Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Iván René Franco Díaz | ||
Date of birth | 16 April 2000 | ||
Place of birth | Ybycuí, Paraguay | ||
Height | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) | ||
Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Libertad | ||
Number | 10 | ||
Youth career | |||
Libertad | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2018– | Libertad | 147 | (23) |
2023 | → Houston Dynamo (loan) | 26 | (3) |
International career‡ | |||
2018–2019 | Paraguay U20 | 3 | (0) |
2019– | Paraguay | 1 | (0) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 07:09, 29 May 2024 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 10 September 2019 |
Iván René Franco Díaz (born 16 April 2000) is a Paraguayan footballer who plays for Libertad, as an attacking midfielder.
Club career
[edit]Born in Ybycuí, Franco joined Libertad's youth setup after being spotted at Football Dreams.[1] Promoted to the main squad for the 2018 season, he made his professional – and Primera División – debut for Libertad on 2 February of that year, starting in a 2–2 away draw against Sportivo Luqueño.[2] Franco scored his first professional goal on 4 March, netting his team's second in a 4–1 away routing of 3 de Febrero.[3][2] Nine days later, he made his Copa Libertadores debut by starting in a 2–0 away win against Atlético Tucumán.[4][2] On November 4 Franco scored in the 90+1st minute to give Gumarelo a 2–1 win vs Club Nacional.[2] Franco finished the season with 33 appearances and 7 goals across the Primera División Apertura and Clausura seasons, with Libertad finishing 3rd in both.[2][5] He contributed with five appearances in Copa Libertadores, as his side were knocked out by eventual runners up Boca Juniors in the round of 16.[6][7] Franco also made an appearance in the first ever edition of the Copa Paraguay.[8]
On 9 March 2019, Franco scored his first and second goals of the 2019 season, giving Libertad a 2–2 draw with Sportivo Luqueño.[9] On 19 October, he scored a minute into stoppage time to rescue a 1–0 win over Sol de América.[9] Franco ended the Primera División season with 11 goals and 5 assists in 37 appearances across both halves, with Libertad finishing 3rd in the Apertura and 2nd in the Clausura.[9][10] He helped Gumarelo win the 2019 Copa Paraguay, making 4 appearances and scoring 3 goals during the tournament.[11][12][13][14]
Franco scored his first goal of the 2020 season on 7 March, helping Libertad to a 5–1 win over Club General Díaz.[15] Three days later he scored his first career Copa Libertadores goal to give Libertad a 3–2 win against Caracas.[15] On 18 March 2020, Franco signed a contract extension with Libertad until 2025.[16] He ended the season with 1 goals and 1 assist in 22 Primera División appearances (including an appearance in the Clausura playoffs), plus 3 appearances and 1 goal in Copa Libertadores.[15]
Franco helped Libertad to the 2021 Apertura title, making 10 appearances and recording an assist.[17][18] They were unable to repeat as champs in the Clausura season, finishing 4th with Franco scoring once in 9 games.[17] He made 4 appearances and had 2 assists in Copa Libertadores, as well as 9 appearances and an assist in Copa Sudamericana, helping Libertad reach the semifinals where they lost 5–1 on aggregate to Red Bull Bragantino.[17] On 14 November, Franco injured his knee in a Copa Paraguay match vs Olimpia, ending his season.[19]
After 2 arthroscopic surgeries to repair his meniscus, Franco made his return to the pitch on 30 April 2022, coming on as a substitute in a 1–0 win vs General Caballero JLM.[19][20] Franco had 8 appearances and 2 assists in the Apertura, helping Libertad win the title.[20][21] He finished the Clausura with 2 assists in 14 games as Libertad finished 4th.[20][21] Franco also made 4 appearances and had an assist in Copa Libertadores and played twice in Copa Paraguay.[20][22][23] Following the 2022 season, Franco asked the club for a transfer, hoping a change in scenery would help him find his form.[24]
On 7 January 2023, it was announced that Franco would join Major League Soccer side Houston Dynamo on loan for their 2023 season.[25] He made his Dynamo debut on 25 February, getting the start in a 2–1 loss to FC CIncinnati in the opening match of the season.[26]
International career
[edit]On 21 December 2018, Franco was called up by Paraguay under-20s for the 2019 South American U-20 Championship.[27]
On 10 September 2019, Franco made his senior international debut with the Paraguay national team in a 4–2 friendly win away to Jordan.
Style of play
[edit]Franco has been praised for the ability and quickness of thought to play as a playmaker in the ‘number 10’ role.[28]
Career statistics
[edit]Club | Season | League | Cup[a] | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Libertad | 2018 | Primera División | 34 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 5[b] | 0 | — | 40 | 7 | |
2019 | 37 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 3[b] | 0 | — | 44 | 14 | |||
2020 | 22 | 1 | — | 3[b] | 1 | — | 25 | 2 | ||||
2021 | 19 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 13[c] | 0 | — | 35 | 3 | |||
2022 | 22 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4[b] | 0 | — | 28 | 0 | |||
Total | 134 | 20 | 10 | 5 | 28 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 172 | 26 | ||
Houston Dynamo (loan) | 2023 | MLS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Career total | 135 | 20 | 10 | 5 | 28 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 173 | 26 |
- ^ Includes Copa Paraguay and U.S. Open Cup
- ^ a b c d Appearance(s) in Copa Libertadores.
- ^ Four appearances in Copa Libertadores, nine appearances in Copa Sudamericana
Honours
[edit]Libertad
References
[edit]- ^ "Iván Franco cumplió su sueño y ya pinta para crack" [Iván Franco fulfilled his dream and already poses as star] (in Spanish). Monumental 1080 AM. 18 September 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
- ^ a b c d e "Iván Franco 2018 Match Logs". FBref.com. Retrieved 2023-02-28.
- ^ "Libertad golea en el Este y sigue de cerca al líder del Apertura" [Libertad thrash in Este and follow closely the leader of the Apertura] (in Spanish). La Nación. 5 March 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
- ^ "Copa Libertadores: Libertad derrotó 2–0 a Atlético Tucumán por el grupo de Peñarol" [Copa Libertadores: Libertad defeated Atlético Tucumán by 2–0 in Peñarol's group] (in Spanish). Fútbol.uy. 13 March 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
- ^ "2018 Primera División Stats". FBref.com. Retrieved 2023-02-28.
- ^ "Boca no tuvo piedad ante Libertad y goleó 4 a 2" [Boca had no mercy against Libertad and thrashed by 4–2] (in Spanish). Canal Showsport. 30 August 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
- ^ "Iván Franco-Partidos Realizados-Resumen-2018". Ceroacero (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 February 2023.
- ^ "Roque mete a Olimpia en semis". APF (in Spanish). 11 July 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
- ^ a b c "Iván Franco 2019 Match Logs". FBref.com. Retrieved 2023-02-28.
- ^ "2019 Primera División Stats". FBref.com. Retrieved 2023-02-28.
- ^ "Fiesta en Mallorquín con la Copa Paraguay". APR (in Spanish). 10 July 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
- ^ "Libertad se anota en semifinales". APR (in Spanish). 10 October 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
- ^ "Libertad goleó y es finalista de la Copa de Todos". APR (in Spanish). 5 November 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
- ^ "Libertad es el campeón de la Copa de Todos". APR (in Spanish). 4 December 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
- ^ a b c "Iván Franco 2020 Match Logs". FBref.com. Retrieved 2023-02-28.
- ^ "Libertad renueva con Iván Franco hasta el 2025". D10 (in Spanish). 18 March 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
- ^ a b c "Iván Franco-Partidos Realizados-Resumen-2021". Ceroacero (in Spanish). Retrieved 28 February 2023.
- ^ "2021 Primera División Stats". FBref.com. Retrieved 2023-02-28.
- ^ a b "¿Qué pasó de Iván Franco?". Versus (in Spanish). 24 March 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
- ^ a b c d "Iván Franco 2022 Match Logs". FBref.com. Retrieved 2023-02-28.
- ^ a b "2022 Primera División Stats". FBref.com. Retrieved 2023-02-28.
- ^ "Libertad avanzó a los octavos de final". APF (in Spanish). 27 July 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
- ^ "Guaraní es el último clasificado a la semifinal". APF (in Spanish). 28 September 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
- ^ "Libertad: Iván Franco manifestó sus ganas de cambiar de equipo". El Nacional. 18 November 2022. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
- ^ "Houston Dynamo FC sign attacker Iván Franco on loan from Club Libertad". Houston Dynamo FC. 7 January 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
- ^ "Iván Franco 2023 Match Logs". FBref.com. Retrieved 2023-02-28.
- ^ "La Albirroja Sub 20 tiene su lista para el Sudamericano de Chile" [The Albirroja under-20 have their list for the South American of Chile] (in Spanish). Tigo Sports. 21 December 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
- ^ "Iván Franco, el joven "10" que gana cancha en Libertad" [Iván Franco, the young "10" who wins the field at Libertad] (in Spanish). D10. 19 April 2018. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
- ^ "Paraguay - I. Franco - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com. Retrieved 2023-02-28.
- ^ "Iván Franco Stats, Goals, Records, Assists, Cups and more". FBref.com. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
- ^ "Iván Franco-Temporada A Temporada". Ceroacero (in Spanish). Retrieved 27 February 2023.
- ^ "Iván Franco". Major League Soccer. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
External links
[edit]- Iván Franco at ESPN FC
- Iván Franco at Soccerway