Luis Antonio Jiménez

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Luis Antonio Jiménez Garces commonly known as Luis Jiménez (born June 17, 1984 in Santiago, Chile), is a Chilean footballer who plays for Internazionale in Serie A and for the Chilean National Football Team. He is nicknamed "El Mago" ("The Wizard"). His career is unique because he has forged a career in Serie A, an elite European soccer league, without first establishing a reputation in his native country. He actually moved and earned a place at Ternana Calcio of his own accord. Typically a footballer will transfer to an Italian club after a great international and domestic performance.

[edit] Club Career

Jiménez started his Italian footballing career at Ternana Calcio where he played from 2002 to 2005. During the January 2006 transfer window Jimenez completed his move to Serie A side ACF Fiorentina in a joint co-ownership with his former club. The Chilean generally plays as either a right sided winger, striker or occasionally a centre forward for Fiorentina. His right foot is his strongest but he can also make good use of his left foot. He appeared 19 times during the 2005-06 season for Fiorentina, scoring 3 goals in the process.

In late June 2006, Ternana purchased half of the rights to the player back from Fiorentina. Since Ternana would play in Italian Serie C1 in the 2006-07 season, it was highly unlikely that he would remain with them. However, although a loan accord was reached with Lazio of Serie A, with an option to make the deal permanent at the end of the loan, Ternana changed the terms and made extortionate demands. Lazio did not agree to these new terms (which included Lazio paying the salary for four of Ternana's players) and Jiménez remained in Ternana. In return, the player stated that he will not play for Ternana again and has asked FIFA to intervene and annul his contract with Ternana because of the team's unfair treatment.[1]

On January 15, 2007, Lazio finally agreed on a move for Jimenez worth 11 million Euros, with the first season on loan,^[1] and on January 27 he played his first Serie A match for Lazio against Palermo. ^[2]

On July 15, 2007, Inter Milan signed him on loan from Ternana.^[3] He scored his first Inter goal in the Champions League against Fenerbache, a lovely goal coming in extra time, and was rewarded with his first Inter start on the 2nd of December against Fiorentina, where he scored the opening goal, and then went on to start the subsequent match against Lazio on the 5th of December, where he set up Maicon's goal and had a goal disallowed offside, and set up another disallowed goal.

[edit] International

He made his international debut on April 28, 2004, in a match against Peru. On June 4, 2005, Jiménez assisted Marcelo Salas' historic 35th goal with the national team. The goal came in a qualification match versus Bolivia which Chile went on to win 3-1. Four days later, he scored twice against Venezuela in another qualification match. Jiménez recently became captain of Chile and also won the 2005-06 Chile Player of the Year award.

[edit] Personal

Jiménez married Chilean model María José López in 2006.^[4]

[edit] References

v • d • e Chile squad - Copa América 2004 1 Bravo • 2 Álvarez • 3 L. Fuentes • 4 Pérez • 5 Ramírez • 6 Acuña • 7 Valenzuela • 8 Millar • 9 S. González • 10 Jiménez • 11 M. González • 12 Varas • 13 I. Fuentes • 14 Villarroel • 15 Mancilla • 16 Cisternas • 17 Mirosevic • 18 Meléndez • 19 Olarra • 20 Aros • 21 Figueroa • 22 Galaz • Coach: Olmos