Fabricio Coloccini

2.1. Boca Juniors

Coloccini made his professional debut for Boca Juniors in 1998. He featured in only one league match for the club during his brief initial stint, filling in for Walter Samuel who was away on international duty with the Argentina national team. In this sole appearance, he notably scored an equalizer in a 2-2 draw against Unión de Santa Fé.

2.2. AC Milan and loan spells

In December 1999, at the conclusion of the Apertura championship, Coloccini made a controversial move to AC Milan in Italy. The transfer ignited a dispute between Boca Juniors and Milan, as the agreement was not made directly between the clubs. Instead, Milan negotiated terms with Coloccini's father, who exercised his parental rights to facilitate the minor's departure from Argentina. Following this, FIFA intervened and ordered AC Milan to pay compensation to Boca Juniors.

Upon turning 18 on 22 January 2000, less than a month after arriving in Italy, Coloccini officially joined AC Milan's senior squad. The team at the time boasted several of his Argentine compatriots, including Roberto Ayala, Andrés Guglielminpietro, and José Chamot. Despite manager Alberto Zaccheroni's tactical preference for formations utilizing three center-backs and a lack of undisputed starters beyond team captain Paolo Maldini, Coloccini found opportunities limited and did not make his debut for Milan during that season. He remained with the first team for the initial half of the 2000-01 season before being sent back to Argentina on loan.

From January 2001, Coloccini embarked on a series of loan spells to gain crucial first-team experience. His first stop was back in Argentina with San Lorenzo, where he played a significant role in their victory in the 2001 Clausura tournament, making 19 appearances and scoring 3 goals. Between 2001 and 2004, he spent three consecutive seasons on loan in the Spanish La Liga. He played for Alavés in the 2001-02 season, where he impressively netted six league goals in 33 appearances, primarily with headed efforts as a defender. He then moved to Atlético Madrid for the 2002-03 season, appearing 27 times, and subsequently to Villarreal for the 2003-04 season, making 32 appearances and scoring once. Throughout these loan periods, he consistently established himself as a first-choice player.

Before the 2004-05 season, Coloccini returned to AC Milan. However, he faced fierce competition in central defense from established stars like Paolo Maldini, Alessandro Nesta, Jaap Stam, Kakha Kaladze, Alessandro Costacurta, and Dario Šimić. Despite this, he managed to make 5 appearances across all competitions before submitting a request for a winter transfer.

2.3. Deportivo La Coruña

In January 2005, Coloccini joined Deportivo La Coruña on a six-year deal, marking the end of his prolonged loan spells from AC Milan. During his three-and-a-half-season tenure at Deportivo, he became an undisputed starter and a pivotal figure in their defense. He was utilized in various defensive positions, including centre-back, right-back, and even as a center-half. In the 2007-08 season, he featured in every league match, scoring four goals and contributing significantly to the club's qualification for the UEFA Intertoto Cup. His consistent and commanding performances at Deportivo established his reputation as a top-tier defender.

2.4. Newcastle United

Fabricio Coloccini joined Newcastle United on 6 August 2008, signing a five-year contract for a transfer fee reported to be up to 10.30 M GBP. Just two days later, he made his debut against the reigning league champions, Manchester United, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1-1 away draw that opened the 2008-09 season.

In his first season, Coloccini quickly became one of the most consistent selections in Newcastle's squad, often forming a solid defensive partnership with fellow newcomer Sébastien Bassong. He initially played every minute of every game until February 2009. However, he faced intense criticism for his performance during Newcastle's 5-1 defeat to Liverpool. Despite the mistakes, manager Joe Kinnear publicly supported Coloccini, referring to him as his "Mr. Reliable" and expressing confidence in his ability to bounce back. Despite Coloccini's efforts, Newcastle finished 18th that season and were relegated from the Premier League.

Despite the club's relegation, Coloccini chose to stay, becoming the cornerstone of Newcastle's defense in the Championship. He partnered with various players, including Steven Taylor, Mike Williamson, Fitz Hall, and Tamás Kádár, forming one of the most robust rearguards in the league. During this period, he scored two important headed goals for Newcastle: one against Cardiff City in a 1-0 away victory and another against Watford. Newcastle ultimately won the Championship title, securing promotion back to the Premier League. Coloccini's significant contributions were recognized with a place in the Championship's PFA Team of the Year. On 16 October 2010, he captained Newcastle for the first time in a 2-2 draw against Wigan Athletic at St James' Park. In that match, he scored his first Premier League goal in the fourth minute of injury time, helping his team come back from two goals down to secure a point. On his 29th birthday, 22 January 2011, he celebrated his 100th appearance for Newcastle by scoring a striker-like finish in a 1-1 draw with Tottenham Hotspur.

Coloccini maintained his excellent form into April, rekindling his partnership with Mike Williamson. On 2 April, in a 4-1 victory over Wolves, he made numerous forward runs and contributed to the attack, assisting Peter Løvenkrands' goal. Manager Alan Pardew and pundit Jamie Redknapp praised him for his attacking contributions, hailing him as a "top, top player" and encouraging him to continue his offensive involvement.

On 8 July 2011, Coloccini was officially named Newcastle captain for the 2011-12 season, succeeding Kevin Nolan. He and Steven Taylor reformed their partnership, which was central to one of the Premier League's most frugal defenses, conceding just eight goals in the first 11 games. He scored his first goal of the season in the 122nd minute of a thrilling 4-3 League Cup victory against Championship club Nottingham Forest, where Forest equalized three times. In October, he was honored with the North East Football Writers' Association Player of the Year award for 2011. On 22 April 2012, Coloccini was selected for the PFA Team of the Year for the Premier League. Following an impressive performance in the Tyne-Wear derby against Sunderland in October, Pardew likened Coloccini's play to that of England legend Bobby Moore. On 3 March 2012, he signed a contract extension with Newcastle until 2016.

In January 2013, Coloccini requested a transfer back to Argentina due to personal reasons, with his preferred destination being San Lorenzo, the club he helped win the 2001 Clausura. However, San Lorenzo could not meet his wage demands or Newcastle's transfer fee, as he still had four years remaining on his contract. After extensive discussions with club officials and manager Alan Pardew, Coloccini decided to remain at St James' Park until at least the end of the 2012-13 season. On 16 June 2013, he confirmed he would stay at Newcastle until at least the end of the 2013-14 season, praising the club for doing everything possible to retain him. On 1 November 2014, Coloccini made his 200th league appearance for Newcastle in a 1-0 win over Liverpool. Eight days later, he scored his first goal in three years with a header in Newcastle's 2-0 away victory against West Bromwich Albion.

In July 2015, there were reports linking Coloccini with a permanent move to Crystal Palace to reunite with his former manager Alan Pardew. However, Pardew publicly dismissed these rumors on 5 August 2015. On 6 August, Coloccini put an end to speculation about his future by signing a one-year contract extension, keeping him at the club until the end of the 2016-17 season, with an option for an additional year.

2.5. Return to San Lorenzo and Aldosivi

On 5 July 2016, Fabricio Coloccini mutually agreed to terminate his contract with Newcastle United, officially signing for Primera División side San Lorenzo on the same day. This marked his return to the club where he had previously played 15 years prior. He spent four more seasons with San Lorenzo before transferring to Aldosivi. He spent his final professional season with Aldosivi before announcing his retirement from football at the age of 40.

3.1. Youth national team

Coloccini was a key member of the Argentina Under-20 squad that won the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship. As captain of the team on home soil, he scored two goals during the group stage, playing alongside top scorer Javier Saviola, and contributing to Argentina's triumph. Furthermore, he was part of the gold medal-winning Argentina team at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, where he played alongside future stars like Javier Mascherano and the tournament's top scorer, Carlos Tevez.

3.2. Senior national team

Coloccini made his international debut for the Argentine senior squad on 30 April 2003, in a 3-1 friendly victory against Libya in Tripoli. The following year, he was part of the team that reached the final of the 2004 Copa América, ultimately losing to Brazil 4-2 on penalties after a 2-2 draw. He scored his only international goal on 4 September 2004, in a 3-1 away win over Peru in Lima, during a 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifier. In 2005, he participated in the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup, where Argentina once again finished as runners-up to Brazil, suffering a 4-1 defeat in the final. During the group stage of this tournament, he scored a goal against Cameroon.

At the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, Coloccini featured in two matches: he came on as a substitute against the Netherlands in the group stage and started against hosts Germany in the quarter-finals, which ended in a 5-3 penalty shootout loss for Argentina following a 1-1 draw. He was an unused substitute in Argentina's World Cup qualifier against Brazil on 6 September 2009 and was absent from the national team for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Due to his excellent form throughout 2012, Coloccini was recalled to the Argentina squad under new manager Alejandro Sabella for the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Paraguay and Peru. He played the full 90 minutes in a crucial 5-2 win over Paraguay on 10 September, a game that secured Argentina's place in the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. He earned a total of 39 caps and scored one goal for the senior national team between 2003 and 2014.

6.1. Club

6.2. International

Scores and results list Argentina's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Coloccini goal.

7.1. Club

• Boca Juniors
  • Primera División: Apertura 1998, Clausura 1999
• San Lorenzo
  • Primera División: Clausura 2001
• Villarreal
  • UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2003
• Newcastle United
  • Football League Championship: 2009-10
  • Teresa Herrera Trophy: 2010

7.2. International

• Argentina U20
  • FIFA World Youth Championship: 2001
• Argentina U23
  • Olympic Gold Medal: 2004
• Argentina
  • Copa América runner-up: 2004
  • FIFA Confederations Cup runner-up: 2005

7.3. Individual

• PFA Team of the Year: 2009-10 Championship, 2011-12 Premier League
• Newcastle United Player of the Year: 2010-11
• North-East FWA Player of the Year: 2011