Walter Montillo
Montillo with Universidad de Chile in 2020
Personal information
Full name Walter Damián Montillo
Date of birth (1984-04-14) 14 April 1984
Place of birth Lanús, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Height 1.71 m (5 ft 7+1⁄2 in)
Position(s) Attacking midfielder
Youth career
San Lorenzo
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2002–2007 San Lorenzo 95 (6)
2006–2007 → Morelia (loan) 25 (3)
2008–2010 Universidad de Chile 62 (10)
2010–2012 Cruzeiro 89 (23)
2013–2014 Santos 26 (5)
2014–2016 Shandong Luneng 64 (14)
2017 Botafogo 6 (0)
2018–2019 Tigre 34 (6)
2020–2021 Universidad de Chile 31 (4)
Total 432 (71)
International career
2003 Argentina U20 5 (0)
2011–2013 Argentina 6 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Walter Damián Montillo (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈwalteɾ monˈtiʝo]; born 14 April 1984) is an Argentine former footballer who played as an attacking midfielder.

Career

San Lorenzo

He began in the youth ranks of Argentine club San Lorenzo and his professional debut came in 2002. In 2006, he moved to Mexican side Monarcas Morelia. He was a fixture in the starting line-up for the Mexican club. He returned to San Lorenzo in 2007, but did not find regularity with the first team, only playing six games.

In 2008, he was sold to Universidad de Chile for $1 million and signed a five-year contract with the club. At the time the price tag was the most ever paid by a Chilean club. However, since the move, Colo-Colo paid $1.2 million for Domingo Salcedo and then paid $2.2 for Macnelly Torres.

Universidad de Chile

Actuating at Universidad de Chile, after a poor beginning, he started becoming a notorious player, as well as one of the La U's most respectable ones, considered by the manager Sergio Markarián itself the one who usually commanded the moves in the team. In the 2010 Copa Libertadores, he obtained visibility in Brazil, after good appearances in the matches against Flamengo, doing even a beautiful coverage goal in the second match.[1]

Although losing it, they won over Flamengo by away goal. During the competition, Montillo dedicated his goals to his newborn baby Santino, who has Down syndrome;[2] he grew visibly emotional after the crowd then chanted in support of Santino.

During the campaign in La U into Libertadores, Montillo became harassed in many Brazilian teams, including Flamengo and Vasco da Gama,[3] but the one who really did get the Argentinean midfielder was Cruzeiro; even though his contract renew with Universidad de Chile until 2014, after rejecting the Flamengo's offer. His hiring at the Celeste squad was announced on July 2 by US$3.5 million,[4] and he joined the club after Universidad de Chile finished playing the Copa Libertadores, which the team left in the semifinals.[5]

Cruzeiro

2010

On 15 August, he made his debut against São Paulo FC, in a 2–2 away draw, making an assist to the 83rd-minute goal by Thiago Ribeiro.[6] Montillo scored his first goal against Corinthians in a 1–0 win in the 3rd minute,[7] match that took in place in Uberlândia. Besides conducting the team's midfield, he showed himself as a scorer as never did before — in 15 matches, he scored 7 times, beating his total score at San Lorenzo, which he considered the best moment in its career —. With Montillo, the squad's avail increased from 50% to 62%.

In 2010's December 5, after Cruzeiro get the runner-up in the Brazilian League,[8] montillo was laureate with the Armando Nogueira Trophy as the best player in the competition.[9] In the following day, he got Placar's Bola de Prata as one of the best midfielders of the League,[10] receiving it from the hands of Sorín — an oldschool idol in Cruzeiro.

2011

In 2011, at the first match in the Copa Libertadores done by Cruzeiro in the year, Montillo scored twice, as well as giving assistance in the rout over the Argentinean Estudiantes by 5-0[11] — in a beautiful spectacle that had a special taste for Cruzeiro, once their last match was played their elimination at the 2009 Copa Libertadores by 1–2 at the Mineirão[12] —. Wondrously, the Celeste squad was eliminated at the round of, against Colombian Once Caldas, a fact that shocked supporters and the South America's media.

In the Brazilian league, after being criticized along the entire Cruzeiro squad, which began very poorly the championship, Montillo recovered its football with the arising of the manager Joel Santana. He did the two goals of the victory over Grêmio by the 8th round, on July 6,[13] getting the best scorer position in the league for a few rounds.[14] Diverging among the bad Cruzeiro appearance in the Brazilian League in that year, Montillo then won his second Bola de Prata[15] followed by the title as one of the best midfielders in the league again.[16] In 2011, he was the Argentinean midfielder who most scored in all the world.[17]

2012

In 2012's 25 February, Montillo became Cruzeiro's biggest foreign scorer of all time since 1942 — when the team left its old name Palestra Itália —, after scoring twice against Democrata, reaching the mark of 30 goals, beating Víctor Aristizábal, which scored 28 times with the Celeste uniform. In March, the player renewed its contract to actuate in Cruzeiro until the end of 2015. Cruzeiro's president Gilvan Tavares increased the termination fine to €80 million, making Montillo the most expensive player in the South America.

Santos

Montillo playing for Santos.

On 3 January 2013, through Twitter, Santos announced Montillo as their player for next season. Despite the undisclosed negotiation, it is thought that Montillo was bought for R$16 million.[18] Montillo must wear shirt number 10, that was worn until 2012 by Paulo Henrique Ganso. The coach of the club, Muricy Ramalho, praised his coming.[19] The player made his debut wearing the shirt of Peixe on January 16, 2013, when the club won Grêmio Barueri for 4–0. Montillo approved the victory and his partnership with Neymar, who he praised.[20]

Shandong Luneng

In January 2014, Montillo joined Chinese side Shandong Luneng for approximately €7.5 million.[21]

Botafogo

In December 2016, it was announced that Montillo joined Botafogo.[22] He made his 2017 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A debut on 26 June 2017 against Avaí starting the match but being replaced after only seven minutes due to a calf injury,[23] having suffered the same injury twice in the previous months.[24]

Montillo announced his retirement on 29 June 2017.[25]

International career

He played for Argentina U20 in the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship in United Arab Emirates. He played in most of the team's games. Recently, he was called by Alejandro Sabella to play the second match of the mini-tournament "Superclássico das Américas" against Brazil,[26] where only players who were playing in South America could be called, wearing the number 7. Although the loss by 2–0, Montillo was very praised by the Argentinean media.[27] He was called again to represent Argentina in the friendly match against Sweden on 6 February 2013, but he remained on the bench the 90 minutes.

He made his first full appearance for the national team against Venezuela in a World Cup qualification match on 22 March 2013. His acting in this game was praised by coach of Santos, Montillo's club, Muricy Ramalho. According to Ramalho, the Argentinian "was very well. He is improving step by step."[28] On 7 June 2013 against Colombia he was one of the starting eleven, substituting the injured Lionel Messi.

After football

In 2021, he became a football agent and joined BYP Argentina, a football agency.[29]

At the same time he is a football agent, he performs as an author. His first book, Gracias a la vida (Thanks to life), is an autobiography published in 2021 that includes a prologue of Neymar.[30] In 2022 he published Carlitos Cachaña, a children's book about a child who dreams of being a professional footballer.[31]

Career statistics

As of 6 November 2023[32]
Club Season League Continental Sudamericana Cup Other Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
San Lorenzo 2002 20––––20
2003 152–31––183
2004 301–20––321
2005 32350–––373
2006 100––––100
Total8965051––997
Morelia 2006 143––––143
2007 110––––110
Total253––––253
San Lorenzo 2007 60––––60
Total60––––60
Universidad de Chile 2008 356––––356
2009 1724063––275
2010 102122–––224
Total621016263––8415
Cruzeiro 2010 237––––237
2011 341273––1165221
2012 324––20114458
Total892373–20221012036
Santos 2013 265––51182498
2014 00–––1010
Total265––51192508
Shandong Luneng 2014 26262–50–374
2015 14340–41–224
2016 249104–20–3613
Total6414206–111–9521
Botafogo 2017 6040–0070170
Total6040–0070170
Tigre 2018–19 204––1072286
2019–20 142–––10152
Total346––1082438
Universidad de Chile 2020 31410–10–334
Total31410–10–334
Career Total 4327153111142025614572102

International appearances and goals

Honours

Club

San Lorenzo
Universidad de Chile
Cruzeiro
Shandong Luneng

Individual

See also

References

  1. ↑ Montillo scores a great goal over Flamengo at Libertadores 2010
  2. ↑ Pai do Santino, Montillo encara barreiras: ‘Não posso ficar chorando’
  3. ↑ Sondado por Fla e Vasco, Montillo renova com Universidad de Chile
  4. ↑ Cruzeiro confirma a vinda de Montillo Archived 2012-12-31 at archive.today
  5. ↑ 2010 Copa Libertadores
  6. ↑ São Paulo 2 x 2 Cruzeiro – 14ª Rodada do Brasileirão 2010 (15/08/10)
  7. ↑ Cruzeiro 1 x 0 Corinthians – 25/08/10 – 1º Gol de Montillo
  8. ↑ Cruzeiro vence o Palmeiras de virada e termina o campeonato como vice-campeão
  9. ↑ Cruzeirense Montillo brilha e fatura o Troféu Armando Nogueira 2010
  10. ↑ VÍDEOS: Montillo ganha Bola de Prata e repete prêmio de Wagner em 2008 Archived 2012-12-31 at archive.today
  11. ↑ Cruzeiro 5x0 Estudiantes – Vídeo + Narração Alberto Rodrigues Itatiaia
  12. ↑ Final Libertadores da América 2009 Estudiantes 2 x 1 Cruzeiro
  13. ↑ Os gols de Cruzeiro 2 x 0 Grêmio pela 8ª rodada do Brasileirão 2011
  14. ↑ Montillo vira artilheiro do Brasileirão, mas foca no título da competição
  15. ↑ VÍDEO: Montillo destoa em campanha péssima do Cruzeiro e leva Bola de Prata Archived 2012-12-31 at archive.today
  16. ↑ Montillo é eleito melhor meia do Campeonato Brasileiro – Nação Azul
  17. ↑ Montillo é o armador argentino que mais marcou gols no mundo
  18. ↑ "Santos anuncia a contratação de Montillo" (in Portuguese)
  19. ↑ "Muricy elogia contratação de Montillo e espera por mais reforços" (in Portuguese)
  20. ↑ "Montillo aprova estreia e início de parceria com Neymar no Santos" (in Portuguese)
  21. ↑ "Montillo acerta ida para time chines mas pede para treinar no Santos"
  22. ↑ "Argentino Walter Montillo reforçará o meio-campo do Botafogo em 2017
  23. ↑ "Jair Ventura elogia Montillo e relata sofrimento após nova lesão do argentino | Torcedores.com". Archived from the original on 2017-07-03. Retrieved 2017-06-29.
  24. ↑ "Após nova lesão, Montillo é liberado de treino e futuro no Botafogo fica incerto | Botafogo | O Dia".
  25. ↑ "Em lágrimas, Montillo confirma adeus ao futebol: "Tirei um peso das costas"". Globo Esporte (in Portuguese). 29 June 2017.
  26. ↑ Com Montillo, D’Alessandro, Bolatti e Guiñazu, Sabella surpreende em lista para o Superclássico
  27. ↑ Olé Magazine – "Su primera vez"
  28. ↑ "Muricy comemora atuação de Montillo pela seleção: "Está melhorando" "
  29. ↑ Vega, Camilo (15 August 2021). "Walter Montillo es el nuevo representante de talento chileno". Central Deportes (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  30. ↑ Puebla, Diego (11 May 2021). "La biografía del ídolo azul Walter Montillo es la quinta más vendida del país". Futuro Chile (in Spanish). Radio Futuro. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  31. ↑ Fajardo, Cristián (8 July 2022). ""Carlitos Cachaña": el primer libro infantil que publica Walter Montillo". RedGol (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 July 2022.
  32. ↑ Walter Montillo at Soccerway. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  33. ↑ "Brasil y Argentina se enfrentarán en septiembre". FIFA. Archived from the original on 15 October 2012. Retrieved 18 August 2011.
  34. ↑ "Acreditaciones de prensa para Argentina-Brasil". AFA. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
  35. ↑ "足协杯-麦克格文压哨绝杀 鲁能5-4舜天夺冠". Sports.sina.com.cn. 2014-11-22. Retrieved 2019-08-19.
  36. ↑ "Prêmio Craque do Brasileirão". Globo Esporte (in Portuguese). December 6, 2010. Retrieved May 19, 2009.
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