Juan Pablo Sorín

3.1. Youth and Early Professional Career

Sorín began his football journey in the youth ranks of Argentinos Juniors, a football club based in his native Buenos Aires. He advanced through their system and made his first-team debut in 1994. During the 1995-96 season, after having captained the Argentina Under-20 side to victory in the 1995 FIFA World Youth Championship held in Qatar, his contract was acquired by the Italian club Juventus. However, his tenure in Italy was brief. He struggled to secure playing time in an already established first team under manager Marcello Lippi, making only four appearances in total. This was partly due to the then-existing rule in Serie A limiting foreign players to three per team, with Juventus's non-EU slots typically occupied by players such as Paulo Sousa, Didier Deschamps, and Vladimír Jugović. Consequently, he soon returned to Argentina.

3.2. River Plate

In the latter half of 1996, Sorín transferred to River Plate, where his career truly flourished. Playing alongside renowned figures like Enzo Francescoli, Ariel Ortega, and Hernán Crespo, Sorín enjoyed a highly successful period. With River Plate, he won three Apertura championships (1996, 1997, and 1999) and one Clausura championship (1997). He was also a part of the squad that clinched the prestigious Copa Libertadores in 1996 and the Supercopa Sudamericana in 1997. In 1996, he faced his former club, Juventus, in the Intercontinental Cup, though River Plate ultimately lost by a score of 0-1.

3.3. First Stint at Cruzeiro and European Loans

Sorín moved to Cruzeiro in Brazil in 2000. He played for two and a half seasons, during which he won the 2000 Copa do Brasil and established himself as one of the most beloved players among the club's fans.

Following the conclusion of the 2002 Copa do Brasil, he signed a loan deal with Italian club Lazio in July 2002. His time at Lazio was hampered by injuries, limiting him to just six league appearances in half a season. On January 31, 2003, Sorín moved to Barcelona on loan, joining to replace the injured defender Fernando Navarro. He occupied one of the non-EU player quotas, alongside Juan Román Riquelme and Roberto Bonano. He made his La Liga debut on February 9, 2003, in a 2-2 draw against Athletic Bilbao. He played 15 matches and scored one goal, which came on the final matchday of the 2002-03 La Liga season in a 2-0 victory over Celta Vigo. Due to his prior appearances for Lazio in the UEFA Cup, he was ineligible to play in European club competitions for Barcelona. Despite a successful half-season, a permanent transfer to Barcelona did not materialize, partly due to a high transfer fee and his non-EU status.

In the summer of 2003, Sorín was loaned to Paris Saint-Germain in France, where he enjoyed further success, winning the 2003-04 Coupe de France. After his stint in Paris, Sorín returned to Cruzeiro in 2004, participating in the 2004 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A. He continued to be one of the most popular players at the club.

3.4. Villarreal and Hamburg

In November 2004, Sorín made a move to Spanish side Villarreal on a free transfer. He quickly made an impact, scoring his first goal for the club on February 20, 2005, a crucial last-minute game-winner that secured a 3-2 victory against Atlético Madrid. He added three more goals during the 2004-05 La Liga season, helping Villarreal achieve a third-place league finish, their highest at the time, and qualify for the UEFA Champions League. In the 2005-06 La Liga season, Sorín made 20 appearances and scored three goals. He also featured prominently in the 2005-06 UEFA Champions League, making 13 appearances and scoring a goal against Everton in the qualifying stages. Villarreal advanced to the semi-finals of the competition before being defeated by Arsenal.

In the summer of 2006, Sorín was reportedly a target for several English Premier League clubs, including Portsmouth, Bolton Wanderers, and Newcastle United. However, he ultimately signed with Hamburger SV in the German Bundesliga in August 2006, agreeing to a three-year contract for a transfer fee of 3.00 M EUR. His time with the German club was largely plagued by injuries, limiting him to only 24 appearances over two seasons. His contract was terminated by mutual agreement on July 15, 2008, a year before its scheduled expiry, with the club paying compensation.

3.5. Second Return to Cruzeiro and Retirement

On August 29, 2008, Sorín returned to Cruzeiro for his third spell at the club. He signed a contract until the end of the season, with an option to extend for two more years. However, injuries continued to plague him. He made only one appearance since his return, a Série A game on June 14, 2009. After another injury-riddled year, Juan Pablo Sorín announced his retirement from professional football on July 28, 2009.

4.1. Youth International Career

Sorín's international journey began with the Argentina U-20 team. As captain, he led the squad to victory in the 1995 FIFA World Youth Championship, held in Qatar. In the same year, he also won a gold medal with Argentina at the 1995 Pan American Games.

4.2. Senior International Career

Sorín made his debut for the Argentina senior national team in 1995. His first major tournament was the 1999 Copa América, where Argentina was eliminated by eventual winners Brazil in the quarter-finals. During the 1998 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign, Sorín was a central figure, but he was not included in the final squad for the tournament in France.

He was part of the Argentine squad for the 2002 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by Japan and South Korea. Despite Argentina being considered pre-tournament favorites, the team suffered an early elimination from the group stage. Sorín played and started all three group matches against Nigeria, England, and Sweden. Following the World Cup, on November 20, 2002, he scored the opening goal in a friendly match against Japan, contributing to Argentina's victory.

Sorín participated in the 2004 Copa América in Peru, where he scored a goal in Argentina's 3-0 semi-final victory against Colombia, helping them reach the final. He started five out of six possible matches, missing only the game against Uruguay. In the final, Argentina faced Brazil, and after a 2-2 draw in 90 minutes, they lost 2-4 in a penalty shootout. Sorín successfully converted his penalty as the fourth taker, but misses from Andrés D'Alessandro and Gabriel Heinze cost Argentina the title. The following year, Sorín played in every match of the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup, where Argentina once again lost to Brazil in the final, this time by a score of 4-1.

Under coach José Pekerman, Sorín was appointed captain of Argentina for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. He played a crucial role for the team as an effective attacking full-back. Argentina advanced to the second round by defeating Ivory Coast 2-1 and crushing Serbia and Montenegro 6-0. They then overcame Mexico in extra time in the round of 16. In the quarter-finals, Argentina was eliminated by host nation Germany after a penalty shootout. During the match against Mexico, Sorín delivered a precise side-change pass that led to Maxi Rodríguez's spectacular volley, which was later voted the best goal of the tournament. After the 2006 World Cup, Sorín gradually stepped away from international football. He earned a total of 75 caps for Argentina, scoring 11 goals.

8.1. Club

8.2. International