Álex Darío Aguinaga Garzón (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈaleks aɣiˈnaɣa], born 9 July 1969) is an Ecuadorian former professional football player and manager. A midfielder during his playing career, he is one of the all-time cap leaders for Ecuador with 109 matches, scoring 23 goals.[1] Aguinaga is known as one of the best Ecuadorian men's footballers of all time. On the club level, Aguinaga has played for Deportivo Quito, Necaxa, Cruz Azul and LDU Quito.
 Aguinaga coaching Deportivo Cuenca in 2015 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alex Darío Aguinaga Garzón | ||
| Date of birth | July 9, 1969 | ||
| Place of birth | Ibarra, Ecuador | ||
| Height | 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1984–1989 | Deportivo Quito | 147 | (38) |
| 1989–2003 | Necaxa | 476 | (85) |
| 2003–2004 | Cruz Azul | 14 | (0) |
| 2004–2005 | LDU Quito | 71 | (9) |
| Total | 708 | (132) | |
| International career | |||
| 1987–2004 | Ecuador | 109 | (23) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2011 | América (assistant) | ||
| 2011 | Barcelona SC | ||
| 2012 | San Luis | ||
| 2013–2014 | LDU Loja | ||
| 2014–2015 | Correcaminos UAT | ||
| 2015–2016 | Deportivo Cuenca | ||
| 2016 | LDU Quito | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Club career
editNecaxa
editAguinaga spent the majority of his club career at Necaxa, whom he joined in 1989, winning 3 championships with the club. In 1999 Aguinaga was crucial for Necaxa's first CONCACAF Champions Cup title. Necaxa would go on to participate in the first edition of the FIFA Club World Cup where in the group stage Aguinaga scored against Vasco da Gama, but missed a penalty against Manchester United.[2] He scored in the penalty shootout against Real Madrid in the 3rd place match.[3]
He also holds a Mexican passport. His grandfather is of Spanish descent.
LDU Quito
editAfter winning a league title in Ecuador, Aguinaga decided to retire from football.
International career
editAguinaga earned his first cap for Ecuador on March 5, 1987. In the same match, he scored his first goal for the team. Over the year, he would form an integral part of the national team. He would captain the team for a number of years and assisted in the goal by Iván Kaviedes that assured Ecuador's first qualification to the FIFA World Cup in 2002, in which he played. This was the only World Cup where Aguinaga participated.
Managerial career
editAguinaga's managerial career began in late 2010 as an assistant to Manuel Lapuente at Mexican club América. He left the club in early 2011 when Lapuente was sacked. In March of the same year, he was named to his first full-time managerial post as the new manager of Guayaquil-based club Barcelona following the sacking of Rubén Darío Insúa.[4] In late May of the same year, he resigned from his position to not interfere and influence the club's presidential elections the following month. He has not ruled out a return after the election.[5]
In September 2014, Aguinaga became the manager of Correcaminos UAT, which plays in the Ascenso MX second professional level league of the Mexican football league system.[6]
Personal life
editAguinaga's daughter Cristiane is an actress and has appeared in several Mexican series and telenovelas such as Carita de Ángel and La rosa de Guadalupe.[7]
Career statistics
edit
Honors
editNecaxa
- Primera División: 1994–95, 1995–96, 1998 Invierno
- CONCACAF Cup Winners Cup: 1994
- Mexican Cup: 1995
- Campeón de Campeones: 1995
- CONCACAF Champions' Cup: 1999
- FIFA Club World Cup third place: 2000[9]
LDU Quito
Ecuador
Individual
- Ideal team of South America: 1989
- Number 7 retired by Club Necaxa as a recognition to his contribution to the club.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ rsssf: Ecuador record international footballers
- ^ "Beckham off in Man Utd epic". BBC. 6 January 2000. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
- ^ "Mexican penalty kings depose Real". BBC News. 14 January 2000. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
- ^ "El legendario Álex Aguinaga es el nuevo director técnico de Barcelona" [The legendary Álex Aguinaga is the new manager of Barcelona] (in Spanish). El Universo. 25 March 2011. Retrieved 25 March 2011.
- ^ "Hasta ahí nomás" [Enough] (in Spanish). futbolecuador.com. 27 May 2011. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
- ^ "Llega Alex Aguinaga a Ciudad Victoria" (in Spanish). Milenio. 1 September 2014. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
- ^ https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1039219/ [user-generated source]
- ^ "Alex Darío Aguinaga - International Appearances". RSSSF. 25 July 2004. Retrieved 26 March 2011.
- ^ "Necaxa". FIFA. Archived from the original on 14 September 2015. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
External links
edit- International statistics at rsssf
- Álex Aguinaga at National-Football-Teams.com
- Video at YouTube