José Cancela
Encyclopedia
José Carlos Cancela Durán (born June 25, 1976 in Santa Lucía
, Uruguay
) is a Uruguayan soccer player who plays attacking midfielder
for Herediano in Costa Rica
. He is nicknamed "Pepe".
Before joining the Colorado Rapids
, Cancela played the preseason with Toronto FC but was traded to the Denver-based club the day before the regular season began. Cancela played for Peñarol
, Club Gavilanes, Cruz Azul
, Deportivo Saprissa, and the New England Revolution
. He had to leave Saprissa, despite being loved by their fans, because of the rule implemented by the "Morados" after 2003, by which they could only use Costa Rican players in their team.
Cancela joined the Revolution in July 2003, and immediately added an attacking flair not often seen in MLS. He immediately slotted into the starting lineup, and finished the season with a goal and seven assists in 13 games. Cancela struggled a little in his second year, as Clint Dempsey
emerged as a competitor for the attacking midfield position, but finished the year with three goals and ten assists in 25 games. He scored two goals and five assists in 2005.
After the 2006 season, Cancela was taken by Toronto FC
in the 2006 MLS Expansion Draft
, but dealt to the Colorado Rapids in April of the following year in exchange for a Youth International slot to be held by Toronto until 2009. He was waived by the Rapids before the 2008 season.
Santa Lucía, Uruguay
Santa Lucía is a city in the Canelones Department of southern Uruguay. It is located on the intersection of Route 11 with Route 63, about northwest of...
, Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
) is a Uruguayan soccer player who plays attacking midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
for Herediano in Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
. He is nicknamed "Pepe".
Before joining the Colorado Rapids
Colorado Rapids
The Colorado Rapids are an American professional soccer club based in the Denver suburb of Commerce City, Colorado which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. It is one of the ten charter clubs of MLS, having competed in the league...
, Cancela played the preseason with Toronto FC but was traded to the Denver-based club the day before the regular season began. Cancela played for Peñarol
C.A. Peñarol
Club Atlético Peñarol also known as Carboneros, Aurinegros and familiarly as Manya, is an Uruguayan sports club based in the Peñarol barrio, Montevideo, best known for its professional football team. The team plays their home matches in Estadio Centenario, the largest stadium in the country, but...
, Club Gavilanes, Cruz Azul
Club Deportivo Cruz Azul
Club Deportivo, Social, y Cultural Cruz Azul, known simply as Cruz Azul, is a Mexican professional Association football club based in Mexico City, Mexico; after which initially was based in Ciudad Cooperativa Cruz Azul in the Mexican state of Hidalgo...
, Deportivo Saprissa, and the New England Revolution
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution is an American professional association football club based in Foxborough, Massachusetts which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada...
. He had to leave Saprissa, despite being loved by their fans, because of the rule implemented by the "Morados" after 2003, by which they could only use Costa Rican players in their team.
Cancela joined the Revolution in July 2003, and immediately added an attacking flair not often seen in MLS. He immediately slotted into the starting lineup, and finished the season with a goal and seven assists in 13 games. Cancela struggled a little in his second year, as Clint Dempsey
Clint Dempsey
Clinton Drew "Clint" Dempsey is an American soccer player who plays for Fulham and the United States national team. Dempsey usually plays as either an attacking midfielder, or a striker....
emerged as a competitor for the attacking midfield position, but finished the year with three goals and ten assists in 25 games. He scored two goals and five assists in 2005.
After the 2006 season, Cancela was taken by Toronto FC
Toronto FC
Toronto FC is a Canadian professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada....
in the 2006 MLS Expansion Draft
2006 MLS Expansion Draft
The 2006 MLS Expansion Draft, held on November 17, 2006 was a special draft for MLS expansion team Toronto FC. Toronto FC selected 10 players from a pool of players from current MLS clubs.-Format:...
, but dealt to the Colorado Rapids in April of the following year in exchange for a Youth International slot to be held by Toronto until 2009. He was waived by the Rapids before the 2008 season.