Juan Sebastián Botero (born July 4, 1986, in Ames, Iowa), is an American-born Colombian soccer midfielder that played for Atlético Huila in the Colombian First Division before retiring from his professional activity as a soccer player.[2] His parents moved from Colombia to the United States before he was born.[1]
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Juan Sebastián Botero | ||
Date of birth | (1986-07-04) July 4, 1986 (age 36) | ||
Place of birth | Ames, IA,[1] United States | ||
Height | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
Position(s) | midfielder[1] | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | Atlético Huila | ||
Youth career | |||
1999–2003 | Independiente Medellín | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2003–2007 | Independiente Medellín | 46 | (?) |
2007 | FC Dallas | 0 | (0) |
2008–2009 | Atlético Huila | ||
2009 | Once Caldas | ||
2009 | Independiente Medellín | ||
2012 | Cúcuta Deportivo | ||
2013 | Leones F. C. | ||
2013 | Atlético Huila | 8 | (0) |
National team‡ | |||
2003 | Colombia U-17 | ||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of August 23, 2007 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of August 23, 2007 |
Then, Botero and his family moved back to Colombia when he was one year old, and he joined the Independiente Medellín youth system at age 13. He made his professional first team debut for Medellin at age 17, on August 3, 2003, versus Atletico Huila. In his four years with the club, he went on to make 46 first team appearances, playing his final game in June 2007 against Cúcuta Deportivo.[3][4]
In 2003, Botero played for Colombia's Under-17 national team in the South American championships, held in Bolivia, scoring a goal against Paraguay while also playing against Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, and Uruguay. This Colombian team was directed by coach Eduardo Lara.[5]
Botero was on the development roster with FC Dallas during 2007,[6] but was waived at the end of the year. He was later picked up to play for CD Atlético Huila to perform in the Copa Mustang in Colombia.
He was later chosen by Atlético Huila to play in the Colombian First Division in Colombia. He played for Once Caldas during the second half of 2009. Then, in 2012 he was hired by Cúcuta Deportivo.[7]
In 2013 and after playing with the Rionegro club and again with Atlético Huila, Botero decided to retire from his activity as a professional soccer player in Colombia. From that moment on, he dedicated himself to coaching minor soccer divisions in the South American country, including Deportivo Independiente Medellín. Likewise, in later years, he began to give sports conferences, narrating and teaching about the soccer sports career, starting in minor divisions, until reaching the professional soccer environment.[8]
Most of his sports career was developed in Colombia, a country where he continued to live after retiring as a professional player.
Club | Country | Year |
---|---|---|
Independiente Medellín | ![]() |
2004–2007 |
FC Dallas | ![]() |
2007 |
Atlético Huila | ![]() |
2008–2009 |
Once Caldas | ![]() |
2009 |
Cúcuta Deportivo | ![]() |
2012 |
Rionegro | ![]() |
2013 |
Atlético Huila | ![]() |
2013 |