Luciano Martín Galletti (Spanish pronunciation: [luˈsjano ɣaˈleti]; born 9 April 1980) is an Argentine retired professional footballer who played as a right winger.

Luciano Galletti
Galletti in 2009
Personal information
Full name Luciano Martin Galletti
Date of birth (1980-04-09) 9 April 1980 (age 44)
Place of birth La Plata, Argentina
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Right winger
Youth career
1991–1993 Tolosano
1993–1997 Estudiantes
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1997–1999 Estudiantes 37 (2)
1999 Parma 0 (0)
1999–2000 Napoli 20 (2)
2000–2001 Estudiantes 28 (9)
2001–2005 Zaragoza 134 (14)
2005–2007 Atlético Madrid 62 (5)
2007–2010 Olympiacos 59 (19)
2013 OFI 6 (0)
Total 346 (51)
International career
1999 Argentina U20 12 (10)
2000–2005 Argentina 13 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

In a professional career that lasted 14 years he played mostly in Spain, with Zaragoza and Atlético Madrid, but also represented Olympiacos, winning five major titles with the latter club. He was also retired from 2010 to 2013, before returning to active with OFI Crete.

An Argentina international in the 2000s, Galletti appeared with the national team at the 2005 Confederations Cup.

Club career

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Early years and Italy

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Born in La Plata, Buenos Aires Province, Galletti's career began with Estudiantes de La Plata, where his father Rubén Horacio played as a right-wing forward during the 1970s.[1][2] He scored once in 24 games in his second season in the Primera División.

In January 1999, Galletti joined Parma A.C. in Italy,[3] but failed to break into the first team, moving in the following transfer window to another club in the country, Serie B's S.S.C. Napoli – loaned by Estudiantes, to where he would return for the 2000–01 campaign.

Zaragoza

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Galletti signed with Real Zaragoza from Spain in the 2001 off-season. He made his La Liga debut on 26 August in a 1–2 away loss against RCD Espanyol,[4] and finished his first year with 27 matches and two goals as the season ended in relegation.

From there onwards, Galletti became an undisputed starter for the Aragonese, never appearing in less than 34 contests for the remainder of his spell.[2] In 2003–04 he helped them win the Copa del Rey, scoring the winner in a 3–2 extra time win over Real Madrid.[5]

Atlético Madrid

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On 29 July 2005, Galletti joined fellow league side Atlético Madrid for 4 million.[6] He netted his first league goal for his new team on 27 October, closing the scoresheet at home against Cádiz CF (3–0).[7]

In his second season with the Colchoneros, Galletti scored four goals in 36 games as they finished in seventh position.[8]

Olympiacos

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On 30 June 2007, Galletti was transferred to Olympiacos F.C. in Greece, for a reported fee of €2.5 million,[9] with the player signing a four-year contract with an annual salary of €1.3 million. On 2 May 2009, he scored Olympiacos‘ 4th goal of the final of the Greek Cup against AEK Athens F.C. giving his team a 4–3 lead but got sent off right after that and watched his team getting equalized but eventually winning the game and the title after a thrilling penalty shoot-out;[10] after that campaign ended and he contributed with a career-best 14 goals to the national championship's conquest, he signed a contract extension linking him to the Piraeus club until 2013 – the new deal contained a release clause fee of €15 million.[11]

In early February 2010, Galletti was diagnosed with severe kidney failure, causing him to miss the rest of the season. He announced his retirement the following summer, aged only 30;[12] in early October 2012, however, he underwent a successful kidney transplant, the donor being his father Rubén.[13][14]

Galletti returned to Olympiacos on 3 September 2014 after an unassuming spell as player at OFI Crete FC, being appointed scout for Latin America.[15]

International career

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Galletti was the top scorer at the 1999 South American Youth Championship with nine goals in only eight games, ranking ahead the likes of Ronaldinho and Roque Santa Cruz as the Argentina under-20s won the competition in Paraguay.[2] He earned 13 caps for the full side,[16] making his debut in 2000[17] and being selected to the squad that appeared in the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup, where he played three matches for the eventual runners-up, including the final against Brazil.

Honours

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Zaragoza

Olympiacos

Argentina

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "Los Galletti, padre e hijo al servicio del gol" [The Gallettis, father and son at the service of goal]. Clarín (in Spanish). 18 June 2001. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  2. ^ a b c "Yo jugué en el Real Zaragoza: Luciano Galletti" [I played for Real Zaragoza: Luciano Galletti] (in Spanish). Vavel. 24 December 2012. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  3. ^ "Galletti al Parma" [Galletti to Parma] (in Italian). Rai Sport 2. 11 November 1998. Archived from the original on 15 December 2017. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  4. ^ "El Espanyol repite triunfo en el debú ante el Zaragoza" [Espanyol repeat win in debut against Zaragoza]. El País (in Spanish). 27 August 2001. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  5. ^ "Beckham misses out on Cup". BBC Sport. 17 March 2004. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  6. ^ "Galletti arrives at Atlético". UEFA. 29 July 2005. Retrieved 26 July 2007.
  7. ^ "Atlético Madrid 3–0 Cádiz". ESPN Soccernet. 27 October 2005. Archived from the original on 3 January 2013. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  8. ^ "Qué fue de… 21. Galletti" [What happened to… 21. Galletti] (in Spanish). Esto es Atleti. 16 May 2017. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  9. ^ "Galletti lured by European goal". UEFA. 30 June 2007. Retrieved 26 July 2007.
  10. ^ "Olympiakos win Cup in shoot-out". FIFA. 2 May 2009. Archived from the original on 6 May 2009. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  11. ^ Ερυθρόλευκος για πάντα ο Γκαλέτι [Galletti forever red] (in Greek). Olympiacos F.C. 8 July 2009. Archived from the original on 2 August 2009. Retrieved 9 July 2009.
  12. ^ "Una insuficiencia renal obligó a Galletti a dejar el fútbol profesional" [Kidney failure forced Galletti to retire from professional football] (in Spanish). Infobae. 27 September 2010. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  13. ^ "Trasplantan con éxito a Luciano Galletti un riñón del padre" [Luciano Galletti receives kidney from father in successful surgery]. La Capital (in Spanish). 3 October 2012. Retrieved 14 December 2017.
  14. ^ "Galletti tendría el alta médica en tres días" [Galletti could be released in three days]. Clarín (in Spanish). 5 October 2012. Retrieved 6 October 2012.
  15. ^ Ανακοίνωση της ΠΑΕ Ολυμπιακός σχετικά με την ένταξη του Λουτσιάνο Γκαλέτι στο τεχνικό τιμ [Olympiacos FC announcement on Luciano Galletti's coaching integration] (in Greek). Olympiacos F.C. 3 September 2014. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
  16. ^ "Padres e hijos que jugaron para la selección argentina" [Fathers and sons who played for the Argentine national team]. La Voz del Interior (in Spanish). 8 September 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  17. ^ "Argentina blank Mexico in friendly". ESPN FC. 21 December 2000. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  18. ^ "Greek Cup 2009 top assists table - Page 1". www.besoccer.com. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
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