Ariel Ortega

Arnaldo Ariel "El Burrito" Ortega (born March 4, 1974 in Ledesma, Jujuy) is an Argentina football (soccer) attacking midfielder, who plays for Club Atlético River Plate. Ariel Ortega nickname is "El Burrito" ("The Little Donkey"), thus called "Burrito Ortega".

Ortega's previous clubs include Fenerbahçe, Parma A.C., U.C. Sampdoria, Valencia C.F., and Newell's Old Boys. Ariel Ortega has been cap (football) 97 times for the Argentina national football team, scoring 19 goals (as of 2008). Ortega played for Ariel Ortega country in the Football World Cup 1994, Football World Cup 1998, and Football World Cup 2002. Ariel Ortega was also a member of the team that won the silver medal at the 1996 Summer Olympics.

Biography

Ariel Ortega is widely recognized for Ariel Ortega blinding pace and outstanding ability from dead ball situations, but most of all for Ariel Ortega incredible dribbling ability. At Ariel Ortega prime Ariel Ortega was one of the best dribblers in the world. Ariel Ortega is also famous for Ariel Ortega lobbed shots.

Along with Ariel Ortega skills, Ortega is infamously temperamental. During the 1998 World Cup, in the quarter-finals against Netherlands national football team, Ortega received a straight red card for headbutting Dutch goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar when van der Sar confronted Ariel Ortega after a dive in the penalty area, for which Ortega was just getting Ariel Ortega first yellow card. Shortly after Ortega's sending off, Dennis Bergkamp scored the winning goal to make it 2-1, eliminating Argentina.

Due to Ariel Ortega volatility, Ortega never remained at one club for an extended period of time. After Ariel Ortega resigned Ariel Ortega contract with Fenerbahçe in 2003, Ariel Ortega was suspended by the FIFA, and not allowed to step on a football field for approximately one and a half years. While Ariel Ortega was trying to deal with the situation Ariel Ortega asked many times about the possibility of playing for free in River Plate. However, Ariel Ortega petition was denied, and in 2004, when Ariel Ortega finally could come back to football, Ariel Ortega went to Newell's Old Boys, as Ariel Ortega was called by Ariel Ortega friend Américo Gallego, who at that time was Newell's' coach. Together, they won the 2004-2005 in Argentine football.

On June 2006 Ariel Ortega went back to Ariel Ortega first team Club Atlético River Plate, where Ariel Ortega played for about half of the Apertura 2006 , and then Ariel Ortega stopped to start a treatment for alcoholism. On January 2007, during River's pre-season in Mar del Plata, and one day after playing an excellent game in which Ariel Ortega even scored, Ariel Ortega surprised everyone with another alcoholic episode, after which River Plate's doctors suggested to the coach that Ortega should go back to Buenos Aires to resume the treatment against Ariel Ortega problem.

Coach Daniel Passarella brought back Ortega stating Ariel Ortega was ready for a comeback. On March 15, 2007, in a Copa Libertadores 2007 match against LDU Quito, Ortega formed part of River's bench but was not given a chance to play. However three days later, in a league match versus Quilmes, Ariel Ortega came in the second half to help break the opposing team's defense in a tight 0-0 up to that point. Ortega would score a controversial goal with Ariel Ortega hand on the 48th minute to give River the victory and a great personal comeback.

At the arrival of Diego Simeone as head coach of River, Ortega would eventually lose some "protections" Ariel Ortega was rumoured to have and, despite being an important part of the team that achieved the Clausura 2008 title, Simeone left Ariel Ortega out of the squad for the upcoming season, backing Ariel Ortega decision on several times not coming to train as well as some episodes of alcoholism . After some controversy and rumours in the winter window of Argentine market, Ariel Ortega was loaned to Nacional B side Independiente Rivadavia, signing a one year contract where a twice a week trip to a Chilean Special Treatment Center for alcoholics is one of the clauses. On the 1st of May 2009 the player has been let go by Independiente officials. The club decided to terminate Ariel Ortega contract in advance. Ortega was on loan at from River Plate.
On Ariel Ortega first game back in River Plate, 25th July 2009, Ariel Ortega scored an outstanding chip shot goal to give River a 1-0 victory over Everton F.C of England in Edmonton, Canada during the preseason.

Titles