Carlos Tevez

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Tevez began his career with Boca Juniors, winning the Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup in 2003 before moving to Brazilian club Corinthians, where he won the league title. His moves to English clubs West Ham United in 2006 and Manchester United in 2007 were plagued by issues relating to his third-party ownership by Media Sports Investment, and their resulting sagas paved the way for changes to both Premier League and FIFA regulations. Tevez won six trophies at United, including two Premier League titles and a UEFA Champions League. In 2009, Tevez joined Manchester United's rivals Manchester City. In the 2010–11 season he won the Premier League Golden Boot, and in the 2011–12 season he won another Premier League title. In 2013, he joined Juventus, where he won two Scudetti among other trophies. He returned to Boca Juniors in June 2015, before joining Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua the following years in a deal which made him one of the highest-paid footballers in the world. He again returned to Boca Juniors for a third spell in 2018, and won the 2017–18 and 2019–20 Primera División titles. Tevez made his international debut for Argentina in 2004, earning 76 caps and scoring 13 times for the side. A gold medal and Summer Olympics Golden Boot winner at the 2004 Olympics, he also played at two FIFA World Cups, a FIFA Confederations Cup and four Copa América tournaments. He has been awarded the South American Footballer of the Year three times, the Footballer of the Year of Argentina twice, and the Argentine Sportsperson of the Year once. He has also been named in the South American Team of the Year three times. He announced his retirement from professional football in June 2022.

In Their Own Story

The rivalry with River Plate reached its boiling point in the 2004 Copa Sudamericana round of 16. Tevez found himself on the pitch against Boca's arch-nemesis, and the tension was palpable. After drawing the first leg 2–2 on aggregate, he scored in the second leg to level the match at 2–2 again before Boca ultimately won 5–4 on penalties. In the heat of the celebration, Tevez ran toward the River Plate supporters, imitating a chicken—a direct reference to their nickname 'Gallinas' and their reputation for choking in late stages of matches. The gesture drew immediate ire from officials, resulting in his red card. Despite this controversy, his commitment remained fierce. He had previously refused an offer from the club to cosmetically remove the distinctive burn scar running from his right ear to his chest, stating the mark was part of who he was and where he came from. This refusal highlighted a character that prioritized identity over image, cementing his bond with the 'Fuerte Apache' neighborhood that raised him.

Reader's Guide

At age 16, Tevez made his debut for Boca Juniors against Talleres de Córdoba in the Torneo Apertura of the 2001–02 Argentine Primera División, on 21 October 2001. Boca Juniors were crowned champions of the 2001 Copa Libertadores and faced Bayern Munich at the 2001 Intercontinental Cup on 27 November, where they lost 1–0, although Tevez was not included in the squad. He went on to score 1 goal in 11 league appearances in the 2001–02 season. Boca had finished in first place of their 2002 Copa Libertadores group and had reached the quarter-finals, where they faced Paraguay's Club Olimpia on 8 May. Tevez scored after 18 minutes in the first-leg to give Boca Juniors a 1–0 lead, until Olimpia levelled the scores in the 67th minute when Boca defender Cristian Traverso scored an own goal. Boca lost the second-leg 1–0 in Asunción on 16 May. Boca finished three points behind Independiente to finish in second position during the Torneo Apertura. Boca Juniors eventually finished four points behind River Plate to claim second position in the Torneo Clausura. Tevez scored 10 goals in 32 appearances for Boca during the 2002–03 season. During the 2002 Copa Sudamericana, Boca were eliminated 3–1 on aggregate by Gimnasia de La Plata in the first round. Boca participated at the 2003 Copa Libertadores and reached the final of the competition, where they faced Santos. Boca won 5–1 on aggregate, with Tevez scoring in the 3–1 away win in the second leg. Tevez was also voted as the tournament's best player. Tevez scored 12 goals in 23 appearances during the 2003–04 season. Boca were crowned champions of the Torneo Apertura, where Tevez finished as the Apertura's seventh top goalscorer with eight goals. Boca then finished in second spot of the Torneo Clausura, four points behind River Plate. During the 2003 Copa Sudamericana, Boca Juniors reached the quarter-final stages where they were eliminated by Colombia's Atlético Nacional 5–1 on aggregate. During the 2003 Intercontinental Cup, Tevez, who had just returned to the side from injury, entered the field in the 73rd minute for Guillermo Barros Schelotto, as Boca Juniors defeated Milan 3–1 on penalties to claim the Intercontinental Cup. Boca had reached the final of the 2004 Copa Sudamericana, where they beat Bolivia's Bolívar 2–1 on aggregate. Tevez scored in Boca's 2–0 second-leg win. Boca finished as runners-up of the 2004 Copa Li

Did You Know?

• Tevez was born Carlos Alberto Martínez and raised in the neighbourhood of Ejército de Los Andes, better known as 'Fuerte Apache', from which he received the nickname 'El Apache'.
• He has a distinctive burn scar from his right ear to his chest, caused by accidentally being scalded with boiling water as a child, which kept him hospitalised in intensive care for nearly two months.
• Tevez's early life was featured in the 2019 Argentine television series 'Apache: The Life of Carlos Tevez'.