Gabriel Heinze

Gabriel Iván Heinze is an Argentine football coach and former defender who played as either a left-back or centre-back. Nicknamed 'Gringo', he represented his country at the 2004 Summer Olympics, where the U23 squad won the gold medal. His international career included a goal in the semi-final of the 2007 Copa América and another in a group stage victory over Nigeria during the 2010 World Cup.

Quick Facts

Full name: Gabriel Iván Heinze
Born: 19 April 1978
Birthplace: Crespo, Argentina
Height: 1.78 m / 5 ft 10 in
Position: Defender
Current club: Arsenal (first team coach)
Total caps: 397
Total goals: 20

Lore & Background

Heinze's international journey began on 30 April 2003 with a friendly away win against Libya. The following year, he was selected as one of the three overage players when Argentina U23 won the gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics. During the tournament group stage, he scored in a decisive 6–0 victory over Serbia and Montenegro. Despite missing much of his club season with Manchester United due to injury, Heinze was called up for the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals in Germany.

He started in the quarter-final clash against the hosts, though Argentina ultimately lost on penalties. He continued his service at the 2007 Copa América, scoring with his head from a Juan Román Riquelme free kick in the semi-finals against Mexico, contributing to a 3–0 win for the eventual runners-up. His final major tournament appearance came at the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, where he played in four of Argentina's five matches. In a group stage victory over Nigeria, he netted the game's only goal, marking his third international goal and a memorable turning point in that campaign.

Reader's Guide

Heinze operated primarily as a left-back or centre-back for Argentina, bringing physicality and leadership to the national setup. His career with the Albiceleste spanned from his debut in April 2003 through the 2010 World Cup. A key statistic is his total of 72 appearances for the national side. Notable moments include his goal at the 2004 Olympics against Serbia and Montenegro, his headed goal in the 2007 semi-final, and his match-winning strike against Nigeria in 2010. He also represented Argentina U23 as an overage player to win Olympic gold.

Did You Know?

Despite being injured during the 2005–06 club season, he still made it to the 2006 FIFA World Cup squad.
He played at two different Copa América tournaments (2004 and 2007), finishing as runner-up both times.