FootballerArgentineOlympic medalistInternational player

Marcelo Delgado

Marcelo Delgado is an Argentine former professional footballer and forward, notable for his successful career with Boca Juniors, representing Argentina, and later transitioning to coaching and administration.

1. Playing Career

Marcelo Delgado's professional playing career spanned nearly two decades, during which he played for several prominent clubs in Argentina, Mexico, and Ecuador, achieving significant success, particularly with Boca Juniors.

1.1. Early Career

Delgado began his professional journey with Rosario Central in 1990, where he made 112 appearances and scored 23 goals over four years. His promising performances led to a move to Mexican club Cruz Azul in 1994, where he played 28 matches and scored 5 goals. In 1995, he returned to Argentina to join Racing Club. His five-year tenure at Racing Club was highly productive, as he netted 39 goals in 118 appearances, a period that significantly contributed to his development and opened the door for his inclusion in the Argentine national team.

1.2. Boca Juniors Golden Age

Delgado's most celebrated period came with Boca Juniors, which he first joined in 2000. Under the guidance of coach Carlos Bianchi, Boca Juniors experienced a "golden age" of success. Delgado was an integral part of the squad that secured numerous titles. He played a crucial role in Boca's three Copa Libertadores victories in 2000, 2001, and 2003. In the 2000 final, Boca defeated Palmeiras to claim the title. His contributions extended to the Intercontinental Cup (also known as the Toyota Cup) in 2000, where he assisted Martín Palermo's opening goal in a memorable victory against Real Madrid. In the 2001 Intercontinental Cup against Bayern Munich, Delgado was unfortunately sent off with two yellow cards in the first half, a moment that contributed to Boca's defeat. He was a pivotal player in the 2003 Copa Libertadores, leading the team as a key pillar and emerging as the tournament's top scorer with 9 goals. During his initial spell from 2000 to 2003, he made 92 appearances and scored 26 goals for Boca Juniors.

1.3. Later and Overseas Career

Following his highly successful first stint with Boca Juniors, Delgado returned to Cruz Azul in Mexico for a second spell from 2003 to 2004, where he played 46 matches and scored 18 goals. However, his impact was not as prominent as in his earlier career. He then rejoined Boca Juniors for a second time from 2005 to 2006, making 35 appearances and scoring 5 goals, contributing to further domestic success. In 2006, he moved to Belgrano, where he played 14 matches and scored 4 goals, but the club was relegated at the end of the season. In July 2007, Delgado moved to Ecuadorian powerhouse Barcelona SC, where he spent a year, making 41 appearances and scoring 10 goals before concluding his professional playing career in 2008.

2. National Team Career

Marcelo Delgado represented Argentina at various levels, participating in significant international tournaments and contributing to the nation's footballing legacy.

2.1. Youth and Olympic Teams

Delgado was part of the Argentina U20 squad, making 2 appearances and scoring 1 goal in 1991. He later featured for the Argentina Olympic team in 1996, participating in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, where Argentina earned a silver medal. He made 2 appearances for the Olympic squad.

2.2. Senior National Team

Delgado's senior international career for the Argentina national team spanned from 1995 to 2002. He earned a total of 18 caps during this period. He was selected for the squad that competed in the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, where Argentina reached the quarter-finals. Despite his contributions to the team, he did not score any goals in his 18 international appearances.

3. Coaching and Later Career

After retiring from professional play, Marcelo Delgado transitioned into coaching and football administration, maintaining his close ties with the sport, particularly with Boca Juniors.

In the summer of 2011, Delgado was appointed as an assistant coach to Raúl Alfredo Cascini at Los Andes. The coaching duo remained in their positions until their resignation on September 9, 2012. In 2013, Delgado had a brief stint playing for the amateur club For Ever. He also played a few matches in 2016 for his childhood club, Defensores de Villa.

On December 19, 2019, Delgado rejoined Boca Juniors in an administrative capacity. This move came when his close friend and former teammate, Juan Román Riquelme, was appointed vice-president and head of the football department at the club. Delgado became a member of the Boca Juniors Soccer Council, contributing to the club's football operations and management.

4. Career Statistics

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Argentina199520
199610
199750
199860
199900
200020
200110
200210
Total180



Marcelo Delgado's overall club career statistics are summarized below:

  • Rosario Central (1990-1994):** 112 appearances, 23 goals
  • Cruz Azul (1994-1995):** 28 appearances, 5 goals
  • Racing Club (1995-1999):** 118 appearances, 39 goals
  • Boca Juniors (2000-2003):** 92 appearances, 26 goals
  • Cruz Azul (2003-2004):** 46 appearances, 18 goals
  • Boca Juniors (2005-2006):** 35 appearances, 5 goals
  • Belgrano (2006-2007):** 14 appearances, 4 goals
  • Barcelona SC (2007-2008):** 41 appearances, 10 goals

His career totals include 486 club appearances and 130 club goals.

5. Honors

Marcelo Delgado accumulated a significant number of honors throughout his distinguished playing career, both at the club and international levels.

5.1. Club Honors

Boca Juniors

  • Primera División:
    • 2000 Apertura
    • 2005 Apertura
    • 2006 Clausura
  • Copa Libertadores:
    • 2000
    • 2001
    • 2003
  • Copa Sudamericana: 2005
  • Recopa Sudamericana:
    • 2005
    • 2006
  • Intercontinental Cup: 2000

5.2. Individual Honors

  • Copa Libertadores Top Scorer: 2003

5.3. National Team Honors

Argentina

  • Olympic Silver Medal: 1996