1. Overview
Rolando Manrique Blackburn Ortega, born on January 9, 1990, is a Panamanian professional footballer who plays as a striker. Nicknamed "el Toro" (the Bull), Blackburn has had a notable career across various clubs in Panama, Guatemala, Slovakia, Costa Rica, Thailand, and Bolivia, before currently playing for C.D. Victoria in El Salvador. He has also been a consistent member of the Panama national football team, representing his country in multiple international tournaments and World Cup qualifiers.
2. Life and Early Career
Rolando Blackburn's early life and the initial steps in his professional football journey laid the foundation for his extensive career.
2.1. Childhood and Personal Background
Rolando Manrique Blackburn Ortega was born on January 9, 1990, in San Joaquín, Panamá. His parents are Rolando and Vanesa. In his personal life, Blackburn is married to Yarkanis, and together they have a daughter.
2.2. Early Club Career Beginnings
Blackburn began his professional club career at Tauro F.C. in Panama. He later had a spell abroad, joining the Guatemalan side Juventud Retalteca. Following financial difficulties at Juventud Retalteca, Blackburn returned to Panama to play for Chorrillo F.C.. His early career at Chorrillo included winning three Liga Panameña de Fútbol titles: the 2011 Apertura, 2014 Clausura, and 2017 Apertura.
3. Club Career
Throughout his career, Rolando Blackburn has played for numerous clubs across different countries, showcasing his abilities as a striker.
3.1. FK Senica
In January 2012, Blackburn moved to Europe on a loan spell from Chorrillo F.C., joining Slovak club FK Senica. He made his official debut for Senica on March 7, 2012, in a Slovak Cup quarter-final match, where his team secured a 2-0 victory over ŠK Slovan Bratislava. His loan at Senica lasted for approximately one and a half years before he returned from Europe.
3.2. Comunicaciones
After his time in Europe, Blackburn joined Guatemalan club C.S.D. Comunicaciones in 2014. During his first season with the club, he demonstrated his goal-scoring prowess by netting 10 goals. With Comunicaciones, he achieved significant success, winning consecutive Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala titles: the 2014 Apertura and the 2015 Clausura.
3.3. Later Club Career
Following his successful period at Comunicaciones, Rolando Blackburn continued his career with various clubs across Central and South America, as well as Asia. He played for Deportivo Saprissa in Costa Rica, where he won the 2016 Invierno Liga FPD. He also had a brief stint with Port F.C. in Thailand in 2019, securing the Thai FA Cup title during his time there. Subsequently, he joined The Strongest, a prominent club in Bolivia's Primera División. More recently, Blackburn transferred to C.D. Victoria in the Primera División de Fútbol de El Salvador, which is his current club.
4. International Career
Rolando Blackburn has been a key player for the Panama national football team, participating in various international competitions and World Cup qualification campaigns.
4.1. National Team Debut and Major Tournaments
Blackburn made his debut for the Panama national team in December 2010, in a friendly match against Honduras. He went on to represent his country in the 2013 Copa Centroamericana and the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup. As of May 1, 2015, he had accumulated 17 caps and scored 3 goals for the national team. In May 2018, he was named in Panama's preliminary 35-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup held in Russia. However, he ultimately did not make the final 23-man roster for the tournament. He also participated in the 2019-20 CONCACAF Nations League A and the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
4.2. International Goals
The following table details the goals scored by Rolando Blackburn for the Panama national football team:
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | November 15, 2011 | Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City, Panama | Dominica | 1-0 | 3-0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 2. | September 11, 2012 | Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City, Panama | Canada | 1-0 | 2-0 | 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 3. | June 1, 2013 | Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City, Panama | Peru | 1-0 | 1-1 | Friendly |
| 4. | September 8, 2015 | Polideportivo Cachamay, Ciudad Guayana, Venezuela | Venezuela | 1-0 | 1-1 | Friendly |
| 5. | October 16, 2018 | Cheonan Stadium, Cheonan, South Korea | South Korea | 2-2 | 2-2 | Friendly |
| 6. | September 5, 2019 | Bermuda National Stadium, Hamilton, Bermuda | Bermuda | 1-0 | 4-1 | 2019-20 CONCACAF Nations League A |
| 7. | July 13, 2021 | BBVA Stadium, Houston, United States | Qatar | 1-1 | 3-3 | 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup |
| 8. | 2-2 | |||||
| 9. | September 5, 2021 | Independence Park, Kingston, Jamaica | Jamaica | 2-0 | 3-0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 10. | September 8, 2021 | Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City, Panama | Mexico | 1-0 | 1-1 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 11. | October 13, 2021 | BMO Field, Toronto, Canada | Canada | 1-0 | 1-4 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 12. | March 24, 2022 | Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City, Panama | Honduras | 1-0 | 1-1 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
5. Honours
Rolando Blackburn has accumulated several club titles throughout his career:
- Chorrillo
- Liga Panameña de Fútbol: 2011 Apertura, 2014 Clausura, 2017 Apertura
- Comunicaciones
- Liga Nacional de Fútbol de Guatemala: 2014 Apertura, 2015 Clausura
- Deportivo Saprissa
- Liga FPD: 2016 Invierno
- Port F.C.
- Thai FA Cup: 2019
6. Personal Life
Rolando Blackburn was born to parents Rolando and Vanesa. He is married to Yarkanis, and they have a daughter.
7. Assessment
Rolando Blackburn, known by his nickname "el Toro," is recognized for his powerful and effective play as a striker. His career has seen him contribute significantly to various clubs across Latin America and Asia, demonstrating a consistent ability to find the back of the net, particularly notable during his spell with Comunicaciones where he scored 10 goals in his first season. His numerous league and cup titles with clubs like Chorrillo, Comunicaciones, Deportivo Saprissa, and Port F.C. highlight his role in successful teams. On the international stage, Blackburn has been a long-standing member of the Panama national team, earning multiple caps and scoring important goals in various competitions, including World Cup qualifiers and the CONCACAF Gold Cup, underscoring his importance to the national squad.