Diego Gavilán

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Diego Antonio Gavilán Zarate (born March 1, 1980, Asunción) is a Paraguayan footballer who plays for Flamengo and the Paraguay national football team.

Gavilán's nickname pampero - meaning the horse that runs like the wind - offers a fair indication of his purposeful and hard-running style. He began his top-flight career at Cerro Porteño, and he became the first ever Paraguayan to play in England, when he signed for Newcastle United in 2000.

Gavilán cost Newcastle £2m when he left his native Paraguay behind at the age of just 19. He made his Premiership debut in a 2-2 draw at Sunderland. He struggled however, to stake a real claim for a first team place, making some appearances for the club as a substitute.

Gavilán was loaned out to Tecos in Mexico for the year 2002, by which time he had played only two further games for the club. In 2003, Gavilán joined Internacional of Brazil. In 2006, Gavilán signed for Argentinian side Newell's Old Boys. In 2007 he signed with Grêmio, returning to the city of Porto Alegre, in Brazil.

v • d • e Paraguay squad - 2002 FIFA World Cup 1 Chilavert • 2 Arce • 3 Sarabia • 4 Gamarra • 5 Ayala • 6 Struway • 7 Báez • 8 Alvarenga • 9 Santa Cruz • 10 Acuña • 11 Campos • 12 Villar • 13 Paredes • 14 Gavilán • 15 Bonet • 16 Morínigo • 17 Franco • 18 Cáceres • 19 Sanabria • 20 Cardozo • 21 Caniza • 22 Tavarelli • 23 Cuevas • Coach: Maldini

v • d • e Paraguay squad - 2006 FIFA World Cup 1 Villar • 2 Núñez • 3 Toledo • 4 Gamarra • 5 Cáceres • 6 Bonet • 7 Cabañas • 8 Barreto • 9 Santa Cruz • 10 Acuña • 11 Gavilán • 12 Gómez • 13 Paredes • 14 da Silva • 15 Manzur • 16 Riveros • 17 Montiel • 18 Valdez • 19 dos Santos • 20 López • 21 Caniza • 22 Bobadilla • 23 Cuevas • Coach: Ruiz