Rodrigo Holgado
|
Holgado with Audax Italiano in 2020. | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Rodrigo Julián Holgado | ||
| Date of birth | 28 June 1995 | ||
| Place of birth | La Tablada, Argentina | ||
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10+1⁄2 in) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2014–2015 | San Lorenzo | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2014–2016 | San Lorenzo | 0 | (0) |
| 2014–2015 | → Almagro (loan) | 27 | (2) |
| 2016–2017 | Orizaba | 25 | (17) |
| 2017 | Veracruz | 3 | (0) |
| 2018 | Coquimbo Unido | 29 | (18) |
| 2019–2021 | Audax Italiano | 51 | (16) |
| 2021–2023 | Gimnasia LP | 12 | (0) |
| 2022 | → Curicó Unido (loan) | 26 | (8) |
| 2023 | → Coquimbo Unido (loan) | 27 | (16) |
| 2024–2025 | América de Cali | 58 | (17) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2025 | Malaysia | 2 | (1) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 31 August 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 10 September 2025 | |||
Rodrigo Julián Holgado (born 28 June 1995) is an Argentine professional footballer who last played as a forward for Colombian club América de Cali. He played for the Malaysia national team twice; however, he is currently suspended from all football related activities after being sanctioned by FIFA in September 2025 for forging documents related to his Malaysian ancestry.[1]
Club career
From 2017 to 2018, Holgado played in Mexico for Albinegros de Orizaba and Veracruz.[2]
In 2018, Holgado moved to Chile and joined Coquimbo Unido in the second level, winning the league title. In Chile, he also played for Audax Italiano and Curicó Unido before rejoining Coquimbo Unido in 2023 at the top division on loan from Argentine side Gimnasia La Plata.[3][4]
In 2024, he moved to Colombia and joined América de Cali.[5] In September 2025, América suspended Holgado following his sanction by FIFA.[6]
International career
In preparation for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, Holgado, who claimed Malaysian heritage, was called up to the Malaysian national team on 4 June.[7] Holgado faced criticism from Colombian sports journalist Eduardo Luis López for "abandoning his club duties" and accepting the Malaysia call-up purely based on "financial motivations". This was refuted by Holgado, who rebutted by stating that López was not qualified to comment as he was not a footballer. Colombian-born Syrian international Pablo Sabbag publicly supported Holgado's decision, emphasizing that "it is an honor to play for the national team".[8] Holgado made his international debut on 10 June 2025 in the match against Vietnam at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium, where he also scored his first international goal.[9]
In September 2025, however, Football Association of Malaysia (FAM), Holgado, and six other Malaysian heritage players were sanctioned by FIFA due to falsification and forgery of documents regarding the players' eligibility to play for Malaysia in the third round of the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers against Vietnam. In all seven cases, the players' Malaysian heritage was found to be false. As a result, each player was fined CHF 2,000 (around MYR 10,560) and suspended from all football related activities for 12 months. FAM have confirmed they will file an appeal against FIFA's sanctions.[10][11][6]
Personal life
Born in Argentina, Holgado claimed to be of Malaysian descent through his grandfather. However, FIFA released a statement that his grandfather was not born in nor has Malaysian ancestry, as the documentation submitted by Football Association of Malaysia was proven to be doctored.[12]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 31 May 2025[13]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Coquimbo Unido | 2018 | Primera B de Chile | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 |
| Audax Italiano | 2019 | Chilean Primera División | 13 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 5 |
| 2020 | Chilean Primera División | 29 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 4[b] | 3 | 33 | 11 | |
| 2021 | Chilean Primera División | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 3 | |
| Total | 51 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 55 | 19 | ||
| Gimnasia y Esgrima (LP) | 2021 | Argentine Primera División | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| Curicó Unido | 2022 | Chilean Primera División | 26 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 8 |
| Coquimbo Unido | 2023 | Chilean Primera División | 27 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 16 |
| América de Cali | 2024 | Categoría Primera A | 30 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 38 | 10 |
| 2025 | Categoría Primera A | 16 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 6[b] | 1 | 22 | 8 | |
| Total | 46 | 17 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 60 | 18 | ||
| Career total | 166 | 60 | 7 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 184 | 64 | ||
- ^ Includes Copa Colombia
- ^ a b c Appearances in Copa Sudamericana
International
- As of match played 10 September 2025
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Malaysia | 2025 | 2 | 1 |
| Total | 2 | 1 | |
- Scores and results list Malaysia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Holgado goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 June 2025 | Bukit Jalil National Stadium, Bukit Jalil, Malaysia | Vietnam | 2–0 | 4–0 | 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualification |
Honours
Coquimbo Unido
Individual
- Primera B de Chile Top Goalscorer: 2018
References
- ^ "FIFA sanctions Football Association of Malaysia and seven players". inside.fifa.com. Archived from the original on 30 September 2025. Retrieved 7 October 2025.
- ^ "Rodrigo Julián Holgado". LigaMX.net. LIGA BBVA Bancomer MX. 13 March 1999. Retrieved 3 April 2016.
- ^ ""Vuelve a casa": Coquimbo Unido oficializó el regreso de Rodrigo Holgado". alairelibre.cl (in Spanish). Radio Cooperativa. 19 December 2022. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
- ^ Encina, Camilo (8 December 2023). "La U y Colo Colo miran atentos: Coquimbo no compra a Holgado y este debe volver al fútbol argentino". RedGol (in Spanish). Retrieved 14 December 2023.
- ^ "El argentino Rodrigo Holgado llega a reforzar el ataque escarlata". America de Cali (in Spanish). 10 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.
- ^ a b "HOLGADO TO FILE APPEAL TO FIFA". Bernama. 27 September 2025. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
- ^ "New heritage blood ready to fire up Harimau Malaya [WATCH]". nst.com.my. New Straits Times Berhad. 4 June 2025. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
- ^ "Holgado tempelak wartawan Colombia". sinarharian.com.my (in Malay). Karangkraf Group. 6 June 2025. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
- ^ "Match Report of Malaysia vs Vietnam - 2025-06-10 - AFC Asian Cup Qualification - Global Sports Archive".
- ^ "FIFA Sanctions On FAM: AFC Awaits Football Tribunal Verdict". Bernama. 27 September 2025. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
- ^ Nair, Rohith; Latiff, Rozanna (26 September 2025). "Malaysian players banned after using forged documents to play qualifier v Vietnam". Reuters. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
- ^ "Malaysian players banned after using forged documents to play qualifier v Vietnam". Reuters. 26 September 2025. Retrieved 27 September 2025.
- ^ Rodrigo Holgado at Soccerway. Retrieved 27 February 2025.
External links
- Rodrigo Holgado at Liga MX (archive) (in Spanish)
- Rodrigo Holgado at Soccerway