Pablo Aimar

Pablo César Aimar (born November 3, 1979 in Río Cuarto, Córdoba) is an Argentina football (soccer) player, who currently plays attacking midfielder for Real Zaragoza of the Spain La Liga. He holds a Spanish passport.

Career

Aimar began his ascent to stardom with Club Atlético River Plate, whose first team he joined for the 1997/8 season after rejecting a place at medical school, and with whom he quickly established himself as one of the best young players in Argentina.

Valencia signed Aimar in 2001, at a price of 24 million euros. The purchase proved justified, however, as Aimar helped lead the team to a first-place finish in the 2001-02 Spanish season as well as finishing runners-up in the 2001 UEFA Champions League final, in which they were defeated by Bayern Munich. Aimar also has won the UEFA Cup with Valencia, defeating Olympique Marseille in 2004.

Aimar played for Argentina national football team in the Football World Cup 2002 and Football World Cup 2006 Football World Cup. Diego Maradona later said that Aimar was "his legitimate successor as the world's best player" and that he would pay to watch Aimar play (although it is worth noting that Maradona has said that about all players touted as his successor, including Andres D'Alessandro (also with Real Zaragoza), Carlos Tevez and Lionel Messi)

On April 12 2006, he was hospitalized after being diagnosed with acute viral meningitis, but made a quick recovery and returned to play for his team.

On June 12 2006, it was reported in the British media that Aimar's former coach Rafael Benitez was interested in signing him for Liverpool F.C]. But on July 29 2006, he joined Real Zaragoza in 4 years-deal for €11 million, and will receive €1.5 million per year. La Liga and Europe are his objective, again.

On February 12 2007 he was awarded as the best Ibero-American La Liga player of the 2005/2006 season by news agency EFE.

He played for Argentina in the Copa América 2007.

Trivia

- He is nicknamed El Payaso ("The Clown"). Other nicknames include El Cai, Pablito.
- He scored the last goal of the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup, during Argentina's 4-1 loss in the final to champions Brazil national football team.

Honors and awards

Argentina national football team

- FIFA World Youth Championship: 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship

River Plate

- Apertura 1996/97
- Copa Libertadores 1996
- Clausura 1996/97
- Supercopa Sudamericana 1997
- Apertura 1997/98
- Apertura 1999/00
- Clausura 1999/00

Valencia

- La Liga: La Liga season 2001/2002, La Liga season 2003/2004
- UEFA Cup: UEFA Cup 2003-04
- European Super Cup: 2004