Sebastián Abreu

Washington Sebastián Abreu Gallo (Spanish pronunciation: [seβasˈtjan aˈβɾew]; born 17 October 1976) is a Uruguayan professional footballer who plays as a striker, and a manager.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Abreu and the second or maternal family name is Gallo.

Sebastián Abreu
Abreu with Aucas in 2015
Personal information
Full name Washington Sebastián Abreu Gallo[1]
Date of birth (1976-10-17) 17 October 1976[2]
Place of birth Minas, Uruguay[1]
Height 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)[2]
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
1993–1995 Defensor
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1996 Defensor 24 (13)
1996–1998 San Lorenzo 43 (26)
1998–2004 Deportivo La Coruña 15 (3)
1998 → Grêmio (loan) 7 (1)
1999–2000 → Tecos (loan) 33 (27)
2000–2001 → San Lorenzo (loan) 25 (10)
2001 → Nacional (loan) 18 (16)
2002–2003 → Cruz Azul (loan) 39 (34)
2003 → América (loan) 16 (3)
2004 → Tecos (loan) 17 (5)
2004–2005 Nacional 31 (16)
2005–2006 Sinaloa 34 (22)
2006 Monterrey 16 (7)
2007 San Luis 14 (6)
2007–2008 UANL 15 (7)
2008 → River Plate (loan) 17 (2)
2008 Beitar Jerusalem 0 (0)
2008–2009 River Plate 0 (0)
2009 → Real Sociedad (loan) 18 (11)
2009–2010 Aris 8 (3)
2010–2012 Botafogo 93 (55)
2012 → Figueirense (loan) 5 (0)
2013–2015 Nacional 18 (5)
2013–2014 → Rosario Central (loan) 38 (8)
2015 → Aucas (loan) 10 (4)
2016 Sol de América 10 (2)
2016 Santa Tecla 21 (13)
2017 Bangu 10 (3)
2017 Central Español 8 (6)
2017 Puerto Montt 13 (11)
2018 Audax Italiano 10 (0)
2018 Magallanes 9 (3)
2019 Rio Branco 0 (0)
2019–2020 Boston River 33 (4)
National team
1996–2012 Uruguay 70 (26)
Teams managed
2019 Santa Tecla (caretaker)
2020 Boston River (player-coach)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 11 October 2020

Best known by his nickname El Loco (Madman in Spanish), the prolific goalscorer – for club and national team – is a journeyman who played for 26 teams in 11 countries during his professional career.[3][4]

A Uruguayan international for more than 15 years, Abreu represented his country in two World Cups and three Copa América tournaments, winning the latter in 2011.

Playing career

Early career

Born in Minas, Lavalleja Department,[1] Abreu played in numerous clubs throughout the Americas (Uruguay, Argentina, Mexico and Brazil). He also had an unsuccessful stint with Spain's Deportivo de La Coruña, which loaned him several times for the duration of his contract.[5]

In his sole season in La Liga, which started in January 1998, having been signed from San Lorenzo de Almagro, Abreu scored for the Galicians in a 3–1 home defeat of FC Barcelona on 25 January.[6]

River Plate

After having joined Mexico's Tigres de la UANL in 2007, Abreu was able to rescind his contract with them in order to join Club Atlético River Plate – the Mexican Football Federation stalled on recognizing the transfer because of an imposed moratorium between the clubs. With Tigres he became the only foreigner to score in the Clasico Regio (Tigres vs. C.F. Monterrey, which he represented the previous year) against each team.

In the middle of 2008, after exhausting negotiations, Abreu signed a contract with Israeli League champions Beitar Jerusalem FC.[7] He appeared in the qualifying rounds of the UEFA Champions League, but his team was quickly eliminated; additionally he could not play in the domestic front, due to lack of payment.

Abreu re-signed with River Plate in September 2008 after terminating his link with Beitar, with a deal lasting until June 2009. Due to a being a late addition, he was not able to play for the side in the Primera División, only featuring in the Copa Sudamericana; the next year, he was eligible for both the domestic and Copa Libertadores fronts.

Real Sociedad

In early January 2009, Abreu returned to Spain after a ten-year absence, being loaned by River to second level side Real Sociedad, which had lost habitual first-choice Iñigo Díaz de Cerio for the season due to a serious leg injury.[8]

On 14 March 2009, he scored a hat-trick in a 3–1 away win against league leaders Xerez CD.[9] His team, however, ultimately failed in returning to the top flight.

Botafogo

On 13 June 2009, Aris Thessaloniki F.C. in Greece signed Abreu from River Plate.[10] However, in January of the following year, the 33-year-old changed clubs and countries again, agreeing on a two-year contract with Brazil's Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas.[11]

Abreu scored the second goal in the 2–1 victory over Clube de Regatas do Flamengo on 18 April 2010, which gave the team the Campeonato Carioca title.[12] In July, he had his link extended until 31 December 2012 with a release clause of US$11.3 million, with the player declaring he had previously held talks with Club Universidad de Chile and Trabzonspor of Turkey.[13]

On 6 February 2011, Abreu was involved in a dramatic match against Fluminense FC: his team won a penalty kick as they were losing 2–1, and he shot it in Panenka-style, with Diego Cavalieri saving the shot by simply standing still. Another penalty was awarded just five minutes later, and he shot it in the same fashion, this time into the right-hand corner of the goal, as the goalkeeper dived the other way; a few minutes later, Botafogo scored again and won the game.[14]

Abreu was loaned to fellow Série A side Figueirense FC on 5 July 2012. However, as the season went on to end in relegation, his contract was ended via Twitter on 24 November, one day before the last game against Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense.[15]

Sol de América

From January 2013 to December 2015, Abreu was under contract to Club Nacional de Football, also being loaned to Rosario Central and S.D. Aucas during this timeframe. On 28 December 2015, Paraguayan newspaper D10 reported that he had met in Uruguay with Club Sol de América chairman Miguel Figueredo.[16] He had already received a more lucrative offer from Mexico, but declined in order to be closer to his country,[17] and was officially confirmed on 6 January 2016.[18][19][20]

Bangu

On 12 November 2016, 40-year-old Abreu joined Brazil's Bangu Atlético Clube from Santa Tecla FC, with the deal being made effective the following January.[21] After ten appearances in the Rio de Janeiro State League, he left.[22]

Central Español and Chile

On 4 April 2017, Abreu signed with Montevideo-based team Central Español of the Uruguayan Segunda División.[23] In late December of the same year, he joined Chilean Primera División's Audax Italiano from Deportes Puerto Montt, in the same country but one level below; this transfer broke a world record, as it marked him as the first player to have played for 26 professional clubs.[24]

Brazil return and Boston River

Abreu returned to Brazil in December 2018 at age 42, agreeing to a contract at Série D's Rio Branco Atlético Clube.[25] He returned to his homeland the following July, signing with Boston River[26] and making his league debut in a 0–0 draw against Club Atlético River Plate (Montevideo) where he donned jersey number 113.[27]

International
Abreu training with Uruguay in 2011

Abreu played for Uruguay at the 2002 FIFA World Cup – matches – and the 1997, 2007 and 2011 Copa América editions, netting twice in the latter.[28] He made his debut for the national side on 17 July 1996 in a friendly with China, going on to earn 70 caps.[29]

On 27 May 2010, Abreu stood only five goals short of Uruguayan all-time goalscoring record, held by Héctor Scarone for 79 years. He was selected for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, where he appeared three times as a substitute; in the quarter-finals against Ghana he scored the decisive penalty shootout attempt (1–1 after 120 minutes) sending Uruguay to the semi-finals for the first time in 40 years.[30][31]

Coaching career

On 26 April 2019, Abreu was announced as the interim manager of Santa Tecla on an initial one-and-a-half month spell, with the parties holding the option open of keeping him as a player-coach or just as a player afterwards.[32] He won the Copa El Salvador four days later, defeating C.D. Audaz 1–0 in the final.[33]

In December 2019, Abreu was appointed player-coach at Boston River ahead of the upcoming campaign in the Uruguayan Primera División.[34] He resigned from the last-placed club the following 9 November.[35]

Personal life

Abreu's son, Diego, played for Mexico at under-16 level.[36]

Honours

Club

San Lorenzo

Nacional

River Plate

Botafogo

Santa Tecla

International

Uruguay

Club

Santa Tecla

References
  1. Guerrero, Alejandro (12 April 2018). "'Loco' Abreu logra un récord Guinness que es muy poco probable que un futbolista lo supere" ['Loco' Abreu gets a Guinness record that is most unlikely to be surpassed by a footballer] (in Spanish). Vanguardia. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  2. "Sebastián Abreu". Eurosport. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  3. World Cup 2010: Uruguay's Sebastian Abreu 'as mad as he is intelligent'; The Daily Telegraph, 4 July 2010
  4. Sebastián Abreu firmó con Audax Italiano, de Chile, y entró al Guinness como jugador que militó en más clubes (Sebastián Abreu signed with Audax Italiano of Chile and entered Guinness as the player who has represented the most clubs); Fútbol, 26 December 2017 (in Spanish)
  5. Uruguayan set for Deportivo return; UEFA, 25 April 2002
  6. El Barça no gana en el 98 (Barça do not win in 98); Mundo Deportivo, 26 January 1998 (in Spanish)
  7. Beitar strengthened for Wisla challenge; UEFA, 1 July 2008
  8. El "Loco" Abreu ficha por la Real Sociedad ("Loco" Abreu signs for Real Sociedad); Liga Fútbol, 9 January 2009 (in Spanish)
  9. Un hat-trick de Abreu tumba al Xerez (Hat-trick by Abreu downs Xerez); Diario AS, 14 March 2009 (in Spanish)
  10. O Sebastian Abreu στον ΑΡΗ! (Sebastián Abreu to Aris!); Aris FC, 13 June 2009 (in Greek)
  11. "Botafogo acerta contratação do uruguaio "El Loco" Abreu, diz empresário" [Botafogo agree signing of Uruguayan "Madman" Abreu, says agent] (in Portuguese). Universo Online. 3 January 2010. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  12. Lavinas, Thiago (18 April 2010). "Botafogo acaba com o tabu, vence o Flamengo e é campeão carioca" [Botafogo end taboo, beat Flamengo and are carioca champions] (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  13. "Botafogo renova com Loco Abreu até o fim de 2012" [Botafogo renew with Madman Abreu until the end of 2012] (in Portuguese). Extra. 27 July 2010. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  14. The Panenka fail & success: Loco Abreu has a crazy five minutes (Botafogo-Fluminense); Goal, 7 February 2011
  15. Figueirense utiliza twitter para anunciar rescisão com Loco Abreu (Figueirense uses twitter to announce rescision with Loco Abreu); Gazeta Esportiva, 24 November 2012 (in Portuguese)
  16. "El Loco Abreu ya posa con la camiseta de Sol de América" [Loco Abreu already poses with Sol de América jersey] (in Spanish). D10. 28 December 2015. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
  17. "Sol espera por Abreu y Wildo Alonso" [Sol waiting on Abreu and Wildo Alonso] (in Spanish). Hoy. 4 January 2016. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
  18. "Sebastián Abreu vestirá su camiseta número 21" [Sebastián Abreu will don his shirt number 21] (in Spanish). El Debate. 6 January 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  19. "Sebastián Abreu jugará en el fútbol paraguayo" [Sebastián Abreu will play in Paraguayan football] (in Spanish). Torneos y Competencias. 7 January 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  20. "Sebastián Abreu signs for Paraguayan club Sol de América, his 22nd club". Box Score News. 7 January 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  21. "Abreu ya tiene nuevo equipo" [Abreu already has a new team] (in Spanish). Azteca Deportes. 12 November 2016. Retrieved 13 November 2016.
  22. Faldon, Gustavo (1 April 2017). "Após 10 jogos, Loco Abreu deixa o Bangu para voltar ao futebol uruguaio" [After 10 games, Loco Abreu leaves Bangu to return to Uruguayan football] (in Portuguese). ESPN Brasil. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  23. Fernández, Nelson (5 April 2017). "Otra aventura para Sebastián Abreu, el hombre de los 25 clubes" [Another adventure for Sebastián Abreu, the man of the 25 clubs] (in Spanish). La Nación. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  24. Garcia, Adriana (28 December 2017). "Uruguay striker Sebastian Abreu signs for 26th club, breaks world record". ESPN. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
  25. Pinheiro, Richard; Souza, Filipe (13 December 2018). "Saiba o que o Rio Branco-ES ofereceu para convencer Loco Abreu a jogar o Capixaba 2019" [Know what Rio Branco-ES offered to convince Loco Abreu to play the 2019 Capixaba] (in Portuguese). Globo Esporte. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  26. "Fútbol: "Loco" Abreu ficha a los 42 años con Boston River de Uruguay" [Football: "Madman" Abreu signs with Uruguay's Boston River at 42] (in Spanish). Xinhua News Agency. 12 July 2019. Retrieved 28 July 2019.
  27. "¡El 'Loco' Abreu debutó con el '113'!" ['Madman' Abreu made debut with '113'!] (in Spanish). Be Soccer. 22 July 2019. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  28. Sebastián Abreu – FIFA competition record
  29. Washington Sebastian Abreu – Goals in International Matches; at RSSSF
  30. Fletcher, Paul (2 July 2010). "Uruguay 1–1 Ghana (4–2 pens)". BBC Sport. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  31. Lafuente, Javier (25 June 2012). ""Lanzar a lo Panenka no es locura, es clase"" ["To shoot like Panenka is not madness, it's class"] (in Spanish). El País. Retrieved 8 July 2017.
  32. "Sebastián "Loco" Abreu: "No vengo con una varita a transformar"" [Sebastián "Madman" Abreu: "I'm not coming here with a magic wand and change anything"] (in Spanish). ElSalvador.com. 26 April 2019. Retrieved 28 April 2019.
  33. "Santa Tecla vence al Audaz y es bicampeón de la Copa El Salvador" [Santa Tecla beat Audaz and are back-to-back Salvadoran Cup champions] (in Spanish). El Gráfico. 30 April 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2019.
  34. "Sebastián Abreu será jugador y técnico en Boston River" [Sebastián Abreu will be player and manager at Boston River] (in Spanish). El Observador. 27 December 2019. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  35. "El "Loco" Abreu deja de ser técnico y jugador del Boston River uruguayo" ["Loco" Abreu no longer manager and player of Uruguay's Boston River] (in Spanish). EFE. 9 November 2020. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  36. Pacheco, Enrique (29 July 2019). "Diego Abreu, el hijo del "Loco", debuta anotando gol con la selección mexicana" [Diego Abreu, the "Madman"'s son, has scoring debut with Mexican national team] (in Spanish). Soy Fútbol. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
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