Santiago Alejandro Gallucci Otero (born 8 March 1991) is an Argentine footballer who plays as a midfielder for Douglas Haig
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Santiago Alejandro Gallucci Otero[1] | ||
| Date of birth | (1991-03-08) 8 March 1991 (age 31)[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Ramallo, Argentina | ||
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Douglas Haig | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2002–2011 | River Plate | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2011–2013 | River Plate | 0 | (0) |
| 2013–2015 | Godoy Cruz | 2 | (0) |
| 2015–2017 | Douglas Haig | 62 | (0) |
| 2017–2018 | Unión Española | 36 | (0) |
| 2018–2020 | Central Córdoba | 16 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | San Martín Tucumán | 15 | (0) |
| 2022– | Douglas Haig | 19 | (0) |
| National team | |||
| 2009–2010 | Argentina U20 | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:39, 31 July 2022 (UTC) | |||
Gallucci was born in Ramallo, Buenos Aires Province,[1] and began his football career in the youth system of River Plate in 2002.[2] He was selected for the Argentina under-20 team,[3] and in mid-2011, was on the bench for the second leg of the playoff against Belgrano,[4] which saw River relegated from the top division for the first time in their history.[5] He took part in pre-season training with the first team under new manager Matías Almeyda, and was in the starting eleven for friendly matches,[6][7] but fell out of favour and never made a senior appearance.[2] He was allowed to travel to Spain for a trial with Villarreal that proved unsuccessful,[2] and in 2013, his contract was cancelled by mutual consent.[8]
He signed for Godoy Cruz, managed by Martín Palermo,[8] as "one for the future".[9] He made his first-team debut in August 2013 in the Copa Argentina, and his first Primera División appearance in the last match of the Torneo Inicial – Palermo's last match in charge – in December.[10][11] After just one more first-team appearance,[10] Gallucci moved on to Douglas Haig of the Primera B in February 2015. He played about half the matches in his first season – which he attributed to injury and then a change of coach[12] – and then was used more regularly.[10]
With Douglas Haig facing relegation from the 2016–17 Primera B,[13] Martín Palermo signed Gallucci for Chilean Primera División club Unión Española.[14][15] He started all but one match and was, according to El Mercurio's headline writer, "the brain that pulls the strings" as the team finished as runners-up in the 2017 Torneo de Transición.[10][15]
Gallucci made several appearances for Argentina U20 while a River player. At the age of 18, he started the first two group matches at the 2009 Toulon Tournament,[3] but was sent off in the second half of the semifinal as Argentina went out to France on penalties,[16] so was unable to take part in the third-place match, in which Argentina beat the Netherlands with a last-minute goal.[17] He continued in the side in 2010.[18][19]
Santiago Gallucci Otero llegó como una apuesta a futuro desde River y Jonathan Ramis arribó desde Aldosivi. [Santiago Gallucci Otero arrived from River as one for the future and Jonathan Ramis came in from Aldosivi.]