Jorge Valdivia

Football player infobox
playername = Jorge Valdivia


fullname = Jorge Luis Valdivia Toro
nickname = El Mago
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1983|10|19
cityofbirth = Maracaibo
countryofbirth = Venezuela
height = height|m=1.75
currentclub = Al Ain FC
clubnumber = 10
position = Attacking Midfielder
youthyears =
youthclubs = Colo-Colo
years = 2003–2006
2003
2004
2004–2005
2006-2008
2008-
clubs = Colo-Colo
→ U. de Concepción (Loan)
→ Rayo Vallecano (Loan)
→ Servette (Loan)
Palmeiras
Al Ain FC
caps(goals) = 32 (13)
46 0(7)
05 0(0)
09 0(2)
90 (21)
1 (1)
nationalyears = 2004-present
nationalteam = Chile
nationalcaps(goals) = 26 0(1)
pcupdate = 16 September 2008
ntupdate = 22 August 2008

Jorge Luis Valdivia Toro (born October 19 1983 in Maracaibo, Venezuela) is a Chilean international football player, who currently plays for Al-Ain FC as an attacking midfielder.

Career

Nicknamed 'El Mago' (The Magician), Valdivia previously played for Universidad de Concepción, Rayo Vallecano in Spain, Colo-Colo in Chile and Servette FC in Switzerland. After winning the 2006 Apertura tournament with Colo-Colo, Valdivia was sold to Palmeiras for a transfer fee of $3.5 million and will make $400,000 annually.

He quickly became a fan favourite at Palmeiras due to his great skills, and he was considered the team's most important player and of the best players in the Brazilian Série A during the year 2007.

He had an excellent São Paulo State Championship in 2008 and was a key part of the winning Palmeiras side. He was elected the Most Valuable Player of this competition. He was linked with a move to Europe, namely with Hertha Berlin. He has a similar playing style to Tomas Rosicky and his dribbling has been compared to that of Lionel Messi. He also possesses an accurate shot.

After the Copa América 2007, Valdivia was banned from the Chilean national team for 20 matches, after a scandal in which he, along with 5 other players, allegedly showed up drunk to the team's hotel after their match against Mexico. They lost the following match against Brazil 5-0.

On August 15th, Goal.com announced that Jorge Valdivia is moving to Al Ain in the UAE league. Al Ain will pay up to 8 million € to Palmeiras.

On August 17th , Valdivia has put pen to paper when he signed a 4 year contract for € 17 million that should keep him with Al-Ain FC till 2012 .By signing this contract he is the most expensive player in the Gulf.

Honours

Club

*flagicon|CHI "'Colo-Colo
**: 2006

*flagicon|BRA "'Palmeiras
**São Paulo State Championship: 2008

Contract

*17th August 2008 to 15th July 2012

External links

*pt icon [http://www.magovaldivia.com magovaldivia.com]
*pt icon [http://palmeiras.globo.com/futebol/valdivia.asp palmeiras.globo.com]
*pt icon [http://200.159.15.35/registro/registro.aspx?s=179697 CBF]
*en icon [http://touchline.onthespot.co.uk/guardian/StatsCentre.asp?Lang=0&CTID=59&CPID=133&pStr=Player&PLID=183292&TEID=1320 Guardian Stats Centre]
*pt icon [http://www.zerozero.pt/pt/jogador.php?id=32363&search=1 zerozero.pt]