Players - Maxi Rodriguez

Maxi Rodriguez
Birthdate: 2 January 1981
Birthplace: Rosario, Argentina
Other clubs: Newell's Old Boys (1999-2002), Real Oviedo (loan 2001), Espanyol (2002-05), Atletico Madrid (2005-10), Newell's Old Boys (2 / 2012-17), Penarol (2017-19), Newell's Old Boys (3 / 2019-21)
Signed from: Atletico Madrid
Signed for LFC: 13.01.2010
International debut: 08.06.2003 vs. Japan
International caps: 46/14 (6/2 at LFC) - 15.10.2013
Liverpool debut: 16.01.2010
Last appearance: 13.05.2012
Debut goal: 25.04.2010
Last goal: 10.04.2012
Contract expiry: 13.07.2012
Win ratio: 54.79% W:40 D:15 L:18
Games/goals ratio: 4.29
Games/assists ratio: 12.17
Honours: League Cup 2012
Total games/goals opposite LFC: 1 / 1
League games / goals / assists: 57 / 15 / 4
Total games / goals / assists: 73 / 17 / 6

Player Profile

Maxi Rodriguez was born and brought up in Rosario by his grandparents and mother as his father had abandoned the family. It was a struggle but Maxi was a strong character and first came to prominence with local club Newell's Old Boys. He played for the club for three seasons, scoring 20 times in 59 league matches, before moving on loan half a season to second division Real Oviedo in Spain. He starred for Argentina in the 2001 World Youth Championship, scoring four goals, including one in the 3-0 win over Ghana in the final. A year later he moved permanently from Argentina to La Liga's Espanyol in time for the 2002/03 season. Maxi's reputation grew in Barcelona and he earned himself a transfer to Atletico Madrid in 2005. After a good opening season, injury restricted him to just ten league matches in his second campaign. By this time he had already come to the attention of his international manager and was included in Argentina's squad for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, where he showed the world what he could do with a sensational extra-time winner as Argentina defeated Mexico. Atletico Madrid and Liverpool were placed in the same Champions' League group in the 2008/09 season. Rodriguez scored Atletico's goal in their 1-1 draw at Anfield but Rafa Benítez was already aware of the player's capabilities. Liverpool made their move in January 2010 and Maxi was introduced to his new home public before Liverpool's FA Cup replay with Reading in the middle of the month.

Maxi admitted to a little he had told Rafa when he signed for Liverpool as he told the Liverpool Echo in 2020: "“He asked me if I knew how to speak the language and I said 'yes, of course, stay calm.' Of course, I didn't want the negotiations to fail so I told a little lie. When I arrived in England, there was a press conference and Rafa told me he would speak first and then I would continue. That was when I grabbed him and said 'look Rafa, I need to confess something to you. I don't know English. The only thing I know is how to say hello. Rafa said 'you're a son of a b****.'"

The 29-year-old who could operate both in midfield and on the wing proved to be a good squad player. The manager showed great faith in the Argentinian by starting him in 13 fixtures between 6 February and 2 May 2010. In the World Cup in South Africa Maxi made four starts and one substitute appearance as the double World champions reached the quarter-finals. Rafa was soon his way out of Anfield and Maxi was used sparingly by Roy Hodgson. Thankfully the Englishan's reign was short and the Argentinian was more of a regular under Kenny Dalglish. Maxi came to prominence towards the end of the 2010/11 season with a flurry of goals, scoring seven times in three successive Premier League matches including hat-tricks against Birmingham City and Fulham. He made twice as many first-team appearances as he did in 2009/10. Ten goals in 35 matches showed Maxi's ability to arrive in the nick of time from midfield to finish off a well-worked attack. Even though Maxi only appeared in just over 40% of Liverpool's first-team matches in 2011/12, he again proved that he had an eye for a goal, scoring twice in away matches at Chelsea in the League and the League Cup in November and then scoring twice at Blackburn towards the end of the season, a total of six goals in 17 starts.

On 13 July 2012 Maxi returned to his first club, Newell's Old Boys, in his hometown, Rosario. On the same day Maxi addressed Liverpool's supporters in an open letter: "Dear Reds, I am leaving Liverpool FC today. Before signing for LFC, I just saw the club as one of the greatest institutions in football. After my time here I can confirm that this is not just a great club but also a great family. I have tried to give everything every day that I was wearing the LFC crest. It has been a great honour to defend this shirt during two and a half years. I am returning home with a suitcase full of great memories, good friends within the team and also within this great family that works every day in the club. Thanks a lot for your support. You can NOT imagine what a great honour it was for me when the Kop sang, 'Maxi, Maxi Rodríguez runs down the wing for me da da da da dada...' Hasta la vista!"

Maxi played in twelve first-team matches for Newell's during the second half of the calendar year of 2012; and he also continued to be selected regularly when the Torneo Final and Copa Libertadores matches resumed in February 2013. In the Torneo Inicial (3 August 2012 - 13 February 2013) Newell's finished second behind Vélez Sarsfield. But  Newell's won the Torneo Final (a competition that ran from 8 February until 23 June 2013) and Maxi won the Best Player in the League award.  He comfortably made Alejandro Sabella's provisional 26-man squad for the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil and in the tournament scored the deciding penalty in the shoot out against Holland in the semi final. Maxi remained at Newell's for three more years before moving to Penarol in Uruguay. On 1st January 2019 he returned to Newell's for a third spell, being appointed as captain and scoring three times in the seven starts he made over the remainder of the season. In 2019/20 he started all 23 league games prior to the suspension of the season due to Covid 19 and remained at the club for the start of 2020/21, appearing in the first two League Cup games of the new season. He finally brought the curtain down on his career on 6th December 2021. He was given a standing ovation and fireworks were let off as he was subbed during Newell's 0-0 home draw with Banfield Tributes pured in from former club and country teammates, including Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Jordan Henderson.
Appearances per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 57 6 4 6 0 73
2009-2010 17 0 0 0 0 17
2010-2011 28 1 0 6 0 35
2011-2012 12 5 4 0 0 21
A more detailed look at the player's appearances
Apps Minutes Opponent
6 457 Chelsea
5 397 Blackburn Rovers
5 350 Manchester United
5 275 Bolton Wanderers
4 352 Fulham
4 333 Wigan Athletic
4 279 Everton
4 229 Stoke City
3 269 Birmingham City
3 174 Tottenham
2 180 West Ham United
2 171 Wolves
2 153 Newcastle United
2 114 Arsenal
2 104 Brighton & Hove Albion
2 104 WBA
2 96 Sunderland
2 77 Manchester City
1 90 Exeter City
1 90 Sparta Prague
1 90 Portsmouth
1 90 Burnley
1 90 Oldham Athletic
1 85 Steaua Bucharest
1 78 QPR
1 76 Aston Villa
1 75 Braga
1 74 Trabzonspor
1 73 Swansea City
1 23 Rabotnicki
1 9 Utrecht
1 2 Blackpool
Total Started/substitutions
60 Started
31 On the bench
13 Substitute
34 Substituted
Total Venue
38 Home
34 Away
1 Neutral
Total Competition
57 Premier League
6 Europa League
6 FA Cup
4 League Cup
Total W D L Win % Manager
35 22 6 7 62.9% Kenny Dalglish
21 10 4 7 47.6% Roy Hodgson
17 8 5 4 47.1% Rafa Benítez
Goals per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 15 0 2 0 0 17
2009-2010 1 0 0 0 0 1
2010-2011 10 0 0 0 0 10
2011-2012 4 0 2 0 0 6
A more detailed look at the player's goalscoring
Total Started/substitutions
17 Started
0 Substitute
Total Competition
15 Premier League
2 League Cup
Total Goal minute period
5 1-15 minutes
1 16-30 minutes
2 31-45 minutes
4 46-60 minutes
4 61-75 minutes
1 76-90 minutes
Total Goal origin
17 Open play
Assists per season
Season League FA LC Europe Other Total
Totals 4 1 1 0 0 6
2009-2010 3 0 0 0 0 3
2010-2011 0 0 0 0 0 0
2011-2012 1 1 1 0 0 3
A more detailed look at the player's assists
Milestone Appearances
# Date Against Stadium Competition
1 16.01.2010 Stoke City Britannia St. League
50 01.05.2011 Newcastle United Anfield League
Milestone Goals
# Minute Date Against Stadium Competition
1 74 25.04.2010 Burnley Turf Moor League
Related Articles
Liverpool sign Argentina winger Maxi Rodriguez

From BBC Sport 13 January 2010.

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Declan Sloan has put together a complete record of every South American player to wear the famous Red Jersey, from Mauricio Pellegrino in 2005 to newly recruited Roberto Firmino.

Rampant Reds have fans daring to dream it’s 1986 all over again

Liverpool Echo press report on Liverpool - Birmingham on 23.04.2011.

Luck has deserted Rafael Benitez

A full match report from the Telegraph of the Premier League game between Stoke City and Liverpool at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday Jan 16, 2009.

Related Quotes

Maxi is a fantastic player. He's got good movement and as a footballer it's a pleasure to play with good players and that's what Maxi is because he's a fantastic player. He was really fresh and that showed in his performance and he took his goal really well. He has been terrific for us in the last five or six games. It's unfortunate for us he can't play in the Europa League because he is an intelligent player and he can unlock defences.

Gerrard on Maxi Rodriguez

Other Clubs
Club Season Club rank League apps League goals Total apps Total goals
Newell's Old Boys 1999-2002 Argentina 1 59 20 59 20
Real Oviedo 2000-2001 Spain 2 0 0 0 0
Espanyol 2002-2003 Spain 1 37 7 37 7
Espanyol 2003-2004 Spain 1 38 4 38 4
Espanyol 2004-2005 Spain 1 37 15 37 15
Atletico Madrid 2005-2006 Spain 1 29 9 29 9
Atletico Madrid 2006-2007 Spain 1 10 6 10 6
Atletico Madrid 2007-2008 Spain 1 35 8 43 10
Atletico Madrid 2008-2009 Spain 1 33 6 41 10
Atletico Madrid 2009-2010 Spain 1 14 2 22 3
Newell's Old Boys 2012-2013 Argentina 1 27 5 38 8
Newell's Old Boys 2013-2014 Argentina 1 22 9 29 9
Newell's Old Boys 2014-2015 Argentina 1 17 11 18 11
Newell's Old Boys 2015-2016 Argentina 1 28 10 28 10
Newell's Old Boys 2016-2017 Argentina 1 26 9 26 9
Penarol 2017-2018 Uruguay 1 19 0 21 0
Newell's Old Boys 2018-2019 Argentina 1 7 3 7 3
Newell's Old Boys 2019-2020 Argentina 1 23 6 24 6
Newell's Old Boys 2020-2021 Argentina 1 0 0 16 3
Newell's Old Boys 2021-2022 Argentina 1 8 1 8 1
Total 469 131 531 144