1. Personal Information
1.1. Early Life and Background
Jonathan Santana Gehre was born on 19 October 1981 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He stands at 71 in (181 cm) tall and weighs 179 lb (81 kg). His dominant foot is his right foot.
1.2. Nationality Acquisition
In June 2007, Santana acquired Paraguayan citizenship. This was possible because his mother is a Paraguayan citizen, born in San Ignacio, Misiones Department. At that time, Argentina did not recognize dual citizenship, making the acquisition of Paraguayan nationality a significant step for his international football career.
2. Playing Career
Jonathan Santana's professional football career began in 1998 and spanned over two decades, seeing him play for numerous clubs across Argentina, Germany, Turkey, and Paraguay.
2.1. Early Career in Argentina
Santana made his professional debut in the 1998-99 season with San Telmo, a club in Argentina's third division. During his time at San Telmo from 1998 to 2000, he made 35 appearances and scored 3 goals, playing alongside Japanese defender Shinji Muraki. Following this, he played for Almagro from 2000 to 2001, where he made 14 appearances. From 2002 to 2003, he joined Nueva Chicago, contributing 3 goals in 33 appearances.
2.2. San Lorenzo
Santana had multiple significant stints with San Lorenzo. He first joined the club for the 2001-02 season, making 3 appearances. During this period, he participated in the 2002 Copa Libertadores and the 2002 Copa Sudamericana. San Lorenzo notably won the 2002 Copa Sudamericana, with Santana being part of the squad alongside Cameroonian midfielder William Tabi. He returned to San Lorenzo for a longer period from 2003 to 2005, making 62 appearances and scoring 3 goals. In the 2004-05 season, he again featured for the club in the 2005 Copa Libertadores, playing alongside future Argentine international Ezequiel Lavezzi.
2.3. River Plate
For the 2005-06 season, Santana moved to River Plate, one of Argentina's most prominent clubs. During his tenure, he made 24 appearances and scored 4 goals. He was part of a high-profile team that reached the quarter-finals of the 2006 Copa Libertadores. His teammates at River Plate included notable players such as Juan Pablo Carrizo, Germán Lux, Diego Buonanotte, Marcelo Gallardo, Daniel Montenegro, Oscar Ahumada, Matías Abelairas, Luciano Figueroa, Gastón Fernández, Gonzalo Higuaín, Colombian striker Radamel Falcao, and his future Paraguay national team colleague Julio César Cáceres.
2.4. VfL Wolfsburg
In August 2006, Jonathan Santana made a significant move to Europe, signing a five-year contract with German Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg. He played for Wolfsburg from 2006 to 2010, making 41 appearances and scoring 1 goal. In the 2006-07 season, he was teammates with Paraguayan midfielder Julio dos Santos. For his second season (2007-08), he played alongside future Bosnian international Edin Džeko. Santana returned to Wolfsburg for the 2009-10 season, during which the team participated in both the UEFA Champions League and the UEFA Europa League.
2.4.1. Loan to San Lorenzo
During his contract with VfL Wolfsburg, Santana was loaned back to San Lorenzo for the 2008-09 Argentine Primera División season. In this loan spell, he made 10 appearances and scored 2 goals, playing alongside Paraguayan midfielder Aureliano Torres.
2.5. Kayserispor
After the 2010 FIFA World Cup, on 15 July 2010, Santana moved to Turkey, joining Süper Lig team Kayserispor. He played for Kayserispor from 2010 to 2012, making a total of 35 appearances and scoring 4 goals. In his first season, he made 20 league appearances and scored 4 goals, helping Kayserispor finish in sixth position in the Süper Lig table. His teammates during this period included Marcelo Zalayeta, Franco Cángele, Ali Bilgin, Önder Turacı, Mehmet Boyraz, and James Troisi. In his second season, he accumulated 15 league appearances. Before his subsequent loan move, he was joined at Kayserispor by his Paraguay national team colleague Cristian Riveros.
2.6. Paraguayan Clubs
Santana spent several periods of his career playing for clubs in Paraguay.
In 2012, he was loaned to Libertad, where he made 15 appearances and scored 2 goals.
From 2014 to 2016, he played for Cerro Porteño, making 53 appearances and scoring 2 goals. His debut for Cerro Porteño occurred on 16 February 2014, in a 3-1 away victory against Club 12 de Octubre. He entered the match as a substitute for Fidencio Oviedo in the 83rd minute.
On 5 February 2017, he signed a contract with Club Nacional until the end of the following season. He played for Nacional from 2017 to 2018, making 40 appearances and scoring 1 goal.
From 2018 to 2020, he was with Sportivo Luqueño, where he made 12 appearances.
His final club before retirement was Sportivo Trinidense in 2020.
2.7. Later Career in Argentina
Santana also had later stints with Argentine clubs. From 2012 to 2013, he played for Independiente, making 15 appearances and scoring 2 goals. In 2013, he joined Belgrano, where he made 2 appearances. Later, from 2016 to 2017, he played for Sarmiento, contributing 1 goal in 9 appearances.
3. International Career
Jonathan Santana's international career saw him represent the Paraguay national team for nearly a decade, participating in major tournaments.
3.1. National Team Debut and Major Tournaments
Jonathan Santana debuted for the Paraguay national team on 20 June 2007, in a match against Bolivia, shortly after acquiring Paraguayan citizenship. He participated in the 2007 Copa América, where Paraguay reached the quarter-finals.
He was also selected for Paraguay's 23-man squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In Paraguay's opening group stage match against Italy, which ended in a 1-1 draw, Santana suffered an injury. Despite the injury, he was forced to remain on the field for the remainder of the match because coach Gerardo Martino had already made all three available substitutions. His first international goal came on 4 June 2011, again in a match against Bolivia.
Santana was part of the squad that reached the final of the 2011 Copa América, where Paraguay finished as runner-up. However, he missed the final match due to a red card he received in the semi-final against Venezuela.
3.2. International Statistics
Santana earned 35 caps for the Paraguay national team, scoring 1 goal, between 2007 and 2016.
| Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 7 | 0 |
| 2008 | 9 | 0 |
| 2009 | 4 | 0 |
| 2010 | 8 | 0 |
| 2011 | 3 | 0 |
| 2012 | 1 | 1 |
| 2013 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | 2 | 0 |
| 2016 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 35 | 1 |
4. Career Statistics
| Club | Years | Appearances | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Telmo | 1998-2000 | 35 | 3 |
| Almagro | 2000-2001 | 14 | 0 |
| San Lorenzo | 2001 | 3 | 0 |
| Nueva Chicago | 2002-2003 | 33 | 3 |
| San Lorenzo | 2003-2005 | 62 | 3 |
| River Plate | 2005-2006 | 24 | 4 |
| VfL Wolfsburg | 2006-2010 | 41 | 1 |
| → San Lorenzo (loan) | 2009 | 10 | 2 |
| Kayserispor | 2010-2012 | 35 | 4 |
| Libertad | 2012 | 15 | 2 |
| Independiente | 2012-2013 | 15 | 2 |
| Belgrano | 2013 | 2 | 0 |
| Cerro Porteño | 2014-2016 | 53 | 2 |
| Sarmiento | 2016-2017 | 9 | 1 |
| Nacional | 2017-2018 | 40 | 1 |
| Sportivo Luqueño | 2018-2020 | 12 | 0 |
| Sportivo Trinidense | 2020 | 0 | 0 |
| Career total | 453 | 28 | |
5. Honours
Jonathan Santana achieved several team titles during his football career.
San Lorenzo
- Copa Mercosur: 2001
VfL Wolfsburg
- Bundesliga: 2008-09
Cerro Porteño
- Paraguayan Primera División: 2015 Apertura
6. Post-Playing Career
After retiring from professional football, Jonathan Santana transitioned into a new career.
6.1. Modeling Career
Following his retirement from professional football in 2021, Jonathan Santana transitioned into a modeling career. He and his wife have modeled for a clothes store located at Paseo La Galería, a shopping center in Asunción, Paraguay.
7. Assessment and Impact
Jonathan Santana's career is marked by his significant contributions both at the club and international levels.
7.1. Positive Contributions
He was a key midfielder known for his consistent performances across various leagues in Argentina, Germany, Turkey, and Paraguay. His club achievements include winning the 2002 Copa Sudamericana with San Lorenzo and the 2008-09 Bundesliga title with VfL Wolfsburg, a major achievement in European football. He also secured the 2015 Apertura title of the Paraguayan Primera División with Cerro Porteño.
Internationally, Santana was a vital component of the Paraguay national team under coach Gerardo Martino. He played a regular role in the 2010 FIFA World Cup and participated in two Copa América tournaments, reaching the quarter-finals in 2007 and the final in 2011. His long and varied career demonstrates his adaptability and enduring presence in professional football.