Cristian Riveros
Personal information
Full name Cristian Miguel Riveros Núñez[1]
Date of birth (1982-10-16) 16 October 1982 (age 41)
Place of birth Juan Augusto Saldívar, Paraguay
Height 1.79 m (5 ft 10+1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Libertad
Number 21[2]
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1999 Cristóbal Colón
2000–2005 Tacuary 108 (16)
2002 → Sportivo San Lorenzo (loan) 24 (0)
2005–2007 Libertad 50 (8)
2007–2010 Cruz Azul 111 (17)
2010–2012 Sunderland 12 (1)
2011–2012 → Kayserispor (loan) 33 (2)
2012–2013 Kayserispor 30 (0)
2013–2015 Grêmio 43 (5)
2015–2018 Olimpia Asunción 107 (11)
2018–2019 Libertad 53 (1)
2020–2022 Nacional Asunción 59 (4)
2022– Libertad 34 (4)
International career
2005–2018 Paraguay 101[3] (16)
Medal record
Representing  Paraguay
Copa América
Runner-up 2011 Argentina Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 3 December 2023 (UTC)

Cristian Miguel Riveros Núñez (born 16 October 1982) is a Paraguayan professional footballer who plays for Libertad as a defensive midfielder.

A full international for Paraguay since 2005, he has earned 99 caps for his country, playing at two FIFA World Cup competitions (2006 and 2010) and three Copa América tournaments (2007, 2011 and 2015).

On 19 July 2015, Paraguayan newspaper ExtraPRESS named Riveros the most expensive player in Paraguay.[4]

Club career

Early career

Riveros started his career with local side Cristobal Colón in his hometown of Juan Augusto Saldivar and then moved to other Paraguayan teams such as San Lorenzo and Tacuary before playing for Libertad.

Cruz Azul

On 12 July 2007 he signed for the Mexican club Cruz Azul.[5]

Sunderland

On 11 May 2010, Riveros signed for Sunderland of the English Premier League on a three-year-deal, saying "The league is very competitive and I look forward to being very successful with Sunderland. The Premier League is the best league in the world and Sunderland are a very big club with many passionate supporters. I look forward to meeting them."[6]

He made his Premier League debut on 14 August 2010 as a 63rd-minute substitute for Steed Malbranque in a 2–2 draw against Birmingham City in the opening game of the season.[7] However, Riveros quickly fell out of favour and played just 14 league games for, the club, scoring his only goal on the final day of the season in a 3–0 win over West Ham United.[8]

Kayserispor

Riveros joined Turkish Süper Lig side Kayserispor on 6 July 2011 on a season-long loan from Sunderland, and signed a permanent contract on 1 May 2012.

Riveros with Keyserispor.

Grêmio

On 7 June 2013, Riveros joined Grêmio, signing a two-year contract.

Olimpia Asunción

In January 2015 after long and exhausting negotiations, it was announced that Grêmio and Club Olimpia Asunción had reached an agreement to sign Riveros for the 2015 Paraguayan Primera División season. Riveros was Instrumental for Olimpia to win their 40th Local Championship, for his experience and skills and also for his leadership on and off the pitch.[9]

Libertad

On 7 December 2017, sports news outlet D10 Paraguay announced that Riveros would sign a two-year contract with Libertad, returning to the club after 11 years.[10]

Nacional Asunción

He joined Nacional Asunción for the 2020 season.[11]

Libertad

On 18 January 2022 of Paraguay's summer transfer window, Riveros officially completed a transfer to Libertad.[12] Anterior to this, Riveros already performed the 2022 pre-season training with Nacional Asunción,[13] however, he joined Libertad for the third time in his career,[14] being at the request of Argentine coach Daniel Garnero.[15][16] By this way, he was one of three FIFA World Cup players in Libertad's team, being with Oscar Cardozo and Roque Santa Cruz.[17]

International career

Riveros played in Paraguay's first two matches at the 2006 World Cup and played efficiently on the left wing. He picked up his first international goal for Paraguay in a 3–2 defeat to Chile. He also played for Paraguay in the Copa América 2007.

2010 FIFA World Cup

On 4 May 2010, he was named in Paraguay's preliminary 30-man squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup,[18] and also made the 23-man penultimate selection alongside club team-mate da Silva.[19]

On 20 June 2010 at the World Cup, Riveros scored a second goal in a 2–0 win over Slovakia, which was set up by former Sunderland defender Paulo Da Silva. Riveros scored a penalty in Paraguay's shoot-out win against Japan in the Round of 16 stage, after the match finished goalless after extra time.

Career statistics

Club

As of 3 December 2023[20]
Club Season League National cup League cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
San Lorenzo 2002 Primera Division 14 0 14 0
Tacuary 2003 Primera Division 29 1 29 1
2004 30 3 30 3
2005 18 3 2 0 20 3
Total 77 7 2 0 79 7
Libertad 2005 Primera Division 17 4 17 4
2006 24 4 15 2 39 6
2007 7 1 7 1
Total 41 8 22 3 63 11
Cruz Azul 2007-08 Liga MX 38 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 38 6
2008-09 37 5 0 0 0 0 8 2 0 0 45 7
2009-10 36 6 0 0 0 0 12 3 0 0 48 9
Total 111 17 0 0 0 0 20 5 0 0 131 22
Sunderland 2010-11 Premier League 12 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 14 1
Total 12 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 14 1
Kayserispor (loan) 2011-12 Süper Lig 33 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 40 3
Total 33 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 4 1 40 3
Kayserispor 2012-13 Süper Lig 30 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 31 0
Total 30 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 31 0
Grêmio 2013 Série A 20 3 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 26 3
2014 23 2 0 0 0 0 8 1 12 0 43 3
Total 43 5 6 0 0 0 8 1 12 0 69 6
Olimpia 2015 Primera Division 40 5 6 0 46 5
2016 42 3 5 2 47 5
2017 25 3 6 0 31 3
Total 107 11 17 2 124 13
Libertad 2018 Primera Division 27 0 7 0 34 0
2019 26 1 9 0 35 1
2022 17 3 4 1 21 4
2023 17 1 1 0 3 0 21 1
Total 87 5 1 0 23 1 111 6
Nacional 2020 Primera Division 25 2 2 0 27 2
2021 34 2 1 0 35 2
Total 59 4 3 0 62 4
Career total 614 60 12 0 1 0 95 12 16 1 738 73

International

As of 27 March 2018[3]
Paraguay
Year Apps Goals
2005 5 0
2006 8 1
2007 14 4
2008 7 2
2009 11 1
2010 13 3
2011 17 3
2012 7 1
2013 5 0
2014 3 0
2016 5 1
2017 5 0
2018 1 0
Total 101 16

International goals

Scores and results list Paraguay's goal tally first.[21]
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 15 November 2006 Estadio Sausalito, Viña del Mar, Chile  Chile ? 3–2 Friendly
2. 9 September 2007 Estadio José Pachencho Romero, Maracaibo, Venezuela  Venezuela 1–0 2–3 Friendly
3. 2–0
4. 17 November 2007 Estadio Defensores del Chaco, Asunción, Paraguay  Ecuador 2–0 5–1 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
5. 5–1
6. 20 August 2008 Centre sportif de Colovray Nyon, Nyon, Switzerland  Saudi Arabia 1–0[22] 1–1 Friendly
7. 9 September 2008 Estadio Defensores del Chaco, Asunción, Paraguay  Venezuela 1–0 2–0 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
8. 11 February 2009 Estadio Alejandro Villanueva, Lima, Peru  Peru 1–0 1–0 Friendly
9. 20 June 2010 Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein, South Africa  Slovakia 2–0 2–0 2010 FIFA World Cup
10. 11 August 2010 Estadio Defensores del Chaco, Asunción, Paraguay  Costa Rica 2–0 2–0 Friendly
11. 17 November 2010 Hong Kong Stadium, So Kon Po, Hong Kong  Hong Kong 7–0 7–0 Friendly
12. 26 March 2011 Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, United States  Mexico 1–3 1–3 Friendly
13. 13 July 2011 Estadio Padre Ernesto Martearena, Salta, Argentina  Venezuela 3–1 3–3 2011 Copa América
14. 11 November 2011 Estadio Defensores del Chaco, Asunción, Paraguay  Ecuador 1–0 2–1 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
15. 9 June 2012 Estadio Hernando Siles La Paz, Bolivia  Bolivia 1–3 1–3 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
16. 10 November 2016 Estadio Defensores del Chaco, Asunción, Paraguay  Peru 1–0 1–4 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Club

Libertad

See also

References

  1. ^ "2006 FIFA World Cup Germany: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. 21 March 2014. p. 20. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2019.
  2. ^ "12 de Octubre vs. Libertad - 6 February 2022 - Soccerway".
  3. ^ a b Mamrud, Roberto (12 April 2018). "Cristian Miguel Riveros - Goals in International Matches". RSSSF.
  4. ^ "Los jugadores más caros del fútbol paraguayo".
  5. ^ Transfer to Cruz Azul (in Spanish)
  6. ^ "Sunderland sign Cruz Azul midfielder Cristian Riveros". BBC Sport. BBC. 11 May 2010. Retrieved 11 May 2010.
  7. ^ Whyatt, Chris (14 August 2010). "Sunderland 2 - 2 Birmingham". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  8. ^ Darling, Kevin (22 May 2011). "West Ham 0-3 Sunderland". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
  9. ^ "Luz verde para la llegada de Cristian Riveros al Decano - Mercado de pases, Olimpia". d10.
  10. ^ "Cristian Riveros es virtual jugador repollero para 2018".
  11. ^ "Paraguay - C. Riveros - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway".
  12. ^ "Paraguay - C. Riveros - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway".
  13. ^ "¿Qué ocurre con Cristian Riveros? ¿Se va a Libertad o sigue en Nacional?". 10 January 2022.
  14. ^ "Cristian Riveros deja Nacional y enfila rumbo a Libertad". 18 January 2022.
  15. ^ "Cristian Riveros fue presentado en Libertad". 19 January 2022.
  16. ^ "Ya está Riveros, pedido de Garnero, y ahora van por un arquero". 19 January 2022.
  17. ^ "Ya está Riveros, pedido de Garnero, y ahora van por un arquero". 19 January 2022.
  18. ^ "Paraguay name their 30-man preliminary World Cup squad". BBC Sport. BBC. 4 May 2010. Retrieved 11 May 2010.
  19. ^ "Da Silva and Riveros make the cut". safc.com. Sunderland A.F.C. 1 June 2010. Retrieved 13 June 2010.
  20. ^ "Cristian Riveros". Soccerway.
  21. ^ "Cristian Miguel Riveros - Goals in International Matches". RSSSF.
  22. ^ "Friendlies - Saudi Arabia vs Paraguay - Soccer - Scoresway - Results, fixtures, tables and statistics". www.scoresway.com. Archived from the original on 30 October 2014. Retrieved 31 October 2014.

External links

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