Guillermo Franco

Guillermo Luis Franco (born 3 November 1976) is an Argentine naturalized Mexican former football striker. Franco last played for Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire. He also played for the Mexico national team, until his international retirement in September 2010.

For other people named Guillermo Franco, see Guillermo Franco (disambiguation).

Guillermo Franco
Franco at West Ham United in April 2010
Personal information
Full name Guillermo Luis Franco
Date of birth (1976-11-03) 3 November 1976
Place of birth Corrientes, Argentina
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 1⁄2 in)
Playing position(s) Striker
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–2002 San Lorenzo 96 (23)
2002–2005 Monterrey 119 (63)
2006–2009 Villarreal 81 (14)
2009–2010 West Ham United 23 (5)
2010–2012 Vélez Sársfield 18 (5)
2012 Pachuca 12 (0)
2012 Chicago Fire 3 (0)
Total 352 (110)
National team
2005–2010 Mexico 25 (8)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Early life

Guillermo Franco was born in Corrientes, the capital city of the Corrientes Province in Argentina.

Club career

San Lorenzo

Franco began his career with Argentine Primera División side San Lorenzo, playing with the team from 1996 to 2002 mainly as a right winger.

Monterrey

He then joined Mexican Monterrey in the middle of 2002, and made his debut during the 2002 Apertura. Franco was very successful with the Rayados, and led the league in scoring during the 2004 Apertura with 15 goals in 16 games, playing as a striker. He was part of the team that won the Primera División de México championship in 2003 and achieved runner-up position twice in 2004 and 2005.

Villareal

Subsequently, Franco spent three years in Spain playing for Villarreal, but his spell was plagued with injuries. In his first season, Franco helped Villareal reach the semifinal of the UEFA Champions League where they lost to Arsenal. Franco also scored a goal that qualified Villarreal for the UEFA Cup, in a 1–0 victory against Celta de Vigo.

West Ham United

In September 2009, Franco signed for West Ham United on a one-year contract, becoming the first Mexican to play for the Hammers.[1] On 25 September, it was disclosed that due to West Ham's perilous financial situation following former chairman Björgólfur Guðmundsson's financial collapse, West Ham's CEO Scott Duxbury, and their Sporting and Football Technical Director Gianluca Nani, had part financed the deal from their own salaries.[2] Franco made his debut for West Ham on 17 October 2009 in a 2–1 away defeat to Stoke City.[3] He scored his first goal for the team on 31 October 2009 to put them 1–0 up against Sunderland away from home, in a game that finished 2–2.[4] Franco became the third Mexican player to score in the Premier League, Jared Borgetti and Carlos Vela being the first and second respectively. On 24 April 2010, Franco assisted Scott Parker, who scored for the winner in a 3–2 victory against Wigan Athletic; a win which would see them safe from relegation.[5] In May, despite his wish to stay at the club, it was announced that West Ham had released Franco.[6]

Vélez Sársfield

The striker then spent one semester as a free agent, until he joined Vélez Sársfield back in Argentina in January 2011.[7] He signed a one-year deal, and made his debut coming on as a second-half substitute for Santiago Silva in a 2–2 draw at Independiente in the first fixture of the 2011 Clausura. Subsequently, he played the starting minutes of the Copa Libertadores debut against Caracas FC, suffering a shoulder injury that left him out for the remainder of the season.[8] Having played less than 30 minutes, he offered the club to terminate his contract, or suspend his salary until he recovered,[9] though Vélez rejected it. He returned for the 2011 Copa Libertadores quarter-finals, entering the field and scoring one goal from a penalty in a 4–2 victory over Libertad. He also played the last 5 games of the 2011 Clausura (one as a starter),[10] helping his team win the Argentine league title.

Pachuca

On 21 January 2012, he joined Pachuca of the Mexican Primera División. The next season, the Chicago Fire signed him.[11]

Chicago Fire

Franco signed with Major League Soccer club Chicago Fire on 14 September 2012.[11] On 21 January 2013 the club announced Franco's contract option was not picked up for the new season.[12]

On 29 January 2013, Franco announced his retirement from football.[13]

International career

In 2004, Franco became a naturalized Mexican citizen[14] after settling in Mexico in 2002; and made his debut for the national side in 2005.

He played at the 2006 FIFA World Cup and was a part of the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup squad. During the 2010 World Cup qualification, he contributed two goals in six games. Franco played in all four matches for Mexico at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

In September 2010, he announced his retirement from international football.

Statistics

Club statistics
Club performance League Cup Continental Total
SeasonClubLeague AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
Argentina League Cup South America Total
1995–96San LorenzoPrimera División
(Argentina)		30----30
1996–9760----60
1997–98101----101
1998–9960----60
1999–002610----2610
2000–01197----197
2001–02265----265
Mexico League Cup North America Total
2002–03MonterreyPrimera División
(Mexico)		3915----3915
2003–043012----3012
2004–052823----2823
2005–062213----2213
Spain League Copa del Rey Europe Total
2005–06VillarealLa Liga1240050174
2006–0727250--322
2007–082480061309
2008–091801161252
England League FA Cup Europe Total
2009–10West Ham UnitedPremier League23500--235
Argentina League Cup South America Total
2010–11Vélez SársfieldPrimera División
(Argentina)		60--3191
2011–12115--64179
Mexico League Cup North America Total
2011–12PachucaPrimera División
(Mexico)		1200000120
USA League Open Cup North America Total
2012Chicago FireMLS20000020
Total Argentina 11327--9512132
Mexico 13163----13163
Spain 81146117210417
England 23500--235
USA 20000020
Career total 25010961245280117

International

As of 14 November 2010

National teamYearAppsGoals
Mexico 200541
200661
200700
200820
200984
201051
Total257

International goals
GoalDateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.8 October 2005Estadio Alfonso Lastras, San Luis Potosí, Mexico Guatemala1–15–22006 FIFA World Cup qualification[18]
2.1 March 2006Pizza Hut Park, Frisco, United States Ghana1–01–0Friendly[19]
3.10 June 2009Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Mexico Trinidad and Tobago1–02–12010 FIFA World Cup qualification[20]
4.23 July 2009Soldier Field, Chicago, United States Costa Rica1–05–3 (p.s.o.)2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup[21]
5.26 July 2009Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, United States United States5–05–02009 CONCACAF Gold Cup[22]
6.5 September 2009Estadio Ricardo Saprissa, San José, Costa Rica Costa Rica2–03–02010 FIFA World Cup qualification[23]
7.24 May 2010Wembley Stadium, London, England England1–21–3Friendly

Honours

Club
San Lorenzo
CF Monterrey
Vélez Sársfield

International
Mexico

Individual

References
  1. Franco signs Archived 22 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine www.whufc.com
  2. West Ham chiefs pay for striker with their own money Archived 28 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine www.thisislondon.co.uk
  3. Scrivener, Peter (17 October 2009). "Stoke 2–1 West Ham". BBC News. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
  4. Dawkes, Phil (31 October 2009). "Sunderland 2–2 West Ham". BBC News. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
  5. Bevan, Chris (24 April 2010). "BBC Sport – Football – West Ham 3–2 Wigan". BBC News. Retrieved 26 May 2010.
  6. "Mexico striker Guillermo Franco released by West Ham just 24 hours after Wembley goal | Mail Online". London: Dailymail.co.uk. 26 May 2010. Archived from the original on 23 July 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2010.
  7. "Ricardo Gareca ya tiene su primer refuerzo" (in Spanish). Club Atlético Vélez Sársfield. 22 January 2011. Archived from the original on 26 January 2011. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
  8. "México: Guillermo Franco, cuatro meses fuera por lesión" (in Spanish). Goal.com. 18 February 2011. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
  9. "Franco: "Mientras me recupere, no cobraré ni un centavo"". Cancha Llena (in Spanish). 18 February 2011. Archived from the original on 21 February 2011. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
  10. "Closing '11 statistics". Argentine Soccer. Archived from the original on 14 August 2011. Retrieved 19 July 2011.
  11. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 16 September 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  12. "Three Fire Midfielders Return To Fold in 2013". chicago-fire.com. 21 January 2013. Archived from the original on 24 January 2013.
  13. "El Guille Franco anuncia su retiro como futbolista". mediotiempo.com. Archived from the original on 4 October 2017. Retrieved 25 April 2018.
  14. Tom Bryant (17 September 2009). "Guillermo Franco signs for West Ham | Football | guardian.co.uk". London: Guardian. Archived from the original on 18 October 2015. Retrieved 28 June 2010.
  15. "Mediotiempo". Mediotiempo. 26 January 2009. Archived from the original on 15 April 2012. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
  16. Guillermo Luis Farcuason Franco (3 November 1976). "Soccernet". Soccernet.espn.go.com. Archived from the original on 11 April 2009. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
  17. "Guillermo Franco". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
  18. "Mexico vs Guatemala". Fifa.com. 8 October 2005. Archived from the original on 29 May 2010. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
  19. "Mexico vs Ghana". Soccernet.espn.go.com. 1 March 2006. Archived from the original on 22 June 2011. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
  20. "Mexico vs Trinidad and Tobago". Fifa.com. Archived from the original on 28 May 2010. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
  21. "Costa Rica vs Mexico, Gold Cup". Soccernet.espn.go.com. 23 July 2009. Archived from the original on 27 July 2009. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
  22. "USA vs Mexico". Soccernet.espn.go.com. 26 July 2009. Archived from the original on 30 July 2009. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
  23. "Costa Rica vs Mexico". Fifa.com. Archived from the original on 16 May 2010. Retrieved 28 April 2010.
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