Julio Valentín González

Julio Valentín Ferreira González (born 26 August 1981 in Asunción) is a retired Paraguayan footballer who played as a striker.

For other people named Julio Gonzalez, see Julio Gonzalez (disambiguation).

Julio González
Personal information
Full name Julio Valentín Ferreira González
Date of birth (1981-08-26) 26 August 1981
Place of birth Asunción, Paraguay
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
Olimpia Asunción
Guaraní
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2001 Guaraní 29 (17)
2001–2007 Vicenza 38 (11)
2002 → Huracán (loan) 10 (1)
2003–2004 → Tacuary (loan) 15 (6)
2004 → Nacional Asunción (loan) 12 (5)
2007 Tacuary 3 (0)
2008 Presidente Hayes
National team
2004 Paraguay U23
2001–2004 Paraguay 5 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only
Olympic medal record
Representing  Paraguay
Men's Football
2004 Athens Team Competition

González played for Paraguay at the 2004 Olympics, helping the squad to a silver medal. He also competed with the team at the 2004 Copa América.

Career

González, the topscorer for Serie B club Vicenza as of December 2005, was due to represent his country in the upcoming 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. However, on 22 December 2005, he was involved in a terrible car accident as he was going to Venice airport in order to take a flight over the holidays. After a long hospitalization, on 17 January 2006, González finally suffered the amputation of his left arm. The event was an important news item, and he immediately enjoyed the support of the whole sports world, including a visit from Alex Zanardi.

González then underwent a long period of rehabilitation,[1] always considering a comeback to active football. The player, who was confirmed under contract with Vicenza for the 2006–07 season despite his inability[2] was then awarded the Giacinto Facchetti Prize by Italian sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport.[3]

In July 2007, González returned to Paraguay and started training with club Tacuary, where his younger brother (Celso) plays.[4] A few days later, he confirmed in an interview to La Gazzetta dello Sport he will also serve as local scout for his former team Vicenza.

González finally managed to make his comeback on 18 November 2007, playing for Tacuary in a Paraguayan First Division match against South American giants Olimpia Asunción. He played for 57 minutes.[5] The news gained massive media exposure in Italy as well. In 2008, González went to play for Presidente Hayes.[6]

Later that year in 2008, González took over Inter Campus, an Internazionale youth academy based in Paraguay.[7]

References
  1. TUTTO MERCATO WEB - Gonzalez l'indomabile, punta ai mondiali del 2010
  2. VICENZA CALCIO - Sito ufficiale / Official Website Archived 27 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  3. "Il "Facchetti" a Donadoni. Succede a Francesco Totti" (in Italian). La Gazzetta dello Sport. 6 November 2015. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  4. "Julio Gonzalez torna in campo" (in Italian). Excite Italia. 5 July 2007. Retrieved 20 July 2007.
  5. Una lucha a brazo partido Archived 13 January 2008 at the Wayback Machine (in Spanish)
  6. "Julio González juega en Hayes" (in Spanish)
  7. "Julio González Inter Milan Academy" Archived 9 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine
Awards
Preceded by
Inaugural winner		 La Gazzetta dello Sport's Facchetti Award
2006		 Succeeded by
Younis Mahmoud
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