Juan Camilo Zúñiga

Juan Camilo Zúñiga Mosquera (Latin American Spanish: [ˈxwaŋ kaˈmilo ˈsuɲiɣa mosˈkeɾa];[lower-alpha 1] born 14 December 1985) is a Colombian former professional footballer who played as a wing-back.[2]

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

Juan Camilo Zúñiga
Zúñiga with Napoli in 2009
Personal information
Full name Juan Camilo Zúñiga Mosquera
Date of birth (1985-12-14) 14 December 1985
Place of birth Chigorodó, Colombia
Height 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)[1]
Position(s) Wing-back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2008 Atlético Nacional 121 (9)
2008–2009 Siena 28 (0)
2009–2018 Napoli 125 (4)
2016 → Bologna (loan) 9 (0)
2016–2017 → Watford (loan) 21 (1)
2018 → Atlético Nacional (loan) 4 (0)
Total 308 (14)
International career
2005 Colombia U20 4 (0)
2005–2015 Colombia 61 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Zúñiga has previously played for Italian clubs Siena and Napoli, having won two Coppa Italia titles with the latter; he was also sent on loan by Napoli to Bologna and Watford in 2016.

At international level, Zúñiga was part of the Colombia national football team that played in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, and has also represented his nation in three Copa América tournaments.

Club career

Atlético Nacional

Born in Chigorodó, Antioquia, Zúñiga made his professional debut with Colombian giant Atlético Nacional. With Nacional, he gained three titles while being at the club for seven seasons. In total, he made 129 league appearances and scored 9 goals.

Siena

Zúñiga left Atlético Nacional in the summer of 2008 and was contracted by Italian side Siena.[3] The transfer fee was €2.32 million.[4] While at Siena, Zúñiga gave impressive performances, which attracted several clubs. In total, he made 28 leagues appearances, failing to score a goal.

Napoli

On 9 July 2009, Napoli signed the Colombian from Siena on a five-year deal for €8.5 million.[5][6][7] Zúñiga then usually featured on the left-hand side of the 3–5–2 formation, as the left wingback, since Christian Maggio often occupies the right-hand side.

After the arrival of Andrea Dossena in January 2010, he lost his starting place and became a backup wingback on both flanks in the 2010–11 Serie A season.

Zúñiga scored his first Serie A goal for Napoli against Catania on 20 February 2011. His second goal was on 15 May 2011 against Internazionale in the 46th minute. His third, spectacular goal occurred against Genoa on 21 December 2011.

In late August 2013, Zúñiga suffered an injury. Weeks later, it was confirmed that he would be forced to have knee surgery and be out for a month, likely causing him to miss the rest of the season for 2013.[8] Nevertheless, Zúñiga signed a new contract in October 2013.[9]

Zúñiga playing against AIK in the Europa League

In April 2014, it was announced after five months that Zúñiga had finally recovered from his knee injury and would continue regularly for Napoli.[10]

In the first half of the 2015–16 Serie A season, he was left out of the squad.

Bologna (Loan)

On 13 January 2016, Zúñiga signed for Bologna on loan until the end of the season.[11] He made his league debut for the club on 17 January 2016, in a 2–2 draw with Lazio. He replaced Emanuele Giaccherini in the 71st minute.[12]

Watford (Loan)

On 13 July 2016, it was announced that Zúñiga would join Watford on a season-long loan, with an option to buy, reuniting with former Napoli teammates Miguel Britos and Valon Behrami, as well as manager Walter Mazzarri.[13] On 18 September 2016, Zúñiga came on in the 83rd minute for Étienne Capoue and scored against Manchester United in his side's 3–1 win. In what was only his third appearance for Watford in the Premier League,[14][15] he subsequently won a penalty, converted by Troy Deeney, for Watford's third goal.[16][17] It was reported that Zúñiga returned to Naples after the loan, for his final year of contract.[18]

Return to Atlético Nacional

After spending the first half of the 2017–18 season out of Napoli's squad, Zúñiga joined his first club Atlético Nacional on a free transfer on 30 January 2018.[19]

Retirement

In 2018, Zúñiga announced his retirement from football.[20]

International career

Zúñiga played for Colombia in the 2005 World Youth Cup before progressing to the senior national team in 2005. He was regarded as being similar to other famous adventurous full-backs such as Cafu and Roberto Carlos by the Italian press during the under-20 World Youth Cup, because of his attacking nature. Zúñiga started most of Colombia 2014 World Cup qualifiers, only missing two games: against Venezuela after being given permission to leave the team for the birth of his son,[21] and against Peru due to injury. He scored his first international goal during the qualifying campaign, which came in stoppage time in a 4–0 home win over Uruguay; he also assisted Radamel Falcao's opening goal during the match.[22]

He was called up for the 2014 World Cup and appeared in four of the five matches that Colombia played in the tournament.[23] On 4 July 2014, while Colombia's quarter-final match against hosts Brazil was nearing its end, Zúñiga landed his right knee into Neymar's lower back while challenging for the ball. Neymar was stretchered off and further examinations showed that Neymar suffered a fractured vertebra, ruling him out of the rest of the World Cup.[24] After the match, which Colombia lost 2–1, Zúñiga insisted that he had not meant to injure Neymar.[24][25] Neymar's teammate Thiago Silva defended Zúñiga, stating that he was not the type of player who would purposely cause an injury to any player.[26] Conversely, Brazilian legend Ronaldo said that he believed that Zúñiga's violent challenge was a foul committed with the intention of causing harm. The day after the match, it was revealed that Zúñiga had sent a letter of apology to Neymar, saying that he was "deeply sorry and sad" for unintentionally causing the injury.[27] Neymar later accepted the apology.[28] Though Zúñiga publicly apologized to Neymar, his Instagram and Twitter accounts were flooded with racial insults and death threats addressed to him and his family by some Brazilian fans.[29][30]

The following year, in the 2015 Copa América, Zúñiga participated in his team's second group match against Brazil, during which an on-pitch brawl broke out following Colombia's 1–0 victory.[31]

Style of play

A quick, energetic, versatile, and hard-working player, Zúñiga was capable of playing in several positions along the left flank, and was deployed as an attacking full-back, as a wing-back, and as a winger; a right-footed player, he was also capable of playing on the right, but from a tactical standpoint, he favoured the left flank, as it allowed him to take on and beat opponents in one on one situations, and subsequently cut inside and shoot on goal with his stronger foot.[32][33] Once regarded as a possible heir of Cafu,[34] he was mainly known for his pace, strength, technique, and dribbling skills, as well as his powerful striking ability from outside the area; these attributes made him a dangerous offensive threat, and enabled him both to score and create goals for teammates.[35][36]

Career statistics

Club
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[37][38]
Club Season League Cup League Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Atlético Nacional 2002 Categoría Primera A 40———40
2003 Categoría Primera A 10———10
2004 Categoría Primera A 230———230
2005 Categoría Primera A 232———232
2006 Categoría Primera A 241———241
2008 Categoría Primera A 324———324
2008 Categoría Primera A 142———142
Total 1219———1219
Siena 2008–09 Serie A 28000——280
Napoli 2009–10 Serie A 22020—00240
2010–11 Serie A 27220—80372
2011–12 Serie A 31250—70432
2012–13 Serie A 32010—70400
2013–14 Serie A 6000—2080
2014–15 Serie A 7000—30100
2015–16 Serie A 0000—0000
Total 1254100—2701624
Bologna (loan) 2015–16 Serie A 9000——90
Watford (loan) 2016–17 Premier League 2110010—221
Atlético Nacional (loan) 2018 Categoría Primera A 4000001050
Career total 308141001028034714

International
Scores and results list Colombia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after Zúñiga goal.
International goal scored by Juan Camilo Zúñiga[37]
#DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.7 September 2012Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez, Barranquilla, Colombia Uruguay
4–0
4–0
2014 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Atletico Nacional[37]

Napoli[37]

Notes
  1. In isolation, Juan is pronounced [ˈxwan].

References
  1. "Home". Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
  2. "Arsenal Transfer News: Cavani, Zuniga, Gourcuff And Walcott Involved In Latest Speculation". Ibtimes.com. 18 January 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
  3. "Zuniga raggiunge il ritiro" (in Italian). AC Siena. 22 July 2008. Retrieved 17 October 2010.
  4. "Allegato Nº3: Prospetto movimentazione diritti pluriennali alle prestazioni dei calciatori nell'esercizio dal 01/07/2018 al 30/06/2009". A.C. Siena S.p.A. bilancio di esercizio al 2009-06-30. Registro delle Imprese (statutory filing) (in Italian). Siena: Italian C.C.I.A.A. October 2009.
  5. "Napoli, ufficializzati Campagnaro e Zuniga" (in Italian). SSC Napoli. 9 July 2009. Retrieved 30 July 2009.
  6. A.C. Siena S.p.A. bilancio (financial report and accounts) on 30 June 2010 (in Italian), PDF purchased from Italian C.C.I.A.A.
  7. S.S.C. Napoli S.p.A. bilancio (financial report and accounts) on 30 June 2010 (in Italian), PDF purchased from Italian C.C.I.A.A.
  8. Diego, Juan. "Camilo Zuñiga fue operado de la rodilla". Comutricolor.com. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
  9. "Official: Zuniga pens Napoli contract". Football Italia. Tiro Media. 1 October 2013. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  10. "Napoli, emergenza terzini finita: Pronti al rientro Maggio e Zuniga - Fantagazzetta.com". Archived from the original on 7 April 2014. Retrieved 2 April 2014.
  11. "Zuniga al Bologna" (in Italian). Bologna F.C. 1909. 13 January 2016. Archived from the original on 22 April 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2016.
  12. "Bologna vs. Lazio - 17 January 2016 - Soccerway".
  13. "Watford sign Colombia full-back Juan Camilo Zúñiga on loan from Napoli". TheGuardian.com. 16 July 2016.
  14. "Watford 1-2 Chelsea". BBC Sport.
  15. "Southampton 1-1 Watford". BBC Sport.
  16. "OFFICIAL: Juan Camilo Zúñiga Joins Watford FC". Watford F.C. 13 July 2016. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
  17. Smyth, Rob (18 September 2016). "Watford 3–1 Manchester United: Live". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 September 2016.
  18. Monti, Gianluca (26 June 2017). Written at Naples. "Calciomercato Napoli, Neto se rompe Reina, Berenguer se uscirà Giaccherini". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Milan: RCS MediaGroup. ISSN 2499-3093. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  19. "Se acabó la espera: Camilo Zúñiga vuelve a ser jugador de Nacional". El Tiempo (in Spanish). 30 January 2018. Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  20. RedacciĂłn deportes (4 July 2018). "Entre lágrimas, Camilo Zúñiga anunció su retiro del fútbol" (in Spanish). El Espectador. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  21. "Defensor Camilo Zuñiga de Colombia estaría ausente para juego con Venezuela" (in Spanish). Univision. 8 November 2011. Archived from the original on 16 December 2013.
  22. "Falcao stays hot as Colombia put Uruguay to sword". Reuters. 7 September 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
  23. "Profile on the FIFA World Cup official website". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 13 June 2014. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  24. "Neymar: Injured Brazil forward ruled out of World Cup". BBC Sport. 5 July 2014. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
  25. "Zúñiga diz que não tinha a intenção de machucar Neymar" (in Portuguese). Estadão. 4 June 2014. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  26. "Thiago Silva defendió a Zuñiga y quiere ganar la Copa por Neymar – Futbol – ESPN: Deportes". Espndeportes.espn.go.com. 1 January 2008. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
  27. "Zuniga apologizes to Neymar for tackle". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 16 July 2014. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
  28. "Neymar accepts apology from Juan Zuniga after World Cup clash". Metro. 6 September 2014. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  29. "Neymar's Injury Sidelines Effort to End World Cup Racism". The New York Times. 8 July 2014. Retrieved 8 July 2014.
  30. "World Cup 2014: Juan Zuniga gets extra security after Neymar threats". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 10 July 2014. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  31. "Copa America: FT: Brazil 0–1 Colombia". BBC. 17 June 2015.
  32. Marco Zefelippo (6 September 2015). ""Lo strano caso di Zuniga", da esubero del Napoli a sorpresa del Fantacalcio?" (in Italian). Fanta Magazine. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  33. Monti, Gianluca (14 March 2012). "Istruzioni per l' uso dai vecchi campioni". La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  34. Francesco Letizia (16 July 2008). "Zuniga a SportItalia: "Mi cercano Siena e Palermo"" (in Italian). Tutto Mercato Web. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  35. "Velocità, dribbling, tiro e assist: Zuniga ritorna titolare" (in Italian). Casa Napoli 24. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
  36. Michael Cox (1 October 2013). "Why gnarly Napoli will prove tough to crack for Arsenal". FourFourTwo. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  37. "C. ZÚÑIGA". Soccerway. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  38. "Zúñiga, Juan Camilo". National-Football-Teams. Retrieved 16 July 2016.
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