Daniel Villalba
Encyclopedia
Daniel Alberto "Keko" Villalva Barrios (born July 6, 1992 in Caá Catí
, Corrientes
) is an Argentine
football
striker
who plays for River Plate
. In 2009, he became the youngest player ever to play for River Plate.
, was born on 6 July 1992 in Caá Catí
, in the province of Corrientes
, Argentina
. At the age of 10, he joined the Talleres de Córdoba
youth system after a trial, but he suffered an accident on his left foot and was released. Months later, he recovered and began to play football again in his native provice of Corrientes, and after several trials in teams including Rosario Central
, Boca Juniors
and San Lorenzo, all of them showing interest in keeping him, he finally joined River Plate
in 2005 as a personal wish, since he has always supported Los Millonarios.
in the 71st minute and becoming the youngest River Plate player to feature in a league match at the age of 16 years, 7 months and 2 days. He scored his first senior goal in a 4-3 victory against Chacarita Juniors
on 30 August 2009. Subsequenly, he went to play a more important role in the team, but prior to the 2010–11 season
, he suffered a vertebral injury that has kept him away from play until today.
in 2007. He then was called up by the under-17 national team
and took part in the 2009 South American Championship, where he scored 3 goals in 5 appearances, and the 2009 World Cup
.
Caá Catí
Caá Catí or Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Caá Catí is a town in Corrientes Province, Argentina. It is the head town of the General Paz Department.The town was founded in 1707....
, Corrientes
Corrientes Province
Corrientes is a province in northeast Argentina, in the Mesopotamia region. It is surrounded by : Paraguay, the province of Misiones, Brazil, Uruguay, and the provinces of Entre Rios, Santa Fe and Chaco.-History:...
) is an Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
who plays for River Plate
Club Atlético River Plate
Club Atlético River Plate is an Argentine sports club based in the Nuñez neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It is best known for its professional football team, which currently competes in Nacional B, the second tier of Argentine football....
. In 2009, he became the youngest player ever to play for River Plate.
Early years
Daniel Alberto Villalva, named after River Plate legend Daniel Alberto PassarellaDaniel Passarella
Daniel Alberto Passarella is a former Argentine football centre back and former manager of the Argentine and Uruguayan national football teams. He was captain of the Argentina team that won the 1978 World Cup...
, was born on 6 July 1992 in Caá Catí
Caá Catí
Caá Catí or Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Caá Catí is a town in Corrientes Province, Argentina. It is the head town of the General Paz Department.The town was founded in 1707....
, in the province of Corrientes
Corrientes Province
Corrientes is a province in northeast Argentina, in the Mesopotamia region. It is surrounded by : Paraguay, the province of Misiones, Brazil, Uruguay, and the provinces of Entre Rios, Santa Fe and Chaco.-History:...
, Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
. At the age of 10, he joined the Talleres de Córdoba
Talleres de Córdoba
Club Atlético Talleres is a sports club from the city of Córdoba, Argentina, mostly known for its professional football team, which currently plays in the regionalised third division, the Torneo Argentino A...
youth system after a trial, but he suffered an accident on his left foot and was released. Months later, he recovered and began to play football again in his native provice of Corrientes, and after several trials in teams including Rosario Central
Rosario Central
Club Atlético Rosario Central is a sports club based in Rosario, Argentina. Its football team currently plays in the Primera B Nacional, the second tier of the Argentine football league system, after being relegated in the 2009-10 season....
, Boca Juniors
Boca Juniors
Club Atlético Boca Juniors is an Argentine sports club based in La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It is best known for its professional football team, which currently plays in the Primera División....
and San Lorenzo, all of them showing interest in keeping him, he finally joined River Plate
Club Atlético River Plate
Club Atlético River Plate is an Argentine sports club based in the Nuñez neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It is best known for its professional football team, which currently competes in Nacional B, the second tier of Argentine football....
in 2005 as a personal wish, since he has always supported Los Millonarios.
River Plate
On 8 February 2010, he made his debut against Colón replacing Mauro RosalesMauro Rosales
Mauro Damián Rosales is an Argentine footballer who plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer. Rosales is a winger/forward best known for his pace and crossing ability.-Club:...
in the 71st minute and becoming the youngest River Plate player to feature in a league match at the age of 16 years, 7 months and 2 days. He scored his first senior goal in a 4-3 victory against Chacarita Juniors
Chacarita Juniors
Club Atlético Chacarita Juniors is an Argentine sports club from Villa Maipú, General San Martín Partido in Greater Buenos Aires, which football squad is currently playing in the Primera B Nacional, the second division of the Argentine football league system.The club was founded on May 1, 1906, in...
on 30 August 2009. Subsequenly, he went to play a more important role in the team, but prior to the 2010–11 season
2010–11 Argentine Primera División season
The 2010–11 Primera División season was the eighty-second season of top-flight professional football in Argentina. A total of 20 teams competed in two championships —the Apertura and Clausura— over the course of the season, which started on August 6, 2010 and ended on June 30, 2011, one...
, he suffered a vertebral injury that has kept him away from play until today.
International career
Daniel Villalva played for Argentina for the first time in the South American Under-15 Football Championship held in BrazilBrazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
in 2007. He then was called up by the under-17 national team
Argentina national under-17 football team
Argentina national U-17 football team is the representative of Argentina within all FIFA sponsored tournaments that pertain to that age level.-Honours:*South American Under-17 Football Championship*Winner : 1985, 2003....
and took part in the 2009 South American Championship, where he scored 3 goals in 5 appearances, and the 2009 World Cup
2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup
The 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup was the thirteenth tournament of the FIFA U-17 World Cup held in Nigeria from October 24 to November 15, 2009.The tournament was won by Switzerland, beating 1-0 the host team, Nigeria...
.