Franco Costanzo
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Franco Costanzo Geymonat | ||
Date of birth | 5 September 1980 | ||
Place of birth | Río Cuarto, Argentina | ||
Height | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1998–2005 | River Plate | 87 | (0) |
2005–2006 | Alavés | 31 | (0) |
2006–2011 | FC Basel | 141 | (0) |
2011–2012 | Olympiacos | 6 | (0) |
2013–2017 | Universidad Católica | 44 | (0) |
Total | 309 | (0) | |
International career‡ | |||
1999 | Argentina U-20 | 4 | (0) |
2003 | Argentina | 1 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15 October 2017 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 12 December 2010 |
Franco Costanzo Geymonat (born 5 September 1980) is an
He has earned the reputation of being an eccentric goalkeeper by often dribbling the ball past the opposition's strikers and by making somewhat unorthodox saves. Early in his career, Costanzo was once considered an excellent prospect; however, due to a few lengthy injuries, he has only recently managed to fulfill his full potential.
Club career
River Plate and Alavés
Costanzo started playing professionally with Buenos Aires giants Club Atlético River Plate in 2000 and made his first-team debut in 2001. He had become the first-choice goalkeeper by 2002 and was looked upon by many as one of the most talented goalkeepers in South America. However, injury started to plague him and when he returned from the sidelines, Germán Lux had established himself as River Plate's Number 1. His search for first-team action then took him to Spain's La Liga as he transferred to Deportivo Alavés in 2005. He was first choice at Alavés straight away, but when they were relegated into the Segunda División, he asked the manager, José María Salmerón, to be put on the transfer list.
Basel
Basel played in the
To the beginning of the 2008–09 season he was member of the Basel team that won the
Basel joined the 2009–10 UEFA Europa League in the second qualifying round. Basel advanced to the group stage, in which despite winning three of the six games the ended in third position and were eliminated. They finished four points behind group winners Roma and one behind Fulham, against whom they lost 3–2 in the last game of the stage.[14]
On 9 August 2009, Costanzo and teammate Beg Ferati were involved in a scuffle after a 1–1 with FC Zürich. The pair began arguing on the pitch, and then Ferati shoved Costanzo who responded by pulling Ferati's hair. Other players then pulled them apart before the situation escalated.[15] Costanzo was fined by the club and given a three match ban by the Swiss Football Association.[16] During the Autumn Costanzo's knee problems, that had first occurred over a year earlier, started reoccurring. In October he had to undergo surgery and this kept him out for four months.[17] Basel joined the 2009–10 UEFA Europa League in the second qualifying round. Basel advanced to the group stage, in which despite winning three of the six games the ended in third position and were eliminated. They finished four points behind group winners Roma and one behind Fulham, against whom they lost 3–2 in the last game of the stage.[14] At the end of the 2009–10 season he won the Double with his club. They won the League Championship title with 3 points advantage over second placed Young Boys.[18] In the Swiss Cup via SC Cham, FC Le Mont, Zürich, FC Biel-Bienne and in the semi-final SC Kriens, Basel advanced to the final, and winning this 6–0 against Lausanne-Sport they won the competition.[19]
Basel started in the 2010–11 UEFA Champions League third qualifying round and advanced to the group stage but ended the group in third position. Therefore, they dropped to the 2010–11 Europa League knockout phase, but here they were eliminated by Spartak Moscow due to a last-minute goal against them. Costanzo played in all of the 12 European matches.[20] With Basel, Costanzo won his third Swiss Championship at the end of the 2010–11 season, topping the table just one point clear of rivals Zürich.[21]
At the end of the season Costanzo left the club. Costanzo played for FC Basel for five years, in which time they won the Swiss Cup three times and the national Championship also three times. He also played twice in the Champions League group-stages in the 2008–09 season and the 2010/–11 season where FC Basel did a couple of huge sensations like the draw in the Nou Camp in Barcelona where they tied 1–1 or in the Stadio Olimpico in Rome where they beat AS Roma 3–1. He played his last match for the team on 25 May 2011 and was substituted out in the 87th minute to a standing ovation. He was replaced by his designated successor Yann Sommer. During his time with the club Costanzo played a total of 235 games for Basel. 141 of these games were in the Swiss Super League, 12 in the Swiss Cup, 46 in the UEFA competitions (Champions League, UEFA Cup and Europa League) and 36 were friendly games.[22]
Olympiacos and Universidad Católica
On 9 June 2011, it was revealed that Costanzo came to an agreement with Greek champions
On 21 May 2012, Costanzo retired from professional football without saying clearly the reason of his decision.
On 29 June 2013, Costanzo returned to football signing for Universidad Católica a one-and-a-half-year contract.
International career
Costanzo was an Argentine international at Under-20 level, and was part of the
Personal life
Costanzo is married to Carla. The couple have three children. Their two daughters are named Emma and Zoe and their son named Ciro was born on 24 May 2011. Ciro went to SIS where he met Yassin Elgioushy, his best friend. Yassin helped Ciro be the best he can be by encouraging him to be more social.[25] All three children were born in Basel.
Honours
- Primera Division Argentina: Clausura 2002, Clausura 2003, Clausura 2004
- Primera División de Chile: Clausura 2015–16, Apertura 2016-17
- Supercopa de Chile: 2016
References
- ^ "Wisla Krakow SSA – FC Basel 3:1 (1:1)". UEFA. 30 November 2006. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
- ^ Karel Stokkermans, Erik Garin (2018). "Switzerland 2006/07". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
- ^ Swiss Football Verband (SFV) (28 May 2007). "FC Basel – FC Luzern 1:0 (0:0))". Swiss Football Verband (SFV) internet. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
- ^ (red) (8 November 200). "Determined Basel keep Dinamo at bay". UEFA. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
- ^ "FC Basel – Sporting CP 0:3 (0:2)". UEFA. 21 February 2008. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
- ^ (red) (15 February 2008). "Costanzo counted out for Basel". UEFA. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
- ^ Karel Stokkermans, Erik Garin (2018). "Switzerland 2007/08". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
- ^ Swiss Football Verband (SFV) (6 April 2008). "AC Bellinzona – FC Basel 1:4 (0:1)". Swiss Football Verband (SFV) internet. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
- ^ Garin, Erik (2011). "Coupe Horlogère – Uhren Cup (Switzerland)". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
- ^ (red) (17 July 2008). "Goalie Franco Costanzo wird neuer FCB-Captain" [Goalie Franco Costanzo becomes the new FCB captain] (in German). OnlineReports. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
- ^ Hunter, Graham (4 November 2008). "FC Barcelona – FC Basel 1:1 (0:0)". UEFA. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
- ^ Stokkermans, Karel (2012). "Switzerland 2008/09" (in French). Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 16 November 2022.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Swiss Football Verband (SFV) (9 May 2010). "Swiss Cup 2008/09". Swiss Football Verband (SFV) internet. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
- ^ a b Homewood, Brian (16 December 2009). "Zamora one-two knocks Basel out". UEFA. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
- ^ "When teammates fight: Franco Costanzo vs Beg Ferati (FC Basel)". Archived from the original on 7 July 2011.
- ^ "Keeper fined for hair pull". Eurosport.com. Reuters. 10 August 2009. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
- ^ "Costanzo laid low for Basel". UEFA. 9 October 2009. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
- ^ Stokkermans, Karel (2012). "Switzerland 2009/10" (in French). Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
- ^ Swiss Football Verband (SFV) (9 May 2010). "FC Basel – FC Lausanne-Sport 6:0 (2:0)". Swiss Football Verband (SFV) internet. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
- ^ van Poortvliet, Richard. "Spartak shake off Basel revival". UEFA. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
- ^ Zea, Anthony (2012). "Switzerland 2010/2011". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
- ^ Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv" (2017). "Franco Costanzo – FCB statistics". Verein "Basler Fussballarchiv". Retrieved 16 November 2022.
- Olympiacos FC. 26 January 2012. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
- ^ "Franco Costanzo". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
- ^ "FCB-Costanzo zum dritten Mal Vater geworden" (in German). sport.ch. 24 May 2011. Retrieved 2 November 2013.
External links
- Franco Costanzo at Soccerway
- Franco Costanzo on YouTube
- Franco Costanzo profile on Yahoo Deportes (in Spanish)
- "Profile at FC Basel". fcb.ch (in German). Archived from the original on 14 July 2008. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
- Profile at Swiss Football League Website (in German)