Franco Daniel Jara (born 15 July 1988) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for Belgrano.

Franco Jara
Personal information
Full nameFranco Daniel Jara[1]
Date of birth (1988-07-15) 15 July 1988 (age 35)[2]
Place of birthVilla María, Argentina[2]
Height1.79 m (5 ft 10 in)[3]
Position(s)Forward
Team information
Current team
Belgrano
Number29
Youth career
Arsenal Sarandí
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2007–2010Arsenal Sarandí49(9)
2010–2015Benfica29(6)
2011–2012Granada (loan)31(3)
2012–2013San Lorenzo (loan)26(2)
2013–2014Estudiantes (loan)23(4)
2015Olympiacos12(3)
2015–2020Pachuca130(63)
2020–2022FC Dallas78(17)
2023–Belgrano28(5)
International career
2010–2011Argentina4(1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:17, 25 April 2024 (UTC)

Club career edit

Born in Villa María, Córdoba, Jara made his professional debut with Arsenal de Sarandí, first appearing in the Primera División in a 0–1 home loss against Argentinos Juniors on 23 May 2008. He scored his first goal for the club on 10 April of the following year, in a 1–1 draw at Club Atlético Colón.[4]

On 30 January 2010, Jara signed a five-year deal with Portuguese champions S.L. Benfica for a transfer fee of €5.5 million, effective for the beginning of 2010–11.[5] He scored in his second official game, a 1–2 home loss to Académica de Coimbra on 15 August,[6] and finished his first season with 43 competitive appearances (11 goals).[7]

Jara was loaned to newly promoted La Liga side Granada CF in late August 2011, moving to Andalusia alongside several other Benfica teammates.[8] On 21 July of the following year, still owned by the latter, he joined San Lorenzo de Almagro,[9] and the same happened in the 2013–14 campaign, this time with Estudiantes de La Plata.[10]

On 24 January 2015, Jara signed for two and a half years with Olympiacos F.C. in a €1.5 million transfer fee.[11][12] His Super League Greece debut occurred on 1 February in a 2–0 away win over Veria FC. He scored his first goal two months later, in a 3–1 victory at Panthrakikos FC.[13]

On 23 May 2015, Jara intercepted a backward pass inside the area in the last minute of the first half of the final of the Greek Football Cup, helping the Piraeus-based team to a record 27th conquest after defeating Skoda Xanthi F.C. 3–1 at the Olympic Stadium.[14][15] On 9 September, he joined Mexican club C.F. Pachuca on a free transfer.[16] He scored a career-best 17 times while at the service of the latter side in 2015–16's Liga MX, helping them win the Clausura tournament,[17] adding six in eight matches for the champions of the following season's CONCACAF Champions League and being voted the competition's best player.[18]

Jara signed for FC Dallas of the Major League Soccer on 21 January 2020, with the deal being made effective in July.[19] On 10 January 2023, Jara and Dallas mutually agreed to terminate his contract at the club.[20]

On 11 January 2023, Jara signed a contract with Belgrano while he was a free agent.

International career edit

On 19 January 2010, Jara was called up to the Argentina national team for a friendly match with Costa Rica on the 27th.[21] The game finished 3–2, and he scored the match-winning goal.[22]

Jara earned his second cap on 10 February 2010, in a 2–1 win against Jamaica.[23]

Personal life edit

On 10 September 2014, Jara suffered a car accident and crashed into a tree, but did not suffer major injuries.[24][25]

Career statistics edit

Club edit

As of match played 2 December 2020[26][27][28]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational CupLeague CupContinentalOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Arsenal Sarandí2007–08Primera División2020
2008–091322[a]0150
2009–10347347
Total49900002000517
Benfica2010–11Primeira Liga26620539[b]21[c]04311
2011–12101[d]020
2014–15200020
Total296206392104711
Granada (loan)2011–12La Liga31320333
San Lorenzo (loan)2012–13Primera División26210272
Estudiantes (loan)2013–14Primera División23410244
Olympiacos2014–15Super League10353156
2015–162020
Total12353000000173
Pachuca2015–16Liga MX2514517[e]33718
2016–1725148[f]62[g]03520
2017–18224733[h]1328
2018–193216451[g]03721
2019–202615212816
Total1306318100011510316983
FC Dallas2020MLS1972[i]0217
Career total31997281063227133388120
  1. ^ Appearance(s) in Copa Sudamericana
  2. ^ Six appearances and two goals in UEFA Europa League and three appearances in UEFA Champions League
  3. ^ Appearance(s) in Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira
  4. ^ Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League
  5. ^ Six Appearances and three goals in Liga MX Playoffs and one appearance in Copa Campeón de Campeones
  6. ^ Appearance(s) in CONCACAF Champions League
  7. ^ a b Appearance(s) in Liga MX Playoffs
  8. ^ Appearance(s) in FIFA Club World Cup
  9. ^ Appearance(s) in MLS Cup Playoffs

International edit

[29]

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Argentina201031
201110
Total41

International goals edit

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetitionRef.
126 January 2010Ingeniero Hilario Sánchez, San Juan, Argentina  Costa Rica3–23–2Friendly[22]

Honours edit

Benfica

Olympiacos

Pachuca

Individual

References edit

  1. ^ "FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2017: List of Players: CF Pachuca" (PDF). FIFA. 29 November 2017. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 December 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Franco Jara – Player Profile". Eurosport. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  3. ^ "Franco Jara". FC Dallas. Archived from the original on 23 August 2022. Retrieved 23 August 2022.
  4. ^ "El cielo está embrujado" [The sky is falling]. Olé (in Spanish). 11 April 2009. Retrieved 21 January 2010.
  5. ^ "Franco Jara confirmado à CMVM" [Franco Jara confirmed to PSMC]. Record (in Portuguese). 30 January 2010. Archived from the original on 1 February 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2010.
  6. ^ Kundert, Tom (15 August 2010). "Last-gasp wonder goal sinks Benfica at the Luz". PortuGOAL. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 15 April 2011.
  7. ^ "Jara recorda partida pregada no Benfica: "Quem terá sido o filho da puta?"" [Jara remembers prank at Benfica: "Who could have this motherfucker been?"]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 7 April 2020. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  8. ^ "El Granada obtiene la cesión del argentino Franco Jara" [Granada get loan of Argentine Franco Jara]. Marca (in Spanish). 30 August 2011. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  9. ^ "Jara regressa à Argentina" [Jara returns to Argentina]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). 21 July 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
  10. ^ "Estudiantes de La Plata incorporó a Franco Jara a su plantel" [Estudiantes de La Plata added Franco Jara to squad]. El Sol (in Spanish). 10 August 2013. Archived from the original on 13 August 2013. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
  11. ^ "Jara joins Olympiacos". Olympiacos F.C. 24 January 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  12. ^ "Franco Jara transferido para o Olympiakos" [Franco Jara transferred to Olympiakos] (in Portuguese). S.L. Benfica. 24 January 2015. Archived from the original on 27 January 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2015.
  13. ^ "Panthrakikos – Olympiacos 1–3". Olympiacos F.C. 15 April 2015. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  14. ^ "Olympiakos defeat Xanthi in Greek Cup final". ESPN FC. 23 May 2015. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
  15. ^ "Olympiakos beats Xanthi 3–1 in Greek Cup final". Yahoo!. 23 May 2015. Retrieved 24 May 2015.
  16. ^ "Jara joins Pachuka [sic]". SDNA. 9 September 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  17. ^ "Franco Jara se convirtió en el goleador histórico de Pachuca" [Franco Jara became Pachuca's historical scorer] (in Spanish). TyC Sports. 3 November 2019. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  18. ^ "Franco Jara, ganador al Balón de Oro Liga de Camepones" [Franco Jara, Champions League Golden Ball winner] (in Spanish). CONCACAF League. 27 April 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  19. ^ "FC Dallas signs Liga MX forward Franco Jara". FC Dallas. 21 January 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
  20. ^ Dallas, F. C. "FC Dallas and Franco Jara Mutually Agree to Terminate Contract". FC Dallas.
  21. ^ "Franco Jara, otro convocado por Maradona" [Franco Jara, another Maradona callup] (in Spanish). Torneos y Competencias. 20 January 2010. Archived from the original on 26 January 2010. Retrieved 21 January 2010.
  22. ^ a b "Puso la Jara" [Jaratastic]. Olé (in Spanish). 27 January 2010. Retrieved 27 January 2010.
  23. ^ "Argentina sufre para imponerse a Jamaica" [Argentina suffer to best Jamaica]. Marca (in Spanish). 11 February 2010. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
  24. ^ "Franco Jara sofre acidente de viação e não apresenta lesões relevantes" [Franco Jara suffers car accident and doesn't show relevant injuries] (in Portuguese). S.L. Benfica. 10 September 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
  25. ^ "Benfica's Franco Jara crashed his Mustang into a tree. Car totalled, player lucky to be OK [Pictures]". 101 Great Goals. 11 September 2014. Archived from the original on 12 September 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2014.
  26. ^ Franco Jara at BDFA (in Spanish)
  27. ^ Franco Jara at Soccerway
  28. ^ Franco JaraUEFA competition record (archive)
  29. ^ Franco Jara at National-Football-Teams.com
  30. ^ Cunha, Pedro Jorge (17 May 2015). "Benfica bicampeão: 28 com as faixas e dois à espera" [Benfica back-to-back champion: 28 with the sashes and two await] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  31. ^ a b c d e "F. Jara – Trophies". Soccerway. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
  32. ^ "ΕΛΛΑΔΑ – Super League" [Greece – Super League] (in Greek). Sport Data. Retrieved 21 June 2015.
  33. ^ González, Édgar (26 April 2017). "Pachuca es campeón de la 'Concachampions'" [Pachuca are champions of the 'Concachampions']. Milenio (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  34. ^ "Jara named Scotiabank CCL Golden Ball winner". CONCACAF. 27 April 2017. Retrieved 26 April 2018.[permanent dead link]

External links edit