Ariel Graziani

Football player infobox


playername = Ariel Graziani
fullname = Ariel José Graziani Lentini
height = 182 cm
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1971|6|7
cityofbirth = Empalme Villa Constitución
countryofbirth = Argentina
currentclub = Atlético Empalme
clubnumber =
position = Striker
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1993
1993-1994
1995
1995
1996-1997
1997-1998
1998-1999
1998
1999
1999
2000
2000-2001
2002
2003
2003-2004
2005-2006
2007-Present
clubs = Newell's Old Boys
Sport Boys
Aucas
Ciclista Lima
Emelec
CD Veracruz
Monarcas Morelia
New England Revolution
Dallas Burn
Emelec
Dallas Burn
San Jose Earthquakes
Barcelona SC
Lanús
Barcelona SC
LDU Quito
Atlético Empalme
caps(goals) = 0 (0)
33 (9)
30 (19)
9 (5)
69 (52)
17 (6)
38 (17)
3 (0)
8 (4)
5 (0)
48 (26)
28 (14)
40 (23)
17 (4)
18 (7)
49 (27)
nationalyears = 1997-2000
nationalteam = Ecuador
nationalcaps(goals) = 34 (15)
pcupdate = July 2007

Ariel José Graziani Lentini (born June 7, 1971 in Empalme Villa Constitución, Argentina) is football player. He is a naturalized Ecuadorian striker who represented the Ecuador national team on 34 occasions between 1997 and 2000. [ [http://www.rsssf.com/miscellaneous/ecua-recintlp.html rsssf: Ecuador record international footballers] ] After retiring in Ecuador he is only able to play amateur football, he has chosen to play for Argentinian fifth-level club Atlético Empalme since May, 2007.

Career

Graziani has been a top goalscorer for practically every team for which he has played. He made his professional debut in 1993 with Newell's Old Boys of Argentina, where he was teammates with Diego Maradona until he transferred later that year to Sport Boys of the Peruvian First Division.

Graziani transferred to the Ecuadorian First Division to play for Aucas in 1995, and moved a year later to join Emelec. During his two years with the club, 1996 and 1997, he led the league in scoring while helping Emelec earn league titles. His standout play earned him a transfer to Morelia of the Mexican First Division. Again he was one of the top goalscorers for his club and the league.

In 1999, Ariel was acquired by Major League Soccer for a transfer fee of slightly less than $2 million, which at the time was the highest transfer fee ever paid by the league. Graziani was allocated to New England Revolution but played in only three games for the Revolution before he was traded to the Dallas Burn for Colombian international Leonel Álvarez.

Ariel was the leading goalscorer for the Burn in 2000 with 15 goals and 2001 with 11 goals until he was traded to the San Jose Earthquakes for Salvadoran international Ronald Cerritos. In 2002 with the Earthquakes, Graziani, while the team's leading goalscorer with 15 goals, failed to connect adequately with strike partner Landon Donovan. MLS loaned out the final year of his contract. A bidding war between Emelec and Barcelona SC ensued where, in the end, Barcelona offered MLS more money.

In 2003, Graziani, was the top scorer in Ecuador with Barcelona SC. He also scored what was voted the top goal in that year's Copa Libertadores against the eventual winners Boca Juniors. In 2004, he signed with Lanús in Argentina but only managed 4 goals in 17 games and eventually left the same year to return to Barcelona SC and scored 8 goals from 18 games. In 2005, Graziani signed for LDU Quito. He played there until December, 2006, when he officially retired. Nevertheless, in May, 2007, he signed with Atlético Empalme, where he started his career. Empalme in 2007 plays for Santa Fe Province in zone 9 of the "Torneo del Interior C", a complex regional fifth-level tournament.

Achievements

Graziani has played in 33 games for the Ecuadorian national team during his career, scoring 15 goals for his adopted country.

References

External links

* [http://www.national-football-teams.com/v2/player.php?id=13132 Career details] at National football teams
* [http://www.mlsnet.com/players/bio.jsp?team=mls&player=graziani_a&playerId=gra800920&statType=career Major League Soccer]