Robbie
New member
Name: Fabricio Coloccini
Squad number: 2
Nationality: Argentine
Born: 22nd January, 1982, Corodoba, Argentina
Height: 1.84m (6ft 0.5ins)
Weight: 83.1kgs
Previous clubs: Boca Juniors, AC Milan, San Lorenzo (loan), Alaves (loan), Athletico Madrid (loan), Villarreal (loan), Deportivo La Coruna
Signed: August 2008 from Deportivo La Coruna
Newcastle United debut: 17th August, 2008 v Manchester United (away), Premier League
Position: Defender
Fabricio Coloccini joined Newcastle United from Deportivo La Coruna in August 2008, signing a five-year contract.
His debut came two days after putting pen to paper, as the Magpies drew 1-1 against Manchester United, and Coloccini stayed on Tyneside following United's relegation that season to help the side regain their top flight status.
The Argentine defender was instrumental as they bounced back at the first attempt, winning the Championship title in the process, and was voted into the PFA Championship Team of the Year at the end of the 2009/10 campaign.
Coloccini has gone from strength-to-strength during his time in the North-East, becoming a mainstay in the Newcastle defence. He scored his first Premier League goal on 16th October, 2010, against Wigan, which was also the first time he captained the side, in the absence of regular skipper Kevin Nolan.
With Nolan leaving United in the summer of 2011 for West Ham, manager Alan Pardew had no hesitation in handing Coloccini the captain's armband on a permanent basis, and the centre-back led ny example as Newcastle made a fantastic start to the 2011/12 season.
Early Days
Born in Corodoba, Coloccini began his career with the youth team of Argentinos Juniors and made his professional debut in 1998 for Boca Juniors.
The following season he moved to AC Milan but spent most of his five years at the San Siro out on loan at San Lorenzo, Alaves, Atletico Madrid and Villarreal before returning to the Italian giants.
Coloccini only played once for Milan - at the start of the 2004/05 campaign - and then moved permanently to Spanish top flight side Deportivo La Coruna, where he remained for three-and-a-half years. In 2007/08, he played every minute of Depor's La Liga campaign, the first player to do so since the 1999/2000 campaign.
International Career
Coloccini was in the Argentina Under 20 side that won the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship, and in 2004 he was an Olympic Gold medallist in Athens where his teammates included Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano.
He made his senior international debut in 2003, and played in the Confederations Cup two years later. The centre-back played twice for La Albiceleste during the 2006 World Cup - against Holland and in the losing quarter-final against host nation Germany.
Coloccini has 34 caps for Argentina to date, scoring one goal.