Claudio Caniggia

The Son of the Wind who scored when it mattered most.

Claudio Paul Caniggia, known as 'El Hijo del Viento' (The Son of the Wind) for his explosive speed, is an Argentine former professional footballer who played as a forward or winger. He played 50 times for the Argentina national team, appearing in three World Cups and scoring four goals in eight matches across the 1990 and 1994 tournaments. A key player in both those World Cups, Caniggia scored two goals to help Argentina reach the 1990 final, though he was suspended for the final itself. He also scored two goals in a first-round match against Nigeria at the 1994 World Cup. Despite his talent, he was not picked under coach Daniel Passarella for the 1998 World Cup.

Quick Facts

Full name: Claudio Paul Caniggia
Born: 9 January 1967
Birthplace: Henderson, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Height: 1.73 m / 5 ft 8 in
Position: Forward, winger

Lore & Background

Caniggia's international career was defined by clutch performances and controversy. At the 1990 World Cup in Italy, he came off the bench in the opening match against Cameroon, memorably being fouled three times in a single dribble, the last by Benjamin Massing earning a straight red card. In the second round against Brazil, with the score 0-0 after 80 minutes, a pass from Diego Maradona left Caniggia one-on-one with goalkeeper Taffarel; he dribbled past and scored on the empty goal, giving Argentina victory and eliminating Brazil in a huge upset.

In the semi-final against Italy, he headed a cross past Walter Zenga, ending Zenga's record streak of 517 minutes without conceding a goal, sending the match to extra time and eventually penalties, which Argentina won. However, Caniggia had received a yellow card against Italy for deliberate handball, earning him a suspension for the final against West Germany, which Argentina lost 1-0. He was good friends with Maradona; while at Boca Juniors, the duo celebrated a goal in the Superclásico with a kiss on the lips.

Reader's Guide

To understand Caniggia's impact on the Argentina national team, focus on his role as a creative forward or playmaker rather than a pure striker. He was a quick and physically strong forward with good technique and dribbling skills, known in particular for his exceptional speed. He competed in athletics before his football career, running the 100 meters. His ability to score goals was matched by his capacity to play off other forwards and create chances for teammates.

He was often deployed in deeper roles as an advanced playmaker or creative forward, or out wide as a winger. His explosive running enabled him to get past opponents consistently, earning him the nicknames 'El Hijo del Viento' and 'El Pájaro'. At the 1994 World Cup, he scored two goals in the first-round match against Nigeria in Boston, the first from a Gabriel Batistuta free kick rebound and the second from a free kick by Diego Maradona, which he finished into the top right corner.

He was taken out of Argentina's third game against Bulgaria 26 minutes into the match and was left out of the squad for the Round of 16 match against Romania, which Argentina lost 3-2. After refusing to cut his long hair despite the rules of coach Daniel Passarella, he was frozen out of the national team for years. He made a brief comeback for the 2002 World Cup but did not play, and received a red card for cursing at the referee from the bench in Argentina's last match against Sweden, becoming the first player to be sent off from the bench in a World Cup.