Diego Gabriel Rivarola Popón (born July 14, 1976) is a Chilean-Argentine[1] former professional footballer who played as striker.

Diego Rivarola
Rivarola in 2018
Personal information
Full name Diego Gabriel Rivarola Popón
Date of birth (1976-07-14) July 14, 1976 (age 47)
Place of birth Mendoza, Argentina
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
Leonardo Murialdo
River Plate
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1996–1997 River Plate 0 (0)
1997–1998 Platense 8 (0)
1999 Santiago Morning 23 (13)
2000–2001 Universidad de Chile 57 (23)
2002 Atlas 21 (2)
2003–2005 Universidad de Chile 100 (37)
2006 Argentinos Juniors 17 (3)
2006–2007 Maracaibo 14 (6)
2007 Palestino 20 (5)
2008 Alki Larnaca 12 (1)
2008–2009 Santiago Morning 55 (29)
2010–2011 Universidad de Chile 63 (24)
Total 390 (143)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career edit

Rivarola was born in Mendoza, Argentina. As a child, he was with Club Leonardo Murialdo in Mendoza,[2] next he was formed in the lower River Plate,[3] but did not debut with the first team. Later he moved to Platense, where he played eight games.[4]

In 1997, he was hired by Santiago Morning, of Chile until 2000 when he would join Universidad de Chile. His first stint with the Santiago-based club would last five years (interrupted by a brief stay at Mexican Atlas in 2002), during which he became one of the most liked players of the team, due in part to his performances at the derbies against Colo-Colo. With Universidad de Chile, Rivarola would win the Chilean National Championship in 2000 and Apertura Tournament in 2004.

At the beginning of 2006, and after conflicts with then coach of the Universidad de Chile, Héctor Pinto, Rivarola signed with Argentinos Juniors, but failed to establish himself as part of the team's starting 11 and moved to the Venezuelan club UA Maracaibo few months later.

In mid-2007 and for Torneo de Clausura, he signed with Palestino of Chile, led by his former Universidad de Chile teammate, Luis Musrri.

After playing for Santiago Morning, Rivarola moved back to Universidad de Chile, eventually appearing in the 2010 Copa Libertadores. On 2011 he won the Apertura Tournament with La "U" after six years from his last championship.

On August 28, 2011 he scored his 100th goal with Universidad de Chile in a match against Universidad de Concepción for the Clausura Tournament.

Post retirement edit

In 2016, Rivarola represented the futsal team of Universidad de Chile in the national championship of the ANFP alongside another former football players such as Nelson Pinto, César Henríquez and Juan González.[5]

From 2012 to 2022, Rivarola worked as an ambassador of Universidad de Chile,[6] at the same time he was in charge of the both business and marketing areas.[2] In February 2022, he joined ESPN Chile, along with the former footballer Jean Beausejour, as a football commentator and analyst.[1]

Career statistics edit

As of December 11, 2011[7]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Continental Cup Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Santiago Morning Torneo 1999 Chilean Primera División 23 13 23 13
Universidad de Chile Torneo 2000 Chilean Primera División 27 11 3 1 4 5 30 12
Torneo 2001 Chilean Primera División 30 12 4 2 34 14
Apertura 2003 Chilean Primera División 10 0 10 0
Clausura 2003 Chilean Primera División 16 11 16 11
Apertura 2004 Chilean Primera División 24 13 24 13
Clausura 2004 Chilean Primera División 16 4 16 4
Apertura 2005 Chilean Primera División 13 2 8 3 21 5
Clausura 2005 Chilean Primera División 21 7 2 0 23 7
Total 157 60 17 6 4 5 178 71
Palestino Clausura 2007 Chilean Primera División 20 5 20 5
Santiago Morning Clausura 2008 Chilean Primera División 18 7 18 7
Apertura 2009 Chilean Primera División 18 9 18 9
Clausura 2009 Chilean Primera División 19 13 19 13
Total 55 29 55 29
Universidad de Chile Torneo 2010 Chilean Primera División 31 16 14 1 2 0 47 17
Apertura 2011 Chilean Primera División 18 5 18 5
Clausura 2011 Chilean Primera División 17 3 1 0 4 2 22 5
Total 66 24 15 1 6 2 87 27
Career total 321 131 32 7 10 7 353 144

Honours edit

Universidad de Chile

References edit

  1. ^ a b "Diego Rivarola tiene nuevo desafío tras su salida de la U". www.encancha.cl (in Spanish). February 26, 2022. Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  2. ^ a b Rivitera, Gustavo (May 15, 2021). "Diego Rivarola: "La U es el lugar donde siempre quise estar"". Diario Uno (in Spanish). Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  3. ^ Diego Rivarola was hoping to reach a "large" Argentina, on Radio Cooperativa.
  4. ^ Rivarola: "I wanted to return to play in Argentina"[permanent dead link] in TODOFUTBOL.CL.
  5. ^ "U. de Chile debutó con empate en Campeonato Nacional de Futsal de la ANFP". DeporteAzul (in Spanish). September 12, 2016. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
  6. ^ Mardones, Felipe (February 25, 2022). "Cambió de rubro: Universidad de Chile despidió a Diego Rivarola y se unió a canal deportivo". Central ✪ Deportes (in Spanish). Retrieved June 7, 2022.
  7. ^ Historial de Diego Gabriel Rivarola Popón Como Jugador

External links edit