Full Name: Ruben Gago
Alias: Gago
Place of Birth: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Date of Birth: 1986 04 14
Position: Midfielder
Weight: 152 lbs / 69 kg
Height: 5’8” / 178 cm
Nationality: Argentine
Rubén Gago was born on 14 April 1986 in Ciudadela, Buenos Aires. He began his career at Parque, a modest Club where former real madrid players Fernando Redondo and Esteban Cambiasso, whose styles resembles that of Gago, also got their start. His next stop was the Boca Juniors youth system, where his entire professional career was developed. He made his First Division debut with Boca on 5 December 2004 in a 1-0 win over Quilmas, but it was during the 2005 season that his career took off and made him the star he is today. In 2005/06 Gago was one of the centrepieces of a team that won five titles in as many competitions.
Gago is a very dynamic footballer who predicates his game on ball movement. He a knack for distributing the football as his mental prowess tends to surpass his strength. Gago became a Boca mainstay shortly after he debuted and all offensive series had to develop at his feet. He is also capable of reaching the opponent’s box, perhaps even more so than Redondo, who he reminds us of in terms of vision for the game, his way of covering ground, and his ball protection. Gago also knows how to take advantage of his elbows and is never scared to get a little rough.
Maradona has described Gago as one of the best defensive midfielders in the world and said that “he should never be left off an Argentina squad list.” Fernando Redondo, who so many compare him to, assured that Gago is the type of player that he always wanted on his team. “He’s got everything that I like in a midfielder. He’s always rises to the occasion, he keeps his head held high, and he’s got what it takes to read the game,” said the former Madridista. According to Jorge Valdano, Fernando Gago “is a footballer who thinks well and thinks fast, and who helps facilitate the distribution of the ball from in the midfield.
Fernando Gago won the 2005 FIFA Under-20 World Cup 2005 with fellow teammates Oscar Ustari, Lionel Messí, and Sergio Agüero before making his Argentine national team debut in February 2007.
