Sergio Agüero

Football player infobox
playername = Sergio "Kun" Agüero


fullname = Sergio Leonel Agüero del Castillo
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1988|6|2
cityofbirth = Quilmes
countryofbirth = Argentina
height = height|m=1.74 [ [http://www.footballdatabase.com/index.php?page=player&Id=1411&b=true&pn=Sergio_Leonel_(Kun)_Agero_del_Castillo footballdatabase.com] ]
currentclub = Atlético Madrid
clubnumber = 10
position = Striker, Second striker
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 2003–2006
2006–
clubs = Independiente
Atlético Madrid
caps(goals) = 53 (23)
78 (28)
nationalyears = 2004
2005
2008
2006-
nationalteam = Argentina U17
Argentina U20
Argentina U23
Argentina

nationalcaps(goals) = 05 0(3) 08 0(6)
05 0(2)
14 0(5)
pcupdate = 20:26, 20 September 2008 (EST)
ntupdate = 12:00, 11 October 2008 (UTC) Sergio Leonel "Kun" Agüero del Castillo (born on June 2, 1988 in Quilmes, Buenos Aires Province) is an Argentine football striker, who plays for Atlético Madrid. His nickname was born when some classmates noted that his hairdo looked like that of Japanese anime character "Kum Kum" [ [http://kunaguero.com/ficha.html kunaguero.com] ] .

Footballing career

Independiente

Agüero started playing for Argentine First Division Club Independiente becoming the youngest player to debut in the Argentine First Division at only 15 years and 35 days (On July 7, 2003, against Club Atlético San Lorenzo), breaking the record previously established by Argentine legend Diego Maradona. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/7384547.stm BBC SPORT The rise of Sergio Aguero] ]

Atlético Madrid

Due to his performance, especially during the 2005 Torneo Apertura, the young star attracted the interest of several top European clubs; including Liverpool Football Club, a team Aguero has stated he follows and supports. However a move didn't materialise, due to financial constraints.

In April 2006, it was reported that Atlético Madrid had "pulled off a stunning transfer coup in the signing of Independiente striker Sergio Agüero" [ [http://www.tribalfootball.com/april/spanishnews1280406.html Tribalfootball.com - "Spanish News"] ] . That same day, Independiente denied the reports, but the player himself later told Argentine television, "Although I still don't know what's going to happen to me, this could have been my last goal and my last game for Independiente" [ [http://www.clarin.com/diario/2006/04/29/um/m-01186809.htm Clarín - "Agüero admitió que pudo haber sido su último partido en el fútbol argentino"] es icon] .

On May 29, 2006, it was announced at a news conference that Atlético Madrid had completed a deal to sign the striker for an unknown fee, which is believed to be €20 Million. [ [http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=369484&cc=5739 ESPN - "Atlético agree fee for Independiente starlet"] ] .

On 31st May 2006, Atlético Madrid confirmed that Agüero had signed a six year contract with the club after negotiating a transfer fee of 20 million euros with Independiente [ [http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=369713&cc=4716 ESPN - "Atlético sign Argentine prodigy Aguero"] ] , thus making Agüero the club's most expensive player of all time.

On the 13th of December 2006, Atlético played a Copa Del Rey match against Levante. They had lost the first leg at home 1-0. Until the 91st minute it looked like disappointment for Atlético, but then Agüero shot past Levante's goalkeeper from a difficult angle, scoring his first Copa del Rey goal. As a result of that goal, Atlético proceeded to extra time which ended in a draw, and then won the penalty shootout 4-2, where Agüero also sealed the victory by scoring the last goal to win 4-2.

Another moment of note was an equalising goal in the Camp Nou against big rivals Barcelona, in a match which finished 1-1. Agüero made an excellent run across Puyol and received a through-ball, before slotting past Valdés in the Barça goal. This marked his fifth goal for the club and his fourth in La Liga.

After an inconsistent debut season with Atlético, where he was used sparingly to partner Fernando Torres, and said that he couldn't play to the best of his ability under him. Agüero started the new 2007-08 season in style. He and Diego Forlán became one of the most prolific attacking twosomes in Europe for the 2007-2008 season. At the end of the 07/08 season he finished as the 3rd highest goalscorer in La Liga with 20 goals. He also came runner up to Raúl in the Trofeo Alfredo Di Stéfano for the best player in the league for the 2007-2008 season.

International career

Agüero made his senior debut for Argentina in a friendly with Brazil national football team played at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium on September 3, 2006.

As a teenager, he represented Argentina at three FIFA World Youth Championships. Together with 2008 Olympics squad teammates Fernando Gago of Real Madrid and Lionel Messi of Barcelona, they won the 2005 edition in the Netherlands.

At the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada, he scored twice and helped set up three goals in a 6-0 win over Panama in the second game of the group stage of the tournament. Agüero then scored the only goal in Argentina's third match against North Korea from a free kick. Having qualified to the round of 16, he scored 2 of the 3 goals against Poland that would eventually give them the win (3-1) to advance. Argentina defeated Mexico in the quarter finals and Chile in the semis, and faced the Czech Republic in the finals. Agüero captained and scored the equaliser in the 62nd minute, leading to a 2-1 victory. In addition, Agüero won the Golden Boot for the tournament with his six goals, and the Golden Ball as the best player of the tournament.

As a member of the Argentine squad for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Agüero scored 2 goals in the semifinal match against Brazil on August 19, 2008. On the same day, he revealed that he and his girlfriend (Diego Maradona's daughter Giannina) are expecting a baby, although this was known a long time ago [http://www.ole.clarin.com/notas/2008/08/19/seleccion/01741563.html] .

Titles

Personal Honours:
* Golden Ball: FIFA U-20 World Cup: 2007
* Golden Boot: FIFA U-20 World Cup: 2007
* Tuttosport Golden Boy: 2007 [ [http://www.elmundodeportivo.es/web/gen/20071113/noticia_53411104094.html Tuttosport 'Golden Boy' award winner] ] [ [http://www.aguero10.com/2007/10/30/sergio-aguero-golden-boy/ Sergio Agüero, Golden Boy] ]
* FIFA's Young Player of the Year: 2007
* Trofeo Alfredo Di Stéfano - runner up (2007-2008)

References

External links

* [http://www.kun-aguero.com.ar/ Official site]
* [http://www.footballdatabase.com/site/players/index.php?dumpPlayer=1411 Footballdatabase.com profile]
* [http://www.sergiokunaguero.com/ News, photos and videos Sergio Agüero]