Teófilo Gutiérrez

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
In this
Spanish name, the first or paternal surname
is Gutiérrez and the second or maternal family name is Roncancio.

Teófilo Gutiérrez
Colombia at the 2016 Summer Olympics
Personal information
Full name Teófilo Antonio Gutiérrez Roncancio
Date of birth (1985-05-17) 17 May 1985 (age 39)
Place of birth Barranquilla, Colombia
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position(s) Forward
Team information
Current team
 Atlético Junior
Number 29
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006 Barranquilla 40 (16)
2007–2009 Atlético Junior 75 (42)
2010–2011 Trabzonspor 17 (4)
2011–2012 Racing Club 40 (20)
2012 → Lanús (loan) 0 (0)
2012 → Atlético Junior (loan) 18 (5)
2012–2013 Cruz Azul 21 (6)
2013–2015 River Plate 47 (22)
2015–2017
Sporting CP
 23 (11)
2016–2017 → Rosario Central (loan) 21 (5)
2017–2021 Atlético Junior 129 (30)
2021–2022 Deportivo Cali 50 (11)
2023 Atlético Bucaramanga 13 (0)
2023 Deportivo Cali 17 (3)
2024 Real Cartagena 23 (3)
2025– Atlético Junior 5 (1)
International career‡
2009–2017 Colombia 51 (15)
2016
Colombia Olympic
 6 (4)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 26 March 2025
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 5 October 2017

Teófilo Antonio "Teo" Gutiérrez Roncancio (Spanish pronunciation: [teˈofilo ɣuˈtjeres]; born 17 May 1985) is a Colombian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Atlético Junior . He was a Colombian international and captained the country at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil.

Early life

Gutierrez grew up in the impoverished neighborhood of La Chinita in Barranquilla along with six brothers.[2] The area is plagued with gang violence and many shootouts happened near his home.[3]

Club career

Barranquilla

Gutierrez began his career with Barranquilla F.C., Atlético Junior's second division team, in 2006. After scoring 16 goals in 28 appearances, he was called up to Junior's senior team in 2007.

Atlético Junior

Teo on the training field of Atlético Junior in 2009

In his first years with the main squad, Gutiérrez found it difficult to break into the starting eleven. He managed to score his first goal on 2 September 2007 in a 4–2 victory against

Carlos Quintero and tying Adrián Ramos and Milton Rodríguez
.

During the

2009 Finalización he finished the season with 14 goals, finishing second to Jackson Martínez
's 18 goals.

He was named by the

IFFHS
as the fourth world First Division top scorer of 2009, having scored 30 goals during the year.

Trabzonspor

On 13 January 2010, Junior sold Gutierrez to Süper Lig club Trabzonspor for $3 million.[4] During his first season in Turkey, he found it difficult to adapt, which prevented him from being a regular on the starting eleven. He played 11 league games and did not score any goals.

Gutierrez joined the team's preseason late due to visa problems, but began the

Ankaragücü,[5] and added two more in a 6–1 victory over Sivasspor on 13 September.[6] He also scored his first Europa League goal against Liverpool on 26 August.[7] In October, he moved to his country without Trabzonspor's permission claiming to have some health problems.[8] However, doctors did not find any health problems after check-ups, and Trabzonspor terminated his contract later than month.[9]

Racing Club

On 15 February 2011, Trabzonspor accepted a bid from Argentine side

Estadio Presidente Perón.[14] He finished the 2011 Clausura with 11 goals, winning the golden boot as the league's top scorer.[15]

Although he was performing at the top of his game for La Academia, while linking up with selección teammate Giovanni Moreno, Gutierrez got into arguments with many of his teammates, causing tension between the fans and the club directors. After an Avellaneda derby match, where he scored the opening goal but was eventually sent off in a 4–1 defeat, his teammate Sebastián Saja confronted him over being sent off, and they allegedly got into a fight. Shortly after, he threatened Saja and other teammates with a paintball gun in the locker room, and police had to intervene.[16][17] Finally, the club decided to terminate his contract, and he left the club the following day.[18]

Lanús and Junior loans

A few days after his untimely departure from Racing Club, Gutierrez signed a short-term loan contract with

Estádio São Januário.[21] He also played in the second leg a week later, where he scored a goal, but it was not enough as Lanús crashed out of the competition on penalties.[22] His time at Lanús was cut-short after he left Argentina for his native Colombia without permission from the club, claiming that he was on international duty.[23] When it was found out that he was not selected for the Colombia squad, Lanús cancelled his contract later that month.[24]

A six-month loan to

Liga Postobón title, failed to reach the finals.[25]

Cruz Azul

In December 2012, Gutiérrez was sold to Mexican side

Chiapas.[28]

River Plate

Teo played a pivotal role in River Plate's conquering of the 2014 Copa Sudamericana

After the relationship between Cruz Azul and the player worsened due to the persistent interest of River Plate's coach Ramón Díaz to bring the Colombian to his squad, Cruz Azul and River Plate reached an agreement thought to be around US$3 million in July 2013.[29] Gutierrez has said that it was his dream to play for the Buenos Aires-based club. However, River Plate did not have sufficient funds for the player, and eventually he made a return to Cruz Azul. However, the issues were resolved thanks to FIFA's involvement, and the transfer was made official in August 2013.[30][31]

He made his debut in a 2–1 loss against Colón on 25 August, where he scored his first goal.[32] He would later be part of the team that crowned itself champion in the following tournament, scoring 6 goals. Under the management of

2014 Torneo de Transición
.

In December 2014 River Plate won the 2014 Copa Sudamericana after a 3–1 aggregate victory over Atlético Nacional. This was Gutierrez's second title with the club. As a result of his great performances throughout the year, he was named as the 2014 South American Footballer of the Year, becoming only the second Colombian to win the award, after Carlos Valderrama.[33][34] In February 2015, River Plate won the 2015 Recopa Sudamericana against San Lorenzo, with Gutierrez participating in both legs, hitting the post twice in the first leg.[35]

On 27 May 2015, he scored and assisted in a 3–0 victory in the

2015 Copa Libertadores quarter-finals against Cruzeiro.[36] Four days later, in his last match for River, he scored in a 2–0 victory against Rosario Central.[37]

Sporting CP

Teo lining up for Sporting CP in a UEFA Champions League match against CSKA Moscow in 2015

On 19 July 2015,

Sporting CP announced the signing of the Colombian player on a three-year contract and a €40 million release clause.[38] In August 2015, he scored in the first and second legs during the 2015–16 Champions League play-off matches against CSKA Moscow, although it was not enough as Sporting lost 3–4 on aggregate and failed to advance to the group stage. Sporting ended up placing third in their group, and were transferred to the Europa League, where they were eventually eliminated in the round of 32 by Bayer 04 Leverkusen
.

On 31 October, Gutierrez scored Sporting's only goal in the victory against

Sporting Braga.[42]

Rosario Central (loan)

On 6 August 2016, Gutierrez was announced as a Rosario Central player, on loan from Sporting.[43] On 20 November 2016, he scored a goal against Boca Juniors in La Bombonera and was sent off shortly afterwards because of his controversial celebration, where he made a gesture across his chest signifying the diagonal slash of River Plate's uniform. This was a big deal because River Plate is Boca Junior's biggest rival.[44][45] As a result, he was handed a two-game suspension.

On 15 December, he played and assisted Marco Ruben in the 2016 Copa Argentina Final, although Rosario lost 4–3 to his former club, River Plate.

In his last match with the club on 20 June 2017, he scored from the penalty spot and assisted Mauricio Martínez, although he was later sent off in a 3–3 draw to Talleres de Córdoba.[46]

Return to Atlético Junior

On 26 June 2017, Gutierrez was signed by his hometown team Atlético Junior on a three-year deal.[47] He made his debut in a 3–0 victory against La Equidad, scoring the third goal from the penalty spot. He led his team to a Copa Colombia win in 2017, scoring in the second leg of the finals against Independiente Medellín.[48] The next season, he scored against Independiente Medellin again, this time in the 2018 Finalizacion tournament. The match finished in a 4–1 victory for Junior and although Junior lost the second leg 3–1, they still won the title due to a 5–4 aggregate score.[49] Junior also won the 2019 Apertura after beating Deportivo Pasto on penalties, completing a "bicampeonato" (two-time consecutive champion), with Gutierrez playing in both legs.[50] He left the club in July 2021.[51]

Deportivo Cali

On 6 August 2021, Gutierrez signed with Deportivo Cali on a free transfer.[52] On 22 December, Deportivo Cali won the 2021 Finalizacion tournament, with Gutierrez playing in both legs of the finals against Deportes Tolima.[53][54]

Atletico Bucaramanga

In December 2023, Gutierrez received a four-match suspension and fine, with rumours spreading around saying that he touched a female staff member inappropriately in 2–0 loss against Deportes Tolima on 25 November. He did not deny touching the woman, but denied touching her inappropriately and further stated that he had "nothing against women" and that they "have my respect".[55][56]

International career

2014 World Cup quarter-final match against Brazil

Gutiérrez scored in his international debut for Colombia on 7 August 2009 in a 2–1 victory against El Salvador. In his third call up to the Colombia national team, he made his first competitive appearance in a qualifying game for the 2010 FIFA World Cup against Ecuador, scoring the second goal in a 2–0 victory.

During the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Gutiérrez scored six goals in 11 matches, including a brace in a 4–0 victory against Uruguay on 7 September 2012, and Colombia's first goal in a 3–3 draw against Chile, after having trailed 3–0 on 11 October 2013. This result ensured Colombia's qualification to the 2014 World Cup.[57] In June 2014, he was named in Colombia's squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals and, after the withdrawal of Radamel Falcao through injury, took the number 9 shirt for Los Cafeteros.[58][59]

In the team's opening match of the tournament, Gutiérrez scored Colombia's second goal in a 3–0 win against Greece.[60]

In May 2018 he was named in Colombia's preliminary 35-man squad for the

2018 World Cup in Russia.[61] However, he did not make the final 23.[62]

Style of play

Gutiérrez is a prolific forward, since he gets into finishing positions easily and he can score from long range as well. He also has great passing and technical ability, because he started his youth career playing as a playmaker, and has the ability to create plays and make through passes to his teammates using his superior vision.[63] He is often the connecting link between the midfielders and the forwards.[34] During his time with River, Juan Román Riquelme praised him, calling him "one of the best players in Argentinian football."[64] He is, however, sometimes criticized for being hotheaded and making rash decisions when he gets angry. [65]

Career statistics

Scores and results list Colombia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Gutiérrez goal.
List of international goals scored by Teófilo Gutiérrez[66]
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 7 August 2009 Robertson Stadium, Houston, United States  El Salvador 1–1 2–1
Friendly
2 5 September 2009 Estadio Atanasio Girardot, Medellín, Colombia  Ecuador 2–0 2–0 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
3 3 September 2011
Red Bull Arena, Harrison
, United States		  Honduras 1–0 2–0 Friendly
4 2–0
5 6 September 2011
Fort Lauderdale
, United States		  Jamaica 1–0 2–0 Friendly
6 7 September 2012 Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez, Barranquilla, Colombia  Uruguay 2–0 4–0 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
7 3–0
8 11 September 2012 Estadio Monumental David Arellano, Santiago, Chile  Chile 3–1 3–1 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
9 22 March 2013 Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez, Barranquilla, Colombia  Bolivia 3–0 5–0 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
10 11 June 2013 Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez, Barranquilla, Colombia  Peru 2–0 2–0 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
11 11 October 2013 Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez, Barranquilla, Colombia  Chile 1–3 3–3 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
12 31 May 2014 Estadio Pedro Bidegain, Buenos Aires, Argentina  Senegal 1–0 2–2 Friendly
13 14 June 2014
Estádio Mineirão, Belo Horizonte
, Brazil		  Greece 2–0 3–0 2014 FIFA World Cup
14 14 November 2014 Craven Cottage, London, England  United States 2–1 2–1 Friendly
15 8 October 2015 Estadio Metropolitano Roberto Meléndez, Barranquilla, Colombia  Peru 1–0 2–0 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Trabzonspor

Cruz Azul

River Plate

Sporting

Junior

Deportivo Cali

Individual

References

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  2. ISSN 0325-0946
    . Retrieved 15 August 2021.
  3. ^ a b "'El fútbol me sacó de una guerra'". Olé (in Spanish). 16 March 2011. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  4. ^ "Colombiano Teófilo Gutiérrez viajó a Turquía para incorporase al Trabzonspor". wradio.com.co. 14 January 2010.
  5. ^ a b "Teofilo, kötü günleri geride bıraktı". Milliyet (in Turkish). 16 August 2010. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
  6. ^ "Trabzonspor vs. Sivasspor 6-1". Soccerway. 13 September 2010. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  7. ^ "Trabzonspor vs. Liverpool 1-2". Soccerway. 26 August 2010. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  8. ^ "Teófilo Gutiérrez asegura que no se ha 'volado' del equipo en Turquía". El Espectador (in Spanish). 26 October 2010. Archived from the original on 16 July 2015.
  9. ^ "Trabzonspor And Striker Teofilo Gutierrez To Part Ways". Goal.com. 28 October 2010.
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  12. ^ "Sacale punta, Teo". www.ole.com.ar (in Spanish). 13 March 2011. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  13. ^ "Piña va, piña viene..." Olé (in Spanish). 30 March 2011. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
  14. ^ "Teo Gutierrez wants to become a Racing Club legend after clasico masterclass". Goal.com. 16 April 2011.
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  66. ^ "Teófilo Gutiérrez International Statistics". Soccerway.com. Archived from the original on 10 August 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
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Sporting positions
Preceded by Deportivo Cali captain
2021–2022 		Succeeded by
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