Danubio (Uruguay),
Penarol (Uruguay), Juventus (Italy), Empoli (Italy), FC
Sevilla (Spain), Juventus (Italy), Perugia (Italy), Juventus
FC (Italy)
Honours
2002 Italian
SuperCup winner (Juventus) 2002 Serie A Champions (Juventus) 2003 Serie A Champions (Juventus) 2003 Champions League Finals (Juventus) 2002 Italian Cup Finals (Juventus)
Biography
Marcelo Zalayeta (born December 5, 1978 in Montevideo) is an
Uruguayan football player who currently plays, as a striker,
with Serie A side Juventus and for the Uruguayan national team.
Marcelo started his career with Danubio and then moving to
Peñarol in Uruguay, where he made a name for himself. He moved
to Juve in 1997 but considered a promising young player at the
time, he was not given much of a chance to prove himself. He
spent a season on loan with Empoli, and he also starred in
Uruguay's surge for the Copa América in 1999, lost in the final
to Brazil. Two more years away from the club followed, he played
for Sevilla until 2001. At last it seemed Juve lacked forwards
so he was brought back to Italy starting the season of 2001/02,
he was loaned out to Perugia in 2004 before returning to
Juventus in the same year, and though he's not played many
matches he's done well the times he was given a chance.
He has scored two very important extra time winners against
Spanish opposition for Juventus. One came in 2003 in the quarter-finals
of UEFA Champions League against FC Barcelona. The other came
against Real Madrid in the 2005 round of 16.
Zalayeta was selected in a 23-man squad for Uruguay's World Cup
intercontinental playoff against Australia. Unfortunately it
would not be a pleasant experience as Zalayeta was one out of
two penalty kick takers whose shot had been saved by Australian
goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer. Following Zalayeta's failure to
convert, this culminated Australia to win 4-2 on penalties and
qualify for the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany, and
eliminating Uruguay in the process.
