Aguilar es nuevo jugador del Deportivo Cali" [Holding midfielder Abel Aguilar is new Deportivo Cali player] (in Spanish). ESPN. 12 June 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2016.
  20. "Deportivo Cali le ganó 2–1 a América y se llevó el clásico vallecaucano" [Deportivo Cali defeated América 2–1 and took vallecaucano classic] (in Spanish). RCN Televisión. 29 July 2016. Retrieved 29 July 2016.
  21. "FC Dallas signs member of Colombia's 2018 FIFA World Cup squad, midfielder Abel Aguilar". FC Dallas. 27 August 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  22. "FC Dallas exercises contract options on four players". FC Dallas. 26 November 2018. Retrieved 26 November 2018.
  23. "Abel Aguilar jugará en el 2019 con el Unión Magdalena" [Abel Aguilar will spend 2019 with Unión Magdalena] (in Spanish). MSN. 15 December 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  24. "Abel Aguilar anuncia su retiro del fútbol a los 35 años" [Abel Aguilar announces retirement from football at the age of 35]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 19 February 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  25. Tabeira, Martín. "Copa América 2004". RSSSF. Retrieved 24 July 2012.
  26. "Colombia World Cup 2014 squad". The Daily Telegraph. 2 June 2014. Archived from the original on 20 June 2014. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  27. "Colombia back with a bang". FIFA. 14 June 2014. Archived from the original on 21 June 2014. Retrieved 14 June 2014.
  28. Gómez Marín, John Eric (4 June 2018). "Colombia ya tiene a sus 23 mundialistas" [Colombia already have their 23 World Cup men]. El Colombiano (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 June 2018.
  29. Abel Aguilar at National-Football-Teams.com
  30. "A. Aguilar – Matches". Soccerway. Retrieved 30 July 2014.
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