Mark González

Mark Dennis González Hoffmann (born 10 July 1984) is a retired Chilean former professional footballer who played as a midfielder and his last team was Magallanes. He has also played top flight football in Russia, Spain and England. He was described by José Mari Bakero, the sporting director of Real Sociedad, one of his former clubs, as "fast and explosive, the classic left winger but with technical discipline",[1] while he has claimed himself that his speed is his greatest asset.[2]

For the Canadian soccer player, see Mark Anthony Gonzalez.
For the professional skateboarder, see Mark Gonzales.

Mark González
González with CSKA Moscow in 2013
Personal information
Full name Mark Dennis González Hoffmann
Date of birth (1984-07-10) 10 July 1984
Place of birth Durban, South Africa
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Youth career
SG Borken
Universidad Católica
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2004 Universidad Católica 42 (13)
2004–2006 Albacete 25 (5)
2006–2007 Liverpool 25 (2)
2006 → Real Sociedad (loan) 16 (6)
2007–2009 Betis 44 (10)
2009–2014 CSKA Moscow 49 (6)
2014–2015 Universidad Católica 41 (14)
2016 Sport Recife 8 (1)
2017 Colo-Colo 4 (0)
2018–2019 Magallanes 20 (5)
Total 274 (62)
National team‡
2004 Chile U23 7 (2)
2003–2016 Chile 56 (6)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 16 January 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 18 July 2016
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is González and the second or maternal family name is Hoffmann.

He made his international debut in 2003, and was selected from Chile for three Copa América tournaments and the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Early life

González was born in Durban, South Africa. His father Raúl was a professional footballer for Durban Bush Bucks, and named him after his friends and fellow footballers Mark Tovey and Dennis Wicks. He left South Africa aged 10 in 1994 and moved back to Chile with his mother.[3][4]

Club career

Liverpool

González had agreed a move to Liverpool on loan for the 2005–06 season (with a view to a permanent £1.5 million move) from Albacete. However, he was denied a work permit by the Department of Education and Employment in August 2005. The Liverpool management showed great faith in González, pursuing his services despite work permit troubles and a cruciate knee ligament injury. After a quicker-than-expected return to fitness, Liverpool were persuaded to make the move permanent in October 2005, but the player was immediately loaned back to Albacete to continue his recuperation after an appeal against the earlier work permit decision was rejected (a new work permit application can only be put forward one year after the original application). Arrangements were then made for the player to spend a loan spell at Real Sociedad until summer 2006.

Real Sociedad (loan)

González was presented on loan at Real Sociedad on 30 January 2006, until 30 June, alongside Jhon Viáfara, whom the club had loaned from Portsmouth.[1][2] González said that at Sociedad he would aim to improve his tactical play.[2]

At Sociedad, González put in some good performances, most notably against Real Madrid, against whom he scored Sociedad's equaliser as the game finished 1–1. He played 16 league games for Sociedad and scored five goals. Sociedad showed interest in taking him permanently, along with several other La Liga clubs, but González is quoted to have said, "I am very thankful to Real Sociedad and their coach José Mari Bakero, but while they'd like me to stay I'm going to England to join Liverpool."[5]

Return to Liverpool

On 5 July 2006, González was granted a work permit, and was allowed to start his Liverpool career, wearing the number 11 shirt. His manager, Rafael Benítez, said, "This is very good news for us and I am absolutely delighted to welcome Mark González to Liverpool as he is a player the supporters will like to see." González made his first appearance as a half-time substitute for fellow debutant Fábio Aurélio in a pre-season friendly away against Crewe Alexandra on 22 July.[6]

González made his competitive debut on 9 August 2006 against Israeli side Maccabi Haifa, coming off the bench in the 85th minute for Steven Gerrard and scoring an 88th-minute winner in Liverpool's Champions League 3rd Round Qualifier to seal a 2–1 win.[7] He scored his first Premier League goal in Liverpool's 3–0 win over Tottenham Hotspur on his first league start for the club on 23 September.[8] He scored just once more for Liverpool, in a 4–0 win over Fulham on 10 December.[9]

González was injured inside the first ten minutes of the quarter-finals of the League Cup against Arsenal on 9 January 2007 as a result of a challenge on Theo Walcott. He was brought off on a stretcher for Luis García, who was also taken off injured later in the match as Liverpool lost 3–6.[10] He played his last game for Liverpool on 5 May 2007 against Fulham in a 1–0 defeat.[11]

Real Betis

On 24 May 2007, Rafael Benítez confirmed that Liverpool had almost reached an agreement with Real Betis over the Chilean winger.[12] On 12 June, González confirmed that he had signed a contract for £5 million with Real Betis, who presented him to the press and fans on 17 July 2007. He went on to score on his home debut with a penalty goal in the 1–0 victory over Champions League holders Milan in the Centenary Match in front of 55,000 fans. González scored in a famous 2–1 victory over high-flying Real Madrid to steer Betis out of the relegation zone in La Liga. He ultimately scored ten goals in 44 first-team appearances for the club. Betis received an offer of €11 million from an unnamed club in July 2008.[13]

CSKA Moscow
González in action against Inter Milan in the Champions League in April 2010

In June 2009, following the relegation of Real Betis, Greek double holders Olympiacos made an offer of €3 million to secure him a starting eleven position in their squad for the forthcoming Champions League, but CSKA Moscow offered €6.5 million and on 11 August 2009, he signed a five-year deal with the Russian club.[14][15] He debuted for the club on 16 August 2009 in a league match away to Lokomotiv Moscow.

On 6 December 2010, it was reported that he had been accused of rape in Moscow. However, later the same day the investigators announced that the accused was an unrelated Portuguese citizen named Mario Gonzalez, who is also allegedly a professional footballer.[16]

On 21 January 2014, CSKA announced that González had left them to join Universidad Católica in Chile on loan.[17] In December 2014, González had his CSKA contract terminated by mutual consent.[18]

Universidad Católica

Originally a loan, González joined his first professional club Universidad Católica in Chile in January 2015 after spending ten years abroad. After the mutual termination of his contract at CSKA, he joined Católica on a permanent move as a free agent. He helped the team with nine goals in the campaign, which Católica won. It was also González's first Primera División win after previously finishing second in the 2002 Clausura.[19][20]

González signed a new one-year deal with Católica for the 2015–16 season.[21]

Sport Recife

On 4 January 2016, González rescinded his contract at Universidad Católica and joined Brazilian club Sport Recife for the next two years.[22] He made his debut on the 31st, playing the full 90 minutes as they lost 1–0 at Salgueiro Atlético Clube in the 2016 Campeonato Pernambucano first match of the year.[23] He played only one more game before being sidelined for a month by a thigh injury,[24] and totalled seven appearances as they finished runners-up to Santa Cruz.

González made his Campeonato Brasileiro Série A debut on 14 May as his team began the season with a 1–0 loss at Flamengo; he was substituted after 49 minutes for Serginho.[25]

Colo Colo

On 30 December 2016, it was announced that González has signed for Chilean club Colo Colo.[26]

International career

Born in South Africa, he is eligible to play for both Chile and South Africa, but he chose Chile instead.

On 21 June 2010, González scored the only goal of the game for Chile against Switzerland during the group stage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in his birthplace South Africa, heading in a cross from Esteban Paredes.[27]

He was named in the preliminary squad for the 2015 Copa America but was omitted from the final squad.[28] The following year he was not initially named in Chile's Copa América Centenario squad, but was called up when Matías Fernández withdrew from injury.[29] Chile went on to win the tournament.

International goals
Scores and results list Chile's goal tally first.
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.11 June 2003Estadio Olímpico Metropolitano, San Pedro Sula, Honduras Honduras1–12–1Friendly
2.30 March 2004Estadio Hernando Siles, La Paz, Bolivia Bolivia2–02–0FIFA World Cup qualifier
3.9 February 2005Estadio Sausalito, Viña del Mar, Chile Ecuador1–03–0Friendly
4.21 June 2010Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth, South Africa  Switzerland1–01–02010 World Cup
5.28 January 2015Estadio El Teniente, Rancagua, Chile United States2–23–2Friendly
6.3–2

Personal life

González began dating Chilean television personality and model Maura Rivera in 2008, and they married in 2010. They have one son, Mark González, Jr. In 2015, they welcome their daughter Luicana González.[30]

Honours

Club
Liverpool
CSKA

International
Chile

Individual
  • In the list of 33 best football players of the championship of Russia: 2010

References
  1. Ramajo, Roberto (1 February 2006). "Viáfara y Mark González están listos para debutar el domingo" [Viáfara and mark González are ready to debut on Sunday]. Diario AS (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  2. Cendero, Javier (30 January 2006). "La Real Sociedad presenta a Viáfara y Mark González" [Real Sociedad present Viáfara and Mark González] (in Spanish). Merca Futbol. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  3. "Gonzalez grew up in the apartheid regime". Gulf News. 10 June 2010. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  4. Sadler, Ian (24 May 2006). "Liverpool winger 'made and named in SA'". iol.co.za. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  5. "Gonzalez committed to Reds". Sky Sports. 10 May 2006. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  6. "Crewe Alexandra 0-1 Liverpool". Liverweb. Archived from the original on 16 July 2012.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  7. "Liverpool 2–1 Maccabi Haifa". BBC. 9 August 2006. Retrieved 3 November 2009.
  8. McNulty, Phil (23 September 2006). "Liverpool 3–0 Tottenham". BBC. Retrieved 3 November 2009.
  9. Sinnott, John (10 December 2006). "Liverpool 4–0 Fulham". BBC. Retrieved 3 November 2009.
  10. Lyon, Sam (9 January 2007). "Liverpool 3-6 Arsenal". BBC Sport. Retrieved 21 May 2014.
  11. "Fulham 1–0 Liverpool". LFCHistory.net. Retrieved 24 February 2010.
  12. "González set to leave Reds". Report on liverpoolfc.tv. 24 May 2007. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  13. "Offer for Betis duo". Report on /www.realbetisbalompie.es. 16 July 2008. Archived from the original on 16 June 2011. Retrieved 16 July 2008.
  14. Mira, Luís (11 August 2009). "Official: CSKA Moscow Sign Betis Winger Mark Gonzalez". Goal.com. Retrieved 15 August 2009.
  15. "PFC CSKA sign Mark Gonzalez". PFC CSKA Moscow. 12 August 2009. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  16. Zheglov, Aleksandr (6 December 2010). "Footballer was accused of rape too soon". Kommersant. Retrieved 6 December 2010.
  17. "Mark Gonzalez joins Universidad Catolica on loan, Jesus will continue career in Mexico". pfc-cska.com/en/. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  18. Марк Гонсалес покинул ПФК ЦСКА. pfc-cska.com (in Russian). PFC CSKA Moscow. 24 December 2014. Retrieved 30 December 2014.
  19. "Estatísticas Mark Gonzalez". futebol.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  20. "M. González". Soccerway.com. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  21. "Mark González renueva su contrato por dos años más con Universidad Católica". emol Deportes (in Spanish). 22 June 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
  22. "Sport Recife confirma la llegada de Mark González por dos años" (in Spanish). La Tercera. 4 January 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  23. "Sport perde para o Salgueiro na estreia do Pernambucano" [Sport lose to Salgueiro at the start of the Pernambucano] (in Portuguese). UOL. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  24. "Após um mês afastado por lesão, Mark González deve voltar ao time do Sport" [After a month ruled out by injury, Mark González must return to Sport's team] (in Portuguese). Esporte Interativo. 18 March 2016. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  25. "Carrasco! Everton volta com gol, repete filme contra o Sport e garante vitória do Fla" [Executioner! Everton returns with a goal, repeats against Sport and guarantees victory for Fla] (in Portuguese). Globo. 14 May 2016. Retrieved 4 July 2016.
  26. "Mark es albo bienvenido!" (in Spanish). Colo Colo. 30 December 2016. Retrieved 13 January 2017.
  27. Taylor, Daniel (21 June 2010). "World Cup 2010: Chile's Mark González sinks 10-man Switzerland". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  28. "Sampaoli confirms final Chile squad for Copa America". goal.com. 1 June 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  29. "Sampaoli confirms final Chile squad for Copa America". fourfourtwo.com. 2 June 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2016.
  30. "Los seis años de amor de Maura Rivera y Mark González" [The six years of love between Maura Rivera and Mark González] (in Spanish). Zeleb.cl. 12 May 2015. Retrieved 17 July 2015.
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