For other people named Alberto Acosta, see Alberto Acosta (disambiguation).
Alberto Acosta
Full nameAlberto Federico Acosta Tabizzi
Birth date23 August 1966 (age 60)
Birth placeArocena, Argentina
Height1.77 m
PositionStriker
Youthyears 11984–1986
Youthclubs 19 Julio Arocena
Years 11986–1988
Years 21988–1990
Years 31990–1991
Years 41991–1993
Years 51993–1994
Years 61994–1995
Years 71996
Years 81996–1997
Years 91997–1998
Years 101998–2001
Years 112001–2004
Years 122009
Clubs 1Unión Santa Fe
Clubs 2San Lorenzo
Clubs 3Toulouse
Clubs 4San Lorenzo
Clubs 5Boca Juniors
Clubs 6Universidad Católica
Clubs 7Yokohama Marinos
Clubs 8Universidad Católica
Clubs 9San Lorenzo
Clubs 10Sporting CP
Clubs 11San Lorenzo
Clubs 12Fénix
Caps 171
Caps 264
Caps 338
Caps 441
Caps 534
Caps 645
Caps 721
Caps 825
Caps 932
Caps 1078
Caps 1177
Caps 126
Totalcaps532
Goals 115
Goals 234
Goals 36
Goals 419
Goals 510
Goals 643
Goals 710
Goals 812
Goals 917
Goals 1039
Goals 1132
Goals 122
Totalgoals239
Nationalyears 11992–1995
Nationalteam 1Argentina
Nationalcaps 119
Nationalgoals 13
Manageryears 12006–2007
Manageryears 22007–2009
Manageryears 32009–2011
Managerclubs 1Dunărea Galaţi
Managerclubs 2Fénix (assistant)
Managerclubs 3Fénix

Alberto Federico 'Beto' Acosta Tabizzi (born 23 August 1966) is an Argentine former professional footballer who played as a striker.

In a professional career which spanned 18 years (nearly 700 official games and more than 250 goals), he played for San Lorenzo in four different spells. Additionally, he represented clubs in France, Chile, Japan and Portugal.

Acosta appeared with Argentina in two Copa América tournaments.

Club career

Born in Arocena, Santa Fe Province, Acosta started playing professionally at Unión de Santa Fe, making his top division debut one month shy of his 20th birthday, in a 0–0 home draw against Argentinos Juniors.[1] Two years later he transferred to San Lorenzo de Almagro, scoring 34 goals in his first two seasons combined, that being the first of the four spells with the club in an 18-year career.

In 1990 Acosta had his first abroad experience, with France's Toulouse FC. After a poor second season he left in December 1991, having played in seven matches with just one goal, with the club eventually ranking 16th – he returned to San Lorenzo, where he scored a further 19 league goals, which earned him a transfer to country giants Boca Juniors.

Acosta spent the following three years out of Argentina, starting and ending with Club Deportivo Universidad Católica in Chile where he rejoined former San Lorenzo teammate Néstor Gorosito. In 1994, he was crowned the top scorer in South American football, netting 33 times in only 25 matches.[2] Also during that debut campaign, he was unable to further help the team for five matches (four after assaulting C.F. Universidad de Chile's Luis Musrri); in between his spell with Universidad, he played in the J1 League for Yokohama Marinos.

In December 1998, Acosta signed with Sporting Clube de Portugal. In his first full season, the 33-year-old striker scored 22 goals, helping the Lisbon side to the Primeira Liga championship after an 18-year wait. He added 14 the following campaign, but was deemed surplus to requirements after the signing of Mário Jardel, and returned to San Lorenzo for the fourth and last time, netting always in double digits until his 2004 retirement at the age of 37. Although still physically fit, the scorer of 300 goals in 666 official games opted to retire, instead of being coerced into retirement later on.[1]

Acosta kickstarted his managerial career in Romania, with FCM Dunărea Galaţi. In the 2007 summer he returned to his country, joining fourth division team Club Atlético Fénix's coaching staff and coming out of retirement for a few months.[3]

International career

Having collected 19 caps for Argentina during three years, Acosta represented the nation in two Copa América tournaments. In the 1993 edition in Ecuador, he converted his penalty shootout attempts in both the quarter-finals and the semifinals, as the nation eventually emerged victorious.[4]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[citation needed]
ClubSeasonLeague
DivisionAppsGoals
Unión de Santa Fe1986–87Argentine Primera División397
1987–88328
Total7115
San Lorenzo1988–89Argentine Primera División3619
1989–902815
Total6434
Toulouse1990–91Ligue 1316
1991–9270
Total386
San Lorenzo1991–92Argentine Primera División217
1992–931912
Total4019
Boca Juniors1992–93Argentine Primera División187
1993–94164
Total3211
Universidad Católica1994Chilean Primera División2533
19952010
Total4543
Yokohama Marinos1996J1 League2110
Universidad Católica1997Chilean Primera División2512
San Lorenzo1997–98Argentine Primera División199
1998–99138
Total3217
Sporting CP1998–99Primeira Liga133
1999–20003322
2000–013214
Total7839
San Lorenzo2001–02Argentine Primera División2911
2002–033011
2003–041810
Total7731
Career total525238

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Argentina199261
199390
199400
199542
Total193

Honours

Universidad Católica

Sporting CP

San Lorenzo

Argentina

Individual

References

  1. ^ Alberto Acosta le dijo adiós al fútbol...y su nombre quedó escrito en la historia (Alberto Acosta said goodbye to football...and his name entered the history books) Archived 13 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine; Familia (in Spanish)
  2. ^ "South American Topscorers". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  3. ^ Ex jugador de la selección jugará en un equipo de Primera C (Former national team player with play in Primera C team); El Día, 16 January 2009 (in Spanish)
  4. ^ "Copa América 1993". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived 21 March 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 16 June 2015.