Paolo Guerrero

José Paolo Guerrero Gonzales (Spanish pronunciation: [xoˈse paˈolo ɣeˈreɾo ɣonˈsales]; born 1 January 1984) is a Peruvian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Brazilian club Internacional and the Peru national team.

This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Guerrero and the second or maternal family name is Gonzales.

Paolo Guerrero

Guerrero training with Peru at the 2018 FIFA World Cup
Personal information
Full name	José Paolo Guerrero Gonzales
Date of birth	(1984-01-01) 1 January 1984
Place of birth	Lima, Peru
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[1]
Playing position(s)	Striker
Club information
Current team	Internacional
Number	9
Youth career
1992–2002[2]	Alianza Lima
2002–2003	Bayern Munich
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2002–2006	Bayern Munich II	66	(45)
2004–2006	Bayern Munich	27	(10)
2006–2012	Hamburger SV	134	(37)
2012–2015	Corinthians	62	(23)
2015–2018	Flamengo	61	(19)
2018–	Internacional	27	(13)
National team^‡
2000–2001	Peru U17	4	(1)
2004	Peru U23	4	(3)
2004–	Peru	102	(38)
Honours Men's football Representing  Peru Bolivarian Games 2001 Ambato Team Copa América Runner-up 2019 Brazil 2011 Argentina 2015 Chile
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17 August 2020 ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 15 November 2019

Guerrero spent his early career in Germany, formed at Bayern Munich, and later playing at Hamburger SV, amassing Bundesliga totals of 161 games and 47 goals across eight seasons. He later played in Brazil, scoring the goal which won the 2012 FIFA Club World Cup Final for Corinthians.

Since his international debut in 2004, Guerrero has earned over 100 caps for Peru and is the nation's all-time top goalscorer with 38 goals, representing them at five Copa América tournaments. He helped them to third place in the 2011 and 2015 editions, and to runners-up in 2019, finishing as top scorer in all three of these tournaments.[3] He is also the current all time top scorer in the history of the Copa América among active players. He was one of 59 nominees for the 2015 FIFA Ballon d'Or, the first Peruvian to receive that recognition.[4]

Club career

Early career

Guerrero was born in Lima, starting his football career in the lower categories of Alianza Lima. In 2003, he signed a contract with Bavarian giants Bayern Munich. During 2003–04, Guerrero played in the Regionalliga Süd where he scored 21 goals in 23 games. During the 2004–05 season, he joined fellow countryman Claudio Pizarro on the Bayern first team.

Hamburger SV

Guerrero with Hamburger SV

In June 2006, it was announced that Guerrero had transferred to Hamburger SV and signed a contract with the club through 2010.[5] His first season was marred by an injury, which took away half his season, and his low productivity, being a sub most of the season. Near the end, he did score three goals, making his season total 5 goals in 20 games. One of these goals was against former club Bayern Munich in a 1–2 victory which left Bayern with no possibilities of making it to the UEFA Champions League. In the 2007–08 season, his second at Hamburg, Guerrero played 29 of 34 games in the Bundesliga, scoring nine goals and getting four assists, as well as becoming an undisputed starter and a vital part of the side; he was the third top scorer, behind Rafael van der Vaart (12 goals) and Ivica Olić (14 goals). In the UEFA Cup and qualification, he played nine games, scoring five goals and getting three assists. His first hat-trick in his professional career was against Karlsruher SC, in the last game of the Bundesliga, scoring the second, third, and fourth goals in a 7–0 victory. This victory secured them fourth place and a UEFA Cup spot for next season.

By the beginning of the 2008–09 season, Guerrero had become first choice striker for Hamburger SV. Coach Martin Jol even went as far as saying that Guerrero better not catch even a cold during the season. Guerrero was fined a club record (somewhere in the region of €50,000–100,000), in April 2010 for an incident at the end of a league game with Hannover 96, where after apparently having been abused by a Hamburg fan, Guerrero threw his drink bottle into the crowd, striking that fan in the face.[6] The German Football Association (DFB) suspended Guerrero for five league games and fined him €20,000.[7]

Corinthians

Guerrero for Corinthians against Chelsea

Guerrero joined Brazilian club Corinthians on 13 July 2012, on a three-year deal for a fee of R$7.5 million.[8] He scored both of their goals in the 2012 FIFA Club World Cup, once in the semi-finals against Al Ahly SC and the winning goal in the final against Chelsea.[9]

In May 2013, Guerrero became the first Peruvian footballer to appear on the cover of Placar, Brazil's biggest football magazine. The cover featured him as a warrior ("guerrero" is similar to the Portuguese word "guerreiro", both meaning "warrior") fresh out of battle, with blood on his legs, and carrying a Corinthians flag.[10]

In July 2013, Corinthians won the 2013 Recopa Sudamericana, defeating city rivals São Paulo FC 3–1 on aggregate. Guerrero scored in the first leg, a 2–1 away win.[11]

In 2015, Guerrero and Corinthians were not able to reach a deal on the renegotiation of his contract, due to end on 15 July. His last game for Corinthians was against Fluminense on 24 May. Corinthians confirmed his release three days later.[12]

Flamengo

Guerrero playing against Fluminense in 2016

It was announced on 29 May 2015, that Guerrero would join Flamengo after playing for Peru in the Copa América in Chile.[13]

In the 2017 Campeonato Carioca, Guerrero scored both of Flamengo's goals in a 2–1 semi-final win over Botafogo,[14] and a further goal in the second leg of the final to win 3–1 on aggregate over Fluminense in the Maracanã.[15]

Internacional

On 12 August 2018, Guerrero signed with S.C. Internacional on a three-year contract, after leaving Flamengo on a free transfer.[16] He was given the number 79, to commemorate the last time Inter won the Campeonato Brasileiro.[17] However, days before he was to debut, on 24 August, his FIFA ban was upheld, preventing him from playing his first match until April 2019.

In 2019, Guerrero's number changed from 79 to 9, due to the departure of Leandro Damião. After his ban expired, Guerrero finally made his debut for Inter in the Campeonato Gaúcho against Caxias, on 6 April, scoring in the 2–0 semi-final win. His Copa Libertadores debut came against Palestino of Chile, a match where he scored twice.[18]

International career

Guerrero's national career began at the 2001 Bolivarian Games where he won gold with the U-17 squad. His career with the senior team began in the unsuccessful 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign, but he managed to score twice for the national side. His first goal was the winner against Chile in Lima's Estadio Nacional. It was followed by a first-minute goal in the next match against Ecuador at the same venue, though the Ecuadorians fought back to secure a 2–2 away draw. In the opening game of the 2007 Copa América in Mérida, Venezuela, Guerrero concluded a 3–0 win over Uruguay as Peru went on to reach the quarter-finals.[19]

Guerrero was ruled out of Peru's first two 2010 World Cup qualifying games because of injury. A further blow to Peru was laid down by FIFA when Guerrero was suspended six games for insulting the referee during the match against Uruguay in June 2008.[20] Following Peru's disastrous qualifying campaign for the 2010 World Cup, José del Solar was replaced with Uruguayan manager Sergio Markarián and Guerrero was called up for the 2011 Copa América. In place of an injured Pizarro, Guerrero played as the team's starting striker in the competition and scored five times, making him the tournament's top scorer, one each against Uruguay and Mexico followed by a hat-trick against Venezuela in the third place play-off match which Peru won 4–1.[21]

Guerrero in a qualification match against Ecuador

At the 2015 Copa América held in Chile, Guerrero scored a hat-trick in a 3–1 win against Bolivia in the quarter-final in Temuco.[22] He scored the second goal in Peru's 2–0 win over Paraguay in the third place play-off, thus helping Peru to third place at the Copa América for a second consecutive time and finishing as joint top-goalscorer with Chile's Eduardo Vargas.

Guerrero became the all-time leading goalscorer for Peru on 4 June 2016, after scoring against Haiti in a 1–0 win at the Copa América Centenario.[23]

Lead-up to the 2018 FIFA World Cup

Guerrero made 17 appearances and scored five goals in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, helping Peru clinch a berth in the play-offs. On 3 November 2017, it was announced that Guerrero had failed the doping control test after the match against Argentina in the previous month for what was initially reported as a social drug. He received a preemptive 30-day suspension from FIFA, making him miss the World Cup play-off tie against New Zealand, eventually won by Peru.[24]

Guerrero and Jefferson Farfán training with Peru at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

On 8 December 2017, it was revealed that Guerrero had tested positive for benzoylecgonine, the primary metabolite of cocaine. As a result, he was banned by FIFA from all competitions for one year, meaning that he would not have been able to participate in the 2018 FIFA World Cup.[25][26] The ban was reduced on appeal 12 days later.[27][28] Guerrero's lawyers had argued that the failed test had occurred as a result of the consumption of a traditional coca tea, using forensic analysis of the Children of Llullaillaco as evidence.[29]

However, on 14 May 2018, the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld the appeal filed by the World Anti-Doping Agency, extending the ban to 14 months and ruling him out of the tournament. It accepted that Guerrero did not intend to enhance performance but said he was at fault, even if not significantly.[30]

On 31 May 2018, it was announced Guerrero would be allowed to play at the 2018 FIFA World Cup after the Swiss Federal Tribunal temporarily lifted the ban.[31]

On 3 June 2018, Guerrero made his comeback after a seven-month absence from the national team scoring twice in the 3–0 friendly win against Saudi Arabia.[32]

A 2018 report of investigative journalists of German broadcasting station ARD revealed doping practices in Brazil, involving physician Mohamad Barakat who reportedly treated Guerrero and who had already posed with him many years ago.[33][34]

Guerrero celebrating his goal against Australia at the 2018 FIFA World Cup

2018 FIFA World Cup

Guerrero made his World Cup debut on 16 June 2018, coming off the bench in the 1–0 loss to Denmark.[35] On 26 June, he assisted André Carrillo's goal, which was Peru's first World Cup goal in 36 years, and scored the second goal in Peru's 2–0 win over Australia, in the team's final group match, as his side suffered a first-round exit from the competition.[36]

2019 Copa América

In May 2019, Guerrero was included in Ricardo Gareca's final 23-man squad for the 2019 Copa América in Brazil.[37] He scored the opening goal in Peru's second group game of the tournament on 18 June – a 3–1 victory over Bolivia.[38] In the semi-finals against defending champions Chile on 3 July, Guerrero scored the final goal of a 3–0 win, which saw Peru advance to the final of the tournament for the first time since 1975.[39]

In the 2019 Copa América Final against hosts Brazil on 7 July, at the Maracanã Stadium, Guerrero scored the temporary equaliser from the penalty spot in the first half; the match eventually ended in a 3–1 victory to Brazil.[40] Guerrero finished the tournament as the top scorer with 3 goals, alongside Brazil's Everton Soares, who won the Golden Boot Award due to having played fewer minutes than the Peruvian throughout the tournament.[41][42]

On 11 October 2019, Guerrero made his 100th international appearance for Peru against Uruguay.

Personal life

Guerrero in 2010

Guerrero has a fear of flying.[43] Media reports claim his fear of flying is due to the death of his uncle José González Ganoza in the 1987 Alianza Lima air disaster.[44]

Guerrero's older brother, Julio Rivera, was also a footballer for the Peru national team who progressed through the Alianza Lima youth system.[45] The brothers were both following in the path of their uncle who had represented Alianza Lima and the Peru national team before them.

Guerrero is Roman Catholic.[46][47][48]

His nephew, also named Julio Rivera, was found dead from a robbery in Lima. Guerrero held his death with sorrow and honor to his late nephew.[49]

Career statistics

Club

As of 17 August 2020.[50]

Club	Season	League			National Cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Bayern Munich II	2002–03	Regionalliga	18	8	-	-	-	-	-	-	18	8
	2003–04		24	21	1	0	-	-	-	-	25	21
	2004–05		11	7	3	4	-	-	-	-	14	11
	2005–06		13	9	1	0	-	-	-	-	13	9
	Total		66	45	4	4	-	-	-	-	70	49
Bayern Munich	2004–05	Bundesliga	13	6	1	0	6	1	-	-	20	7
	2005–06		14	4	3	1	7	1	-	-	24	6
	Total		27	10	4	1	13	2	-	-	44	13
Hamburger SV	2006–07	Bundesliga	20	5	-	-	7	0	-	-	27	5
	2007–08		29	9	3	0	9	5	-	-	41	14
	2008–09		31	9	5	1	12	4	-	-	48	14
	2009–10		6	4	1	0	6	3	-	-	13	7
	2010–11		25	4	2	1	-	-	-	-	27	5
	2011–12		25	6	2	0	-	-	-	-	27	6
	Total		134	37	13	2	34	12	-	-	181	51
Corinthians	2012	Série A	15	6	0	0	0	0	2	2	17	8
	2013		17	5	3	0	9	5	17	8	46	18
	2014		28	12	5	3	0	0	12	1	45	16
	2015		2	0	0	0	5	4	11	6	18	10
	Total		62	23	8	3	14	9	42	17	126	52
Flamengo	2015	Série A	15	3	3	1	0	0	0	0	18	4
	2016		21	9	4	1	3	0	16	8	44	18
	2017		19	6	5	2	8	2	12	10	44	20
	2018		6	1	1	0	0	0	-	-	7	1
	Total		61	19	13	4	11	2	28	18	113	43
Internacional	2018	Série A	0	0	-	-	-	-	-	-	0	0
	2019		24	10	8	5	6	4	3	1	41	20
	2020		3	3	0	0	6	3	6	4	15	10
	Total		27	13	8	5	11	7	9	5	56	30
Career total			369	145	44	17	80	30	79	40	576	232

International

Main article: List of international goals scored by Paolo Guerrero

As of 15 November 2019[50]

Peru
Year	Apps	Goals
2004	3	1
2005	6	2
2006	3	2
2007	9	4
2008	4	0
2009	3	0
2010	0	0
2011	9	7
2012	8	2
2013	6	0
2014	5	2
2015	11	5
2016	12	3
2017	7	4
2018	5	3
2019	11	3
Total	102	38

Honours

Guerrero accepting the Bronze Ball award after the 2012 FIFA Club World Cup Final

Club

Bayern Munich[50]

• Bundesliga: 2004–05, 2005–06
• DFB-Pokal: 2004–05, 2005–06

Hamburger SV

• UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2007

Corinthians[50]

• Campeonato Paulista: 2013
• Recopa Sudamericana 2013
• FIFA Club World Cup: 2012

Flamengo

• Campeonato Carioca: 2017

International

Peru U17

• Bolivarian Games: 2001

Peru

• Copa América Top scorer: 2011, 2015, 2019

• Copa América: Runner-up 2019, Third-place 2011, 2015

Individual

• Regionalliga Süd: Top Scorer (21 goals)
• 2007 Copa América: Best Peruvian Player
• Copa América Top Scorer: 2011, 2015, 2019[3]
• Copa América Team of the Tournament: 2011, 2015,[51] 2019[52]
• 2012 FIFA Club World Cup: Bronze Ball
• 2012 FIFA Club World Cup: Best Forward
• 2013 Campeonato Paulista: Best Forward
• 2013 Campeonato Paulista: Team of the Tournament
• 2014 Campeonato Paulista: Top Foreign Scorer in Corinthians history
• Campeonato Brasileiro Série A Team of the Year: 2014[53]
• Campeonato Carioca Team of the Year: 2017[54]

See also

• List of footballers with 100 or more caps

References

1. "2018 FIFA World Cup Russia – List of Players" (PDF). FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. 4 June 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 June 2018. Retrieved 19 June 2018.
2. "Guerrero, José Paolo" (in German). kicker.de. Retrieved 16 May 2012.
3. Everton Soares, who also scored 3 goals at the 2019 Copa América, was given the top-scorer award, as he played fewer minutes than Guerrero
4. "Paolo Guerrero nominado al Balón de Oro 2015 de la FIFA". Depor.pe (in Spanish). 3 October 2015. Retrieved 6 November 2015.
5. "Guerrero wechselt zum HSV" (in German). kicker.de. 14 June 2006. Retrieved 11 May 2008.
6. "Rekordgeldstrafe für Guerrero" (in German). ZDF. 5 April 2010. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 5 April 2010.
7. "Fünf Spiele Sperre für den Flaschenwerfer" (in German). ZDF. 8 April 2010. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011. Retrieved 8 April 2010.
8. "Timão anuncia acordo com Guerrero. Apresentação será segunda-feira" (in Portuguese). Globoesporte. 13 July 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2013.
9. "Corinthians 1 Chelsea 0". BBC Sport. 16 December 2012. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
10. "Placar de maio tem Guerrero, Seedorf, Barcos e o novo Cruzeiro na capa" (in Portuguese). Placar. 23 May 2013. Archived from the original on 2 May 2013. Retrieved 24 April 2013.
11. "Há quatro anos, Corinthians conquistava Recopa Sul-Americana com vitória sobre São Paulo" (in Portuguese). Corinthians. 17 July 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
12. "Corinthians libera Guerrero" (in Portuguese). corinthians.com.br. 27 May 2015. Archived from the original on 30 May 2015. Retrieved 27 April 2015.
13. "Paolo Guerrero é o novo atacante do Flamengo". CR Flamengo (in Portuguese). 29 May 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
14. "Com dois de Guerrero, Flamengo derrota Botafogo e faz final contra o Fluminense" (in Portuguese). ESPN. 23 April 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
15. "Guerrero brilha, Flamengo bate Fluminense e é campeão estadual" (in Portuguese). UOL. 7 May 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
16. "Peru striker Guerrero secures Internacional move". XINHUANET. 9 August 2018. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
17. "Guerrero vestirá a camisa 79 no Internacional" (in Portuguese). O GLOBO. 14 August 2018. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
18. "Paolo Guerrero Scores Brace In First Copa Libertadores Match Following Doping Ban". beIN Sports. 9 April 2019. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
19. "Perú goleó 3–0 a Uruguay en Copa América" [Peru thrash Uruguay 3–0 at the Copa América]. El Universo (in Spanish). 26 June 2007. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
20. "Peru striker Guerrero suspended for six games". Soccerway. 12 August 2008. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
21. "Peru 4–1 Venezuela: Paolo Guerrero nets second half hat trick as Peruvians finish third in 2011 Copa America". Goal.com. 23 July 2011. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
22. "Bolivia 1–3 Peru: Guerrero's hat trick books Copa America semifinal date with Chile". NBC Sports. 25 June 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
23. Guerrero Gonzales, José. "Guerrero plays down goal-scoring record". FourFourTwo. Archived from the original on 8 June 2016. Retrieved 5 June 2016.
24. "Peru's Paolo Guerrero provisionally suspended for failing doping test". ESPN. 3 November 2017.
25. "Peru: Paolo Guerrero to miss World Cup after failing drugs test". BBC Sport. 8 December 2017.
26. "Peru captain Paolo Guerrero to miss World Cup, banned 1 year". Daily News. New York. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
27. "Peru: Paolo Guerrero has drugs ban reduced before World Cup". BBC. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
28. "FIFA cut Peru captain Paolo Guerrero's drug ban in half making striker available for World Cup in Russia". Mirror. 20 December 2017.
29. Jennings, Patrick (15 June 2018). "Cocaine, the captain & the frozen mummies: Paolo Guerrero's World Cup journey". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
30. "Peru Captain Guerrero to Miss World Cup After Doping Ban Increased". The New York Times. 14 May 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
31. "World Cup 2018: Peru captain Paolo Guerrero cleared to play". BBC Sport. 31 May 2018. Retrieved 31 May 2018.
32. "Saudi Arabia 0 – 3 Peru". BBC Sport. 3 June 2018. Retrieved 3 June 2018.
33. Seppelt, Hajo; Riesewieck, Florian; Willison, Edmund; Münster, Sebastian (1 July 2018). "Profifußballer besuchen dubiosen brasilianischen Mediziner". sportschau.de (in German). Retrieved 2 July 2018.
34. Perrone, Ricardo (2 November 2013). "Médico de fora do Corinthians diz que Guerrero pede ajuda e amplia desgaste". Blog do Perrone (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2 July 2018.
35. "Denmark do just enough to edge out Peru". FIFA. 16 June 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
36. "Peru sign off in style". FIFA. 26 June 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
37. "Lista de 23 de Gareca para Copa América: horario, cómo ver y TV" (in Spanish). As.com. 30 May 2019. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
38. "Peru come from behind to beat Bolivia 3–1 in Copa America". Euronews. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
39. "Peru beat Chile, set up Copa final with Brazil". ESPN FC. 3 July 2019. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
40. Smyth, Rob (7 July 2019). "Brazil 3–1 Peru". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
41. "BCebolinha é eleito melhor da final, vira artilheiro e enlouquece Galvão". UOL (in Portuguese). 7 July 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
42. "Daniel Alves é eleito craque da Copa América; Alisson e Everton também ganham prêmios" [Daniel Alves is elected the best player of the Copa América; Alisson and Everton also win awards] (in Portuguese). Globo. 7 July 2019.
43. "Fear of flying grounds Hamburg striker's soccer career". Deutsche Weller. 5 February 2010. Retrieved 7 September 2011.
44. "Paolo Guerrero afirma que superará su miedo a volar" (in Spanish). as.com. 3 February 2010. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
45. "Entrevista al "coyote" Rivera" (in Spanish). tribunaroja.blogspot.com. 15 August 2008. Retrieved 8 October 2011.
46. "Guerrero gasta bicho do Mundial em carro de quase US$ 100 mil". terra (in Portuguese). 30 December 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
47. Martins, Dan (17 December 2012). "Corinthians Bicampeão Mundial: Jogadores do timão dedicam a Deus o título e a vitória sobre o Chelsea". Gnotícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 20 November 2015.
48. Fogli, Felippe (20 November 2015). "Baita clima de fim de festa". falandodeflamengo.com.br (in Portuguese). Retrieved 20 November 2015.
49. "Sobrino de Paolo Guerrero muere en fatal accidente". elbocon.pe (in Spanish). 9 March 2019. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
50. "P. Guerrero". Soccerway. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
51. "Copa América 2015 – Team of the tournament". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
52. "El equipo ideal de la CONMEBOL Copa América Brasil 2019" (in Spanish). CONMEBOL.com. 9 July 2019.
53. "Éverton Ribeiro leva o bi no Craque do Brasileirão; veja lista de premiados" (in Portuguese). sportv.com. 1 December 2014. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
54. "Com nove jogadores de Fla e Flu, Ferj divulga seleção do Campeonato Carioca". Globoesporte.com. 7 May 2017. Retrieved 8 May 2017.

External links

• Paolo Guerrero – FIFA competition record
• Paolo Guerrero at National-Football-Teams.com
• Paolo Guerrero at fussballdaten.de (in German)
• Paolo Guerrero at Soccerway
• Paolo Guerrero profile at Flamengo