Sergio Agüero

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Agüero and the second or maternal family name is Del Castillo.

Sergio Agüero

200px Agüero with Manchester City in 2014
Personal information
Full name	Sergio Leonel Agüero Del Castillo
Date of birth	(1988-06-02) 2 June 1988
Place of birth	Buenos Aires, Argentina
Height
Position(s)	Striker
Team information
Current team	Manchester City
Number	10
Youth career
1997–2003	Independiente
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2003–2006	Independiente	54	(23)
2006–2011	Atlético Madrid	175	(74)
2011–	Manchester City	131	(85)
International career‡
2004	Argentina U17	5	(3)
2005–2007	Argentina U20	7	(6)
2008	Argentina Olympic	5	(2)
2006–	Argentina	69	(32)
Medal record Representing Argentina Men's Football 2008 Beijing Team Competition FIFA World Cup Runner-up 2014 Brazil Team Copa América Runner-up 2015 Chile Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 06:16, 27 December 2015 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 00:29, 9 October 2015 (UTC)

Sergio Leonel Agüero Del Castillo (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈserxjo aˈɣweɾo]; born 2 June 1988), nicknamed Kun Agüero, is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a striker for English club Manchester City and the Argentina national team. On 5 July 2003, he became the youngest player to debut in the Argentine Primera División at 15 years and 35 days, breaking the record previously established by Diego Maradona in 1976.

In 2006, Agüero moved to Europe to play for La Liga side Atlético Madrid for a fee of €23 million from Independiente. He made a name for himself, attracting attention from Europe's top clubs by scoring 101 goals in 234 appearances while winning the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Super Cup in 2010. Agüero moved to Premier League club Manchester City in July 2011 for an undisclosed fee thought to be in the region of £35 million. On the last day of his debut season with the club, Agüero scored a 94th-minute winner against Queens Park Rangers that earned City its first league title in 44 years. At the end of the 2014–15 season, of players who have played two seasons in the Premier League, Agüero had the highest goals per minute ratio in the history of the competition since its formation in 1992, averaging a goal every 109 minutes. He also holds the joint-record for the most goals scored in a single Premier League match, five, and the fastest to do so, in 23 minutes and 34 seconds of match time.

At international level, Agüero represented the Argentina under-20 team at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2005 and in 2007, winning both tournaments. Agüero played at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, scoring two goals in the 3–0 semi-final win against Brazil as Argentina went on to win the gold medal. Agüero was selected to represent Argentina in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, 2014 FIFA World Cup, the 2011 Copa América and the 2015 Copa América.

Club career

Independiente

Sergio Agüero joined the youth system of Independiente at the age of nine. He started playing for the side, becoming the youngest player to debut in the division at 15 years and 35 days (on 5 July 2003 against Club Atlético San Lorenzo de Almagro), when Independiente's coach, Oscar Ruggeri sent Agüero onto the field as a substitute for Emanuel Rivas in the 69th minute of the match. His performance was well received by the press, Despite his early debut, Agüero was not selected again by Ruggeri, and his replacement Osvaldo Sosa, for the remainder of 2002–03 season, having only made just one appearance in the Torneo Clausura. Following the arrival of coach Jose Omar Pastoriza, seven months after Agüero's first match he returned to the club's first-team in 4–2 win against Peru's Cienciano during the group stages of the 2004 Copa Libertadores. This meant that Agüero also became the youngest player to participate in the Copa Libertadores, a record that he held for three years. One month later, Agüero again featured in a Copa Libertadores fixture against Ecuador's El Nacional. On 19 June, for the first time, Agüero played a full 90-minute match for Independiente against Atlético de Rafaela during the Torneo Clausura. He scored his first goal for Independiente in a 2–2 draw against Estudiantes on 26 November, with a 22nd minute shot from outside the penalty area. Agüero became a regular in the club's first-team, being selected for the Argentina U-20 squad for the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup, which Argentina won.

During the 2005–06 season, Agüero scored 18 goals in 36 league appearances, having missed two games due to suspension. In a 4–0 win against Racing on 11 September, Agüero dribbled from inside of his own half and scored Independiente's fourth goal with a left footed shot. His first red card came in the Torneo Apertura, after slapping an opponent in a match against Tiro Federal. His outstanding performances during the Torneo Apertura attracted interest from a number of big name European clubs, and after months of speculation, Agüero announced on TV in April that he intended to leave the club at the end of the season. Before the end of the season, there had already been speculation of a possible transfer to Atlético Madrid. With his performances being lauded by the press, there was talk of a possible call up for Agüero for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. In a 2–0 away victory against Olimpo de Bahia Blanca in round 17 of the Torneo Clausura, Agüero received his fifth yellow card of the season. This prevented him from playing his last game for Independiente in a fixture against Boca Juniors in Avellaneda one week later. The yellow card brought tears to the eyes of Agüero, as television cameras recorded. Agüero, who scored Independiente's second goal of the match later said "I think that it was my last goal for Independiente". He played his last game for Independiente, two weeks later, in a 2–0 away defeat to Rosario Central. On 30 May, Agüero officially transferred to Atlético Madrid for €20 million, marking a record for the Bank of Spain.

Atlético Madrid

Agüero playing for Atlético Madrid in October 2007.

2006–07 season

In May 2006, Agüero joined Spanish club Atlético Madrid for a fee reported to be around €23 million, breaking the club's previous transfer record. He caused controversy early in his Atlético career by using his hands to score the winning goal against Recreativo de Huelva on 14 October 2006, only his second goal for the club, with the first coming in a 4–1 away win against Athletic Bilbao on 17 September. He ended his first season in Madrid with seven goals in all competitions, eased into European football by manager Javier Aguirre, who opted to bring him in and out of the line-up as Atlético finished seventh – enough to qualify for the UEFA Intertoto Cup.

2007–08 season

Following the departure of strike partner Fernando Torres to Liverpool in the summer of 2007, Agüero secured his starting spot for the Rojiblancos and soon became arguably the team's most important player at the age of just 19. In the 2007–08 season, he finished third highest scorer in La Liga, behind Daniel Güiza and Luís Fabiano, with 19 goals, and was runner up in the Trofeo Alfredo Di Stéfano award. Agüero won many plaudits for his man of the match display against Barcelona in March 2008, scoring twice, assisting a goal, and winning a penalty for Atlético in a 4–2 win. He also scored important goals against the likes of Real Madrid, Valencia, Sevilla, and Villarreal to help Atlético finish fourth and qualify for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in over ten years.

Agüero with Atlético Madrid.

2008–09 season

Agüero was once again a regular goalscorer for Atlético in the 2008–09 season, continuing to establish a lethal partnership with Uruguayan striker Diego Forlán, also a former Independiente player. On 16 September, he scored his first Champions League goals in a 3–0 away win at PSV, helping Atlético eventually reach the last 16 of the competition. In March 2009, the duo of Forlán and Agüero scored a brace each in a 4–3 win over league leaders Barcelona, the latter scoring the winning goal in the final minutes of the match. With the help of more vital goals in a formidable end of the season run-in from his team, Agüero finished in the top ten contenders for the Pichichi Trophy, which was won by his teammate Forlán. Atlético finished fourth in the league, qualifying for the following season's Champions League.

2009–10 season

Despite not being as prolific in front of goal, Agüero had another good season in 2009–10, and was praised for his influential performances as Atlético enjoyed their most successful season in over a decade. On 3 November 2009, he scored twice against Chelsea during a 2–2 draw in the Champions League at the Vicente Calderón. Atlético were knocked out of the competition, but went on to reach the final of the 2009–10 UEFA Europa League, where Agüero assisted both goals in a 2–1 extra time win against English club Fulham. He also helped Atlético reach the final of the Copa del Rey, although this time they were not victorious, losing to Sevilla in the Camp Nou on 19 May.

On 27 August 2010, Atlético Madrid captured the UEFA Super Cup by beating favorites Internazionale 2–0. Agüero provided the assist for José Antonio Reyes' opening goal and then secured the win by scoring the second. On 4 January 2011, Atlético Madrid confirmed via their official website that Agüero had signed a new contract with the club, keeping him at the Vicente Calderón until 2014. The following day, he was named as the new vice-captain of Atlético, along with strike partner Diego Forlán.

2010–11 season

Agüero with Atlético Madrid during the 2010–11 season.

The 2010–11 season was arguably Agüero's most successful for Atlético, as he scored 20 league goals for the first time in his career. Between March and May 2011, he went on a run of seven consecutive goalscoring appearances, a feat that no other player in Europe could match during the season. Agüero's final outing for Atlético came on 21 May against Mallorca, a game in which he reached two milestones. In a 4–3 win, he scored his first career hat-trick, the second goal being his 100th for the Colchoneros. Failure to celebrate any of the goals, however, led to speculation that he would be on his way out of the club.

On 23 May 2011, Agüero announced on his official website that he wanted to move from Atlético Madrid and formally asked to be released from his contract. Agüero later spoke to ESPN, where he stated that he would "not be returning to Atlético." On the same day that Agüero officially became a Manchester City player, Atlético hosted a 2011–12 Europa League qualifier against Strømsgodset IF, where a group of Atlético fans brandished "Agüero, We Hope You Die" banners in a reaction to the striker's £38 million move to City at the Vicente Calderón on 28 July 2011, after he had previously stated his desire to see out his contract with the club just weeks before requesting a transfer. Upon his departure, Atlético used the €45 million from Agüero's sale to buy Radamel Falcao as his replacement.

Manchester City

2011–12 season

On 28 July 2011, Manchester City confirmed that Agüero had signed a five-year contract with the club. The fee was reported to be in the region of £38 million (€45 million). He was given the number 16 shirt for his first season at City and wears the shirt name Kun Agüero. He was an unused substitute in the Dublin Super Cup match against Internazionale and the 2011 FA Community Shield against Manchester United with manager Roberto Mancini believing Agüero was not yet fit. Agüero made his debut for City on 15 August 2011 in a 4–0 Premier League victory over Swansea City. Agüero came on as a substitute in the 59th minute, scoring his first goal for the club within nine minutes after a tap-in from a cross from full back Micah Richards. He then turned provider with an assist after chipping over the oncoming goalkeeper before flicking the ball back into the penalty box and into the path of David Silva to score. Agüero rounded off his debut by scoring again in injury time with a 30-yard strike. His 30-minute debut gained rave reviews among football journalists, with some suggesting it was one of the best in English football. City continued their strong start, winning 3–2 away at Bolton Wanderers with Agüero missing two chances in the penalty box. On 28 August, Agüero scored his third league goal in Manchester City's 5–1 rout of Tottenham Hotspur. On his third start for the club, he scored his first Premier League hat-trick, against Wigan Athletic. On 18 September, he scored twice at Craven Cottage against Fulham, but City were held to a 2–2 draw. Having been substituted after just 28 minutes due to an injury during a 4–0 win against Blackburn Rovers on 1 October, Agüero returned to action in a 2011–12 UEFA Champions League group stage fixture, where he came on for Nigel de Jong on 62 minutes and scored a 93rd-minute winner in his side's 2–1 victory against Villarreal CF on 18 October. On 23 October, Agüero took part in his first Manchester derby, scoring in the 69th minute as he converted a Micah Richards pass across the face of goal. The match finished 6–1 to City. On 1 November, Agüero was shortlisted for the prestigious FIFA Ballon d'Or. On 19 November, he scored a penalty in a 3–1 win at home to Newcastle United, ending Newcastle's unbeaten start to the season.

Agüero (right) and Samir Nasri parade the Premier League trophy, May 2012.

Agüero made his League Cup debut in the quarter final match against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, scoring the only goal of the game in the 83rd minute from an Adam Johnson through-ball. His next goal came in a 5–1 home win against Norwich City, opening the scoring in the 32nd minute, giving him his 13th goal of the season and maintaining the team's 100% league record at home. On 21 December, he scored a brace as City beat Stoke City 3–0 at home. On 3 January 2012, he opened the scoring in a 3–0 win at home to Liverpool, beating Pepe Reina with a low shot. Agüero scored his 15th goal on 4 February, scoring a penalty against Fulham in a 3–0 win at a snow-covered City of Manchester Stadium. During the first-leg of a Europa League round of 32 match against FC Porto, Agüero entered the field in the 78th minute for Mario Balotelli and scored the match-winning goal, and his first Europa League goal for Manchester City, in the 85th minute. The game ended 2–1, and, in the second-leg, Agüero scored within 19 seconds in a 4–0 win on 22 February. Manchester City advanced to the last 16 of the 2011–12 UEFA Europa League, having won 6–1 on aggregate. On 25 February, Agüero scored his 16th league goal in a 3–0 win against Blackburn Rovers. During the second-leg of Manchester City's Round of 16 Europa League fixture against Sporting Clube de Portugal on 15 March, Agüero netted a double to help City claim a 3–2 win, having been trailing 2–0 at half-time, to level the scores at 3–3 on aggregate. Sporting CP won on away goals, as they defeated Manchester City 1–0 in the first-leg on 8 March. One week later, Agüero scored his 17th league goal in 2–1 win against Chelsea on 21 March. On 29 March, Agüero was ruled out for 10 days to two weeks due to a foot problem, which was later diagnosed as a reaction to a substance that blistered his foot. On 11 April, Agüero scored two goals for himself and also set up another two goals (for David Silva and Carlos Tevez) in a 4–0 home victory against West Bromwich Albion. On 14 April, Agüero scored a double in a 6–1 away win against Norwich City, his two goals meaning that he had surpassed 20 league goals in the Premier League. He scored one goal in the next match, in which Manchester City beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 2–0. On 4 May, Agüero was named Manchester City Player of The Year. His first goal in the 6–1 away win against Norwich also won him the club's "Goal of the Season" award.

Final game of the season

"In my career so far it's the most important goal. You score the goal in the last minute to win the title. You're not sure if that's ever going to happen in your career again. I wish I could tell you how I did it but I can't. I thought for all the world that Mario [Balotelli] was going to have a go himself but he just moved it on one more and it fell at my feet and I just thought: 'Hit the target, hit it as hard as you can and hit the target.' And it went in."

Sergio Agüero, on his last-minute goal against Queens Park Rangers in 2012 which won the Premier League for City.

Five straight wins helped City wipe out the eight-point deficit against United, and they went into the final days' fixtures leading on goal difference. Facing relegation-threatened Queens Park Rangers, City needed only to match or better United's result at Sunderland. By the 66th minute, QPR (despite having a player sent off) went ahead 2–1 against City, while United were 1–0 up against Sunderland. In response, manager Roberto Mancini sent on strikers Edin Džeko and Mario Balotelli in an attempt to get the two goals City now needed for the title. 5 minutes of injury time begun for City with their and United's match scores still constant. In the 92nd minute, Džeko equalised for City for a glimmer of hope, but United soon finished their own game with a victory. In the 95th minute, Agüero, receiving the ball from Balotelli, drove into the penalty area and placed a powerful low shot into the corner of the goal, clinching the win and the title for Manchester City. Agüero's goal sent the City of Manchester Stadium into a frenzy and he was dragged to the floor jubilantly by his City team-mates. Vincent Kompany recalled that Agüero was crying on the floor, and when asked if he cried during the Manchester City parade the following day, Agüero stated: "Yeah, a little".

2012–13 season

Agüero started the 2012–13 season in the 2012 FA Community Shield against Chelsea at Villa Park as Manchester City won 3–2. In Manchester City's first league match, Agüero had to be stretchered off in the 13th minute of their home game against Southampton due to a knee injury. Agüero was an unused substitute in City's 3–2 defeat to Real Madrid on 18 September 2012. Following the match, Agüero said he would have joined Real Madrid had they made an offer for him in 2011 but was left with "no option but to join City". Agüero made his return in a 1–1 home draw against Arsenal in the Premier League and went on to score his first goal of the season against Fulham on 29 September in a 2–1 away win in the Premier League. He followed this up with another goal the following weekend against Sunderland in a 3–0 home win. His next league goal came in a 2–1 win at home against Tottenham Hotspur on 11 November. He followed this up with another two goals the following weekend against Aston Villa in a 5–0 win at home. Agüero also scored in back-to-back games in the UEFA Champions League, in successive draws at home to Ajax and Real Madrid. He scored his next goal on 15 December, where he scored the opening goal, as Manchester City won 3–1 away against Newcastle United. Agüero then scored against Norwich City on 29 December in a 4–3 away win. In his next match on 2 January, after scoring a penalty in the 73rd minute, Agüero damaged his hamstring during a 3–0 victory over Stoke City.

Agüero made his return for Manchester City on 19 January after coming on as an 81st-minute substitute in a 2–0 victory against Fulham. On 3 February, Agüero scored the equaliser after beating Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina in a race to the ball out near the right corner flag. On 17 February, Agüero helped Manchester City to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup as he scored twice in a 4–0 win at home to Leeds United. He sustained a knee injury in the 2–0 win over Chelsea on 24 February. This eventually led to him missing the Argentina squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification matches against Venezuela and Bolivia. Agüero made his return for Manchester City on 30 March after coming on as a substitute with warm reception in a 4–0 victory against Newcastle. On 8 April, Agüero scored a solo goal to give City the win in the Manchester derby in the 78th minute, 7 minutes after coming on as a substitute for Samir Nasri. Agüero then scored a header to help Manchester City defeat Chelsea on 14 April in the FA Cup semi-final and reach the final. In the 82nd-minute of the tie, Agüero made a two-footed tackle on David Luiz after the defender had previously appeared to tackle him. Despite the incident warranting a red card at the time, the FA announced Agüero would not be punished following confirmation that referee Chris Foy had at least seen part of the incident and acted on it during the match. Many people disagreed with this decision and felt that the FA had failed to act. On 17 April, Agüero revealed that he had apologised to David Luiz for his rash challenge on the defender. Agüero withdrew as a precaution at half-time on 17 April in Manchester City's 1–0 home victory over Wigan after feeling tightness in a hamstring, but he appeared as an unused substitute in City's 3–1 away loss at White Hart Lane against Tottenham on 21 April. He scored his next goal on 27 April, where he scored the opening goal, as Manchester City won 2–1 home against West Ham United. On 11 May, Agüero started for Manchester City in the 2013 FA Cup Final, where the team lost 1–0 to Wigan Athletic. Agüero scored his final goal of the season in a 2–0 away win against Reading on 14 May.

The English media reported that he was the main transfer target of Spanish giants Real Madrid, but Agüero responded by saying, "I'm very happy at City and I feel appreciated and loved here which means a lot to me." Manchester City chief executive Ferran Soriano also negated the idea of a transfer, insisting Agüero would stay at the City of Manchester Stadium. However, former Argentina international Diego Maradona backed him to join Real Madrid, believing Agüero's presence in the Madrid team could help get even more out of Cristiano Ronaldo. On 25 May 2013, Agüero signed a one-year extension to his contract, keeping him at Manchester City until 2017. Agüero stated his commitment to Manchester City on 28 May 2013, saying "I'm committed to Manchester City, it's a great club."

2013–14 season

Agüero and Edin Džeko about to kick-off against Cardiff City in August 2013

Following a knee injury that ruled him out of all of the club's pre-season games, Agüero scored in City's 4–0 victory over Newcastle United in the opening game of the 2013–14 Premier League season. On 22 September 2013, he scored a brace in a 4–1 home win against Manchester United.

On 8 November 2013, after scoring five goals in four matches between 5 October and 2 November, Agüero was awarded the Premier League Player of the Month for the first time. During the same period, he had also scored both goals for City in a 2–1 away win against CSKA Moscow in the Champions League.

On 24 November, after scoring his ninth and tenth goals of the league season in a 6–0 win against Tottenham Hotspur, Agüero overtook Thierry Henry as the player with the highest goals-per-minute ratio in Premier League history. He also scored six goals in five matches in the Champions League group stage as Manchester City qualified for the knockout phase for the first time.

On 14 December 2013, Agüero was substituted in a 6–3 win against Arsenal due to a calf injury and missed eight matches. On 16 January 2014, he returned from injury in an FA Cup third-round replay against Blackburn Rovers, scoring after coming on as a substitute in the 5–0 win. In the next round of the competition, he scored his first hat-trick of the season in a 4–2 victory over Watford. On 29 January, he scored his 50th Premier League goal in a 5–1 victory at Tottenham Hotspur but was substituted with a hamstring injury.

On 2 March 2014, Agüero returned to the Manchester City team for the 2014 Football League Cup Final, where the team beat Sunderland 3–1 at Wembley Stadium. In his third appearance since returning from the hamstring problem, Agüero suffered a recurrence of the injury and was withdrawn at half-time in a 2–1 Champions League loss at Camp Nou against Barcelona. He missed the team's next five Premier League matches, before returning to the starting line-up in a 3–2 loss against Liverpool at Anfield on 13 April.

On 21 April 2014, Agüero scored his first goal since January in a 3–1 defeat of West Bromwich Albion at the City of Manchester Stadium. After scoring his final goal of the season in a 3–2 win over Everton at Goodison Park on 3 May, Agüero started for Manchester City against West Ham United as the team secured its second Premier League title in three seasons with a 2–0 win.

2014–15 season

Agüero playing against CSKA Moscow in October 2014

On 14 August 2014, Agüero signed a five-year contract extension, which will keep him at Manchester City until 2019.

Agüero scored his first goal of 2014–15 while appearing as an 83rd-minute substitute for Edin Džeko in City's opening match of the Premier League season against Newcastle United on 17 August. Due to his late return from the World Cup, Agüero was again used as a substitute in the second game of the season against Liverpool, but, after replacing Džeko, took just 23 seconds to score City's third goal in the 3–1 win.

On 18 October 2014, he scored all four of City's goals in a 4–1 home win over Tottenham Hotspur, two of which were penalties; he took another penalty in the match, but it was saved by Hugo Lloris. This took Agüero to 61 Premier League goals for the club, surpassing Carlos Tevez as the club's record scorer in the competition. He was the first player in the season to reach ten Premier League goals, doing so with the only goal in the Manchester derby on 2 November.

Aguero is every bit as important to them as Luis Suárez was to Liverpool last year or Gareth Bale to Tottenham Hotspur the year before.

— English football journalist Martin Samuel after City's win over Bayern Munich.

Agüero scored a hat-trick in City's 3–2 win over FC Bayern Munich in the Champions League group stage on 25 November, starting with a penalty which he won himself. Five days later, in his 100th Premier League match, he was wrongly booked for simulation by referee Mike Jones after being fouled by José Fonte in the penalty area, although City went on to defeat Southampton 3–0.

On 2 December, Agüero was named the Football Supporters' Federation Player of the Year for 2014. He was also awarded Premier League Player of the Month for November 2014, a month in which he scored three league goals and assisted two more.

Agüero sustained a knee injury in the second minute of Manchester City's 1–0 win over Everton on 6 December and was unable to appear again for the remainder of 2014. He returned to City's matchday squad for the return fixture with Everton at Goodison Park on 10 January 2015 and appeared as a 67th-minute substitute in the 1–1 draw. On 11 February, Agüero scored his first two goals of 2015 in a 4–1 win at Stoke City. On 21 February 72 seconds into a match against Newcastle United, Agüero scored the fastest penalty kick in the Premier League since 1994.

On 12 April, Agüero scored twice in a 4–2 Manchester derby loss to Manchester United at Old Trafford. His second goal of the match took him to 100 goals for Manchester City in all competitions. On 19 April, he scored his 20th Premier League goal of the season in a 2–0 home win against West Ham United. He passed 30 goals for the season with a hat-trick in a 6–0 win over Queens Park Rangers at the City of Manchester Stadium on 9 May, relegating the opponents. On 24 May, in Manchester City's final match of the season against Southampton, Agüero scored his 26th league goal of the season, ending 2014–15 with the Premier League Golden Boot.

2015–16 season

On 7 August 2015, Agüero announced he would be switching from his no.16 shirt to the no.10 shirt, previously worn by teammate Edin Džeko. Nine days later, he opened a 3–0 home victory over reigning champions Chelsea.

During City's 2–0 victory away at Everton on 23 August, Agüero halted the game after noticing that an Everton supporter was in need of emergency treatment. The striker alerted the referee and the other players and made sure that the man received attention from the medics. On 30 September, Agüero earned and converted a last-minute penalty to give City a 2–1 win at Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Champions League group stage.

On 3 October, Agüero scored five goals against Newcastle United in a 6–1 comeback win, joining Andy Cole, Alan Shearer, Jermain Defoe and Dimitar Berbatov in scoring as many in a Premier League game. His five goals within 23 minutes of game time made it the fastest five-goal haul since the Premier League started in 1992. Four minutes after scoring his fifth goal in the 62nd minute, Agüero was substituted by manager Manuel Pellegrini as he had been receiving treatment due to a leg injury at half time.

On 8 October, in a 2018 World Cup qualifying match against Ecuador, Agüero sustained a hamstring injury early on and was carried off the pitch in tears. Agüero himself said he expected to be out for around four weeks (in which the derby against Manchester United was to be played), although several media outlets later claimed the injury would last for eight weeks. He returned on 21 November, scoring in a 1–4 home loss to Liverpool; this was his 85th Premier League goal, making him the top-scoring South American of all time in the division, ahead of his compatriot and former strike partner Tevez.

International career

See also: List of international goals scored by Sergio Agüero

Youth teams

Agüero was selected for the Argentina U17 team to participate at the 2004 U-16 South American Championship in Paraguay in September. He participated in all of Argentina's group stage matches, scoring in a 2–1 win against the United States and a 3–1 win against Ecuador to help Argentina finish top of their group. Agüero scored in the 47th minute of Argentina's 1–0 quarter-final victory against Peru, setting up a semi-final match against Colombia which Argentina lost 2–0.

Agüero represented Argentina at two FIFA World Youth Championships, winning back-to-back world titles. He was part of the team that won the 2005 edition in the Netherlands, alongside his future 2008 Olympics squad teammates Fernando Gago of Valencia and Lionel Messi of Barcelona. At the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup, held in Canada, Agüero scored twice and helped set up three goals in a 6–0 win over Panama in the second game of the group stage of the tournament. He then scored the only goal in Argentina's third match against North Korea from a free kick. Having qualified to the round of 16, he scored two of the three goals against Poland that would eventually give them a 3–1 win to advance to the next round. Argentina defeated Mexico in the quarter-finals and Chile in the semi-finals, and faced the Czech Republic in the finals, a team they drew 0–0 in the group stage. Agüero captained and scored the equaliser in the 62nd minute, leading to a 2–1 victory. In addition, Agüero won the Golden Boot of the tournament, scoring six goals in seven, and the Golden Ball as the best player of the tournament.

As a member of the Argentine squad for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Agüero scored two goals in the space of five minutes in the semi-final 3–0 win over Brazil on 19 August 2008. Argentina went on to win its second consecutive gold medal at the Olympic tournament.

Senior team

At age 18, Agüero made his senior debut for Argentina in a friendly with Brazil, played at Emirates Stadium, England on 3 September 2006. A year later, he scored his first international goal in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification match against Bolivia, and went on to score three more times as the Albiceleste successfully qualified for the finals in South Africa.

Agüero taking on two Swiss players in an international friendly in 2012

Agüero was chosen for the 2010 FIFA World Cup squad, and made his FIFA World Cup debut in Argentina's second group match against South Korea on 12 June 2010, replacing Carlos Tevez in the 75th minute. Agüero's impact was immediate as Argentina scored in the next minute. He assisted on Gonzalo Higuaín's hat-trick goal late in the game. Argentina won the game 4–1. Argentina, however, subsequently lost to Germany in the quarter-finals.

Agüero was named in the 23-man squad for the 2011 Copa América where Argentina had been drawn into Group A with Bolivia, Colombia, and Costa Rica. On 1 July, in Argentina's opening group stage match against Bolivia, he came on for Ezequiel Lavezzi on 71 minutes and scored an equaliser on 76 minutes to secure a 1–1 draw. On 11 July in Argentina's third group stage match against Costa Rica, Agüero scored a goal in each half as Argentina won 3–0 and finished in second position of their group.

Agüero was named in Argentina's 23-man squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. On 15 June, he started alongside Lionel Messi as a forward in Argentina's 2–1 win against Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Estádio do Maracanã.

He was named in the Argentine squad for the 2015 Copa América, and in a warm-up game on 7 June against Bolivia in San Juan he scored his first international hat-trick in a 5–0 victory. On 13 June, he scored Argentina's opening goal of the tournament in a 2–2 group stage draw with Paraguay. Three days later at the same ground, he headed a cross from Manchester City teammate Pablo Zabaleta for the only goal of a 1–0 win against holders Uruguay. At the semi-final stage, Agüero headed in Ángel Di María's cross as Argentina defeated Paraguay 6–1 to reach the 2015 Copa América Final. Agüero started the final against Chile, but was replaced in the 74th minute for Gonzalo Higuain in an eventual penalty shootout loss.

Style of play

Sergio is a photocopy of Romário, they are the same player

— Roberto Mancini.

Often considered to be one of the best strikers in the world, Agüero is regarded as an all-out centre forward, but can also play as a second striker off another striker, which he often did at Atlético Madrid with Diego Forlán, due to his passing ability and vision, which made him a capable assist-man. Agüero has a diminutive figure with a stocky build, which has led to comparisons with former Manchester City teammate Carlos Tevez and past strikers such as Romário, Del Piero, and Diego Maradona. When both were on the same team, some pundits called Agüero Tevez's heir apparent at City and others said that he was superior to his compatriot. His ex-manager at Manchester City, Roberto Mancini, has compared Agüero to former Brazilian striker, Romário, due to his goalscoring ability and technique.

Agüero is characterised by agility, acceleration and strength, being described as "sharp and clever" by former Argentine player Osvaldo Ardiles. A view which is shared by his international captain Lionel Messi, who believes Agüero possesses "immense power, strength and an incredible work ethic." Combined with his close control, dribbling skills, and strength to keep the ball, he has been described as "a menace in the box".

Personal life

Agüero was married to Giannina Maradona, the youngest daughter of Argentine football legend Diego Maradona. On 19 February 2009, Giannina gave birth to their son, Benjamín, in Madrid, Spain. Diego Maradona was there for the birth of his first grandson, while Agüero, then 20, missed Atlético's training session earlier in the day. Atlético offered their congratulations in a statement on their official website. Agüero and Giannina separated in 2012 after four years together. Agüero shares a close friendship with Lionel Messi, his regular roommate during outings for the national team since 2005. He described Messi as being "like a brother" in his 2014 autobiography, Born to Rise, which contains a foreword written by Messi.

Agüero's nickname "Kun", which features on his shirt, dates back to his childhood. It was first given to him by his grandparents, due to a resemblance to the character "Kum-Kum" from Agüero's favourite television programme as a child. He stated, "I have grown to appreciate it because it's unique. It's not every day an athlete is nicknamed after a cartoon character!" Agüero has a tattoo on the inside of his right arm inscribed in Tengwar—a form of writing invented by J. R. R. Tolkien in The Lord of the Rings—that transliterates roughly to Kun Agüero in the Latin alphabet. He also has a tattoo on his left arm of his son's name and date of birth. Agüero holds Spanish nationality, after being granted citizenship in 2010 whilst playing for Atlético Madrid.

At least two children from Manchester have been excluded from school for copying Agüero's hairstyle as a homage to him.

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 21 November 2015.

Club	Season	League			Cup		League Cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Independiente	2002–03	Argentine Primera División	1	0	—		—		0	0	—		1	0
	2003–04		5	0	—		—		2	0	—		7	0
	2004–05		12	5	—		—		0	0	—		12	5
	2005–06		36	18	—		—		0	0	—		36	18
	Total		54	23	—		—		2	0	—		56	23
Atlético Madrid	2006–07	La Liga	38	6	4	1	—		0	0	—		42	7
	2007–08		37	19	4	2	—		9	6	—		50	27
	2008–09		37	17	1	0	—		9	4	—		47	21
	2009–10		31	12	7	1	—		16	6	—		54	19
	2010–11		32	20	4	3	—		4	3	1	1	41	27
	Total		175	74	20	7	—		38	19	1	1	234	101
Manchester City	2011–12	Premier League	34	23	1	1	3	1	10	5	0	0	48	30
	2012–13		30	12	4	3	0	0	5	2	1	0	40	17
	2013–14		23	17	3	4	2	1	6	6	—		34	28
	2014–15		33	26	1	0	1	0	7	6	0	0	42	32
	2015–16		9	7	0	0	1	1	2	1	—		12	9
	Total		129	85	9	8	7	3	30	20	1	0	176	116
Career total			358	182	29	15	7	3	70	39	2	1	466	240

Notes

International

As of 9 October 2015

Argentina senior team
Year	Apps	Goals
2006	2	0
2007	4	1
2008	9	4
2009	6	2
2010	5	2
2011	8	5
2012	7	2
2013	8	5
2014	10	1
2015	10	10
Total	69	32

Honours

Club

Atlético Madrid

• UEFA Europa League: 2009–10
• UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2007
• UEFA Super Cup: 2010

Manchester City

• Premier League: 2011–12, 2013–14
• Football League Cup: 2013–14
• FA Community Shield: 2012

International

Argentina

• Olympic Gold Medal: 2008
• FIFA U-20 World Cup: 2005, 2007
• FIFA World Cup: Runner-up 2014
• Copa América: Runner-up 2015

Individual

• South American Team of the Year: 2005
• FIFA Young Player of the Year: 2007
• FIFA U-20 World Cup Golden Shoe: 2007
• FIFA U-20 World Cup Golden Ball: 2007
• La Liga Ibero-American Player of the Year: 2008
• Don Balón Award: 2007–08
• Tuttosport Golden Boy: 2007
• World Soccer Young Player of the Year: 2009
• Etihad Player of The Year: 2011–12, 2014–15
• Etihad Goal of the Season: 2011–12
• Premier League Player of the Month: October 2013, November 2014
• Football Supporters' Federation Player of the Year: 2014
• Premier League Golden Boot: 2014–15
• Premierleague.com Users' Team of the Season: 2014–15
• Etihad Player of the Month: February 2012, October 2013, October 2014, November 2014, April 2015

External links

• Official website (Spanish) (English)
• Sergio Agüero career statistics at Soccerbase
• Sergio Agüero at Soccerway
• Sergio Agüero – FIFA competition record
• Sergio Agüero – UEFA competition record
• Sergio Agüero at National-Football-Teams.com