Daniel Montenegro
Quick Facts
Biography
Daniel Gastón Montenegro Casella (born 28 March 1979) is an Argentine footballer who plays for Club Atlético Huracán mainly as an attacking midfielder.
Club career
Born in Buenos Aires, Montenegro began his professional career at Club Atlético Huracán in 1997. He subsequently signed for Club Atlético Independiente, going on to represent the club on three different spells and teaming up with sibling Ariel in the first.
In the 1999 January transfer window Montenegro moved to France with Olympique de Marseille, being loaned several times by the Ligue 1 side for the duration of his contract, namely to clubs in Spain (Real Zaragoza – where he contributed with four matches to the club's conquest of the Copa del Rey – and CA Osasuna, both in La Liga). He then played in quick succession for Independiente and Club Atlético River Plate, before spending parts of two seasons in the Russian Premier League with FC Saturn Moscow Oblast.
Montenegro returned to his main club for the 2006–07 season, going on to often act as the Avellaneda club's team captain and scoring in double digits in three of his first four years, including a career-best 15 goals in the 2008–09 campaign. In 2009 he moved abroad again, signing with Mexico's Club América for $3 million after lengthy negotiations; he made his unofficial debut vs Chelsea in a friendly, and made his officiail debut for his new team against Deportivo Toluca FC, scoring from his own half in a 7–2 routing.
In 2012, aged 33, Montenegro re-joined Independiente.
International career
Montenegro represented the Argentina under-20 team at the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship, and made his debut with the full side on 18 April 2007, against Chile.
He gained the last of his three caps on 1 April 2009, appearing as a late substitute in the Albiceleste's 1–6 loss in Bolivia for the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Honours
- Zaragoza
- Copa del Rey: 2000–01
- Independiente
- Argentine Primera División: Apertura 2002
- River Plate
- Argentine Primera División: Clausura 2004
- Huracán
- Supercopa Argentina (1): 2014
Personal
Montenegro's older brother, Ariel, was also a footballer and a midfielder. They shared teams at Independiente, and he spent most of his career in Spain.