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.
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]
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.
Franco has been praised for the ability and quickness of thought to play as a playmaker in the ‘number 10’ role. [28]
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 |
Libertad
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.
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]
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.
Franco has been praised for the ability and quickness of thought to play as a playmaker in the ‘number 10’ role. [28]
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 |
Libertad